Livingston County Background Check and Court Records

Livingston County background check records are available through the LivingstonLive online portal, the 44th Circuit Court, the 53rd District Court, and the Michigan State Police ICHAT system. Livingston County has strong online access options compared to many Michigan counties, making remote searches relatively practical here.

ICHAT: Start with Statewide Criminal Records

Before diving into county-specific portals, run a Michigan State Police ICHAT search. This covers all 83 Michigan counties for $10 per name. It returns felonies and serious misdemeanors punishable by over 93 days. Access ICHAT at apps.michigan.gov/ichat. You pay by credit card and get instant results.

ICHAT does not include traffic records, juvenile cases, local misdemeanors under 93 days, suppressed records, or federal and tribal court records. Each name or alias is a separate $10 charge. After running ICHAT, use the county-level tools below to get court case details specific to Livingston County.

LivingstonLive Online Records Portal

Livingston County has its own online court records portal called LivingstonLive. You can find it at livingstonlive.livgov.com/CourtRecordValidation/. This system covers both the Circuit Court and the District Court. The search fee is $6 per name or court searched. Viewing case history or summary detail costs $2.50 per case.

The portal is useful for searching by defendant name or case number. It shows case status and relevant docket information. This is one of the more robust county-level portals in Michigan and makes remote searching practical for Livingston County. For the free statewide option, MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/ also covers most Livingston County cases at no cost.

For in-person access, public access terminals are available at the courthouse. You can use these to search without the LivingstonLive fee.

44th Circuit Court and 53rd District Court

The 44th Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $25,000, and family court. The Circuit Court Clerk is at 204 S. Highlander Way, Howell, MI 48843. Phone: (517) 546-9816. The County Clerk's main office is at 200 E. Grand River, Howell, MI 48843, phone (517) 546-0500. CPL applications are processed here, and monthly maintenance is the first Wednesday from 8 to 10 a.m.

The 53rd District Court covers misdemeanors, traffic cases, and civil matters under $25,000. It is at 224 N. First St., Brighton, MI 48116. Phone: (517) 548-1000. Brighton is in the southern part of the county and is the district court location for the county's southern communities. The Probate Court is reachable at (517) 546-3750.

Note how the Circuit Court Clerk and the County Clerk are at different addresses. The Circuit Court Clerk at Highlander Way handles court case records. The County Clerk on Grand River handles vital records and elections. Go to the right office for the type of record you need.

What Records Are Available

Criminal records from the 44th Circuit Court include felony charges, case proceedings, sentencing records, and dispositions. The 53rd District Court holds misdemeanor and traffic records. Family court files include divorce cases, child custody orders, paternity determinations, and protection orders. All of these are available in person at the appropriate courthouse or through the LivingstonLive portal online.

Vital records such as birth, death, and marriage certificates are at the County Clerk's office on Grand River. Copy fees for in-person documents run $1.00 per page. Certified document copies cost $10.00 each. For mail requests, include the case details, your contact information, a check or money order for fees, and a return envelope addressed to yourself.

For legal guidance, Michigan Legal Help has free information on how to search public records and what your rights are under Michigan law.

Offender Registries and Corrections

The Michigan Department of Corrections OTIS system is free and shows people under active state supervision or discharged within the last 3 years. The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry is also free and searchable by name or location. Both are available without creating an account.

For state-level FOIA requests, use the Michigan State Police FOIA portal. County-level FOIA requests go to the specific Livingston County office that holds the records. Michigan requires a 5-business-day response to all FOIA requests.

Nearby Counties

Livingston County is in southeastern Michigan between Lansing and Detroit. Neighboring counties may hold records for people with activity across this region.