Shiawassee County Background Check Records

Shiawassee County background check records are available through the County Clerk, the 35th Circuit Court, and the Michigan State Police ICHAT system in Corunna. This central Michigan county maintains public court records going back to the 1830s and offers both in-person and phone-based access to criminal history and court filings.

How to Run a Shiawassee County Background Check

For criminal history in Shiawassee County, start with ICHAT from the Michigan State Police. ICHAT gives statewide coverage of all felonies and serious misdemeanors from all 83 Michigan counties. Each name search costs $10 and results come back right away. This is the fastest tool for a comprehensive criminal history check in Michigan.

For court records specific to Shiawassee County, the Clerk's Office handles two separate lines for different record types. For circuit court records, call (989) 743-2262, option 3. For vital records, call (989) 743-2242, option 1. The Clerk's office is at the Historic Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 208 N. Shiawassee St., Corunna, MI 48817. Fax: (989) 743-2241. Email: clerk@shiawassee.net. Current Clerk: Caroline D. Wilson. Chief Deputy: Kelly S. Cook.

The county website is at shiawassee.net. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with no lunch closure, which is worth knowing if you plan to call mid-day. Court records in Shiawassee County go back to December 4, 1837, making this one of the oldest county record collections in Michigan. Probate records go back to 1836.

Shiawassee County Court System

Shiawassee County is served by the 35th Circuit Court. The presiding judge is Matthew J. Stewart, and the court administrator is Krissi S. Lab. Phone: (989) 743-2298. Fax: (989) 743-2602. The Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases, civil cases over $25,000, and family law matters. Circuit Court records date back to December 1837.

The 66th District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases and traffic violations. The court is at 110 E. Mack St., Corunna, MI 48817. Phone: (989) 743-2395. Fax: (989) 743-2469. The District Court judge is Matthew S. McKone, and the magistrate is Michael Herendeen. Both courts operate from the courthouse area in Corunna.

MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov may have some Shiawassee County records available online. For anything not found there, the Clerk's phone lines for court records and vital records are the best next step. Note: Probate records from 1836 and court records from 1837 make Shiawassee one of the richest counties for historical record searches in Michigan.

Michigan ICHAT for Shiawassee County

ICHAT is operated by the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center. It costs $10 per name and requires a credit card. Enter the subject's full legal name and date of birth. Results appear immediately. The database covers all felonies and all misdemeanors punishable by more than 93 days from every Michigan county.

ICHAT does not include traffic violations, warrants, juvenile records, suppressed records, tribal records, federal criminal history, or out-of-state records. To access it, go to michigan.gov/msp/services/chr. Each alias or former name requires a separate $10 search. Pairing ICHAT with Shiawassee County court records gives a complete view of someone's public record in the county.

County Clerk and Records Access

Clerk Caroline D. Wilson manages court and vital records for Shiawassee County. The office is at the Historic Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 208 N. Shiawassee St., Corunna, MI 48817. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (not closed for lunch). Court records line: (989) 743-2262, option 3. Vital records line: (989) 743-2242, option 1. Email: clerk@shiawassee.net. Fax: (989) 743-2241.

Court records go back to 1837. Birth, marriage, and death records go back to 1867. Probate records go back to 1836. Copy fees are structured in tiers: $1.00 per page for the first 5 pages, then $0.15 per page after that. Certified copies cost $10.00 each. This tiered fee structure is less common in Michigan and worth knowing when budgeting for a copy request. Bring or send payment along with your request.

Sheriff's Office and Local Records

The Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office holds arrest records, incident reports, and other law enforcement records for the county. Cities like Owosso and Corunna also have their own police departments with separate records. To request records from the Sheriff, file a written FOIA request under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, 1976 PA 442.

Your request must describe the records clearly, give a date range, and include your contact information. The office has five business days to respond. Copy fees under MCL 15.234 apply. Standard rates are $1.00 per page for the first 5 pages, then $0.15 per page after, following Shiawassee's tiered structure. If denied, you can appeal. Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org has free FOIA guidance.

What Shiawassee County Records Show

Background check records in Shiawassee County draw from ICHAT, the Circuit Court, the District Court, and the Sheriff. ICHAT gives statewide criminal history. Circuit Court records cover felony cases filed locally. District Court records cover misdemeanors and traffic cases. Sheriff records cover local arrests and incidents. Probate records add another layer for estate and family matters.

Michigan's Clean Slate laws from 2021 and 2023 allow sealing of some convictions. Non-violent misdemeanors qualify after seven years. Some felonies qualify after ten years. Sealed records do not appear in ICHAT or public court searches. Juvenile records may also be sealed under Public Act 362. Under Michigan Court Rule 8.119(J), basic case information is available for free public inspection at the courthouse.

FOIA Requests in Shiawassee County

Michigan's 1976 PA 442 gives anyone the right to request public records from Shiawassee County agencies. Submit a written FOIA request to the correct office. Describe the records clearly, give a date range, and include your contact information. The agency has five business days to respond. Extensions of up to ten days are allowed. Copy fees under MCL 15.234 apply.

Shiawassee County uses a tiered copy fee structure. The first 5 pages cost $1.00 each. Pages after that are $0.15 each. Certified copies cost $10.00 each. If your request is denied, appeal to the agency head. Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org has free guidance on FOIA appeals in Michigan.

Michigan State Resources

The Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking System shows prisoners, parolees, and probationers statewide. Search free at michigan.gov/corrections. It includes people released within the past three years.

The Michigan Sex Offender Registry at mipsor.state.mi.us is a free search tool. Look up registered sex offenders in Shiawassee County or anywhere in Michigan by name or address.

The MSP records page is where you access ICHAT for Shiawassee County criminal history searches. It also links to fingerprint-based check information.

MDOC's offender search covers active supervision statewide. Use it alongside ICHAT and the County Clerk for a full Shiawassee County background check.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Shiawassee County in central Michigan. Each has its own circuit court and clerk for public records.