Washtenaw County Background Check Records

Washtenaw County background check records are available through the County Clerk, the 22nd Circuit Court, the 15th District Court online case search, and the Michigan State Police ICHAT system in Ann Arbor. This large university county has an active and well-organized court system with multiple online and in-person access options.

How to Search Washtenaw County Background Check Records

For criminal history in Washtenaw 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 search costs $10 and returns results right away. ICHAT is the foundation for any comprehensive background check in Michigan.

Washtenaw County also has a useful online option through the 15th District Court in Ann Arbor. The online case search is at a2gov.org. This covers cases filed in the 15th District Court, which serves the city of Ann Arbor. For criminal records across the county more broadly, use the Circuit Court Records Unit at (734) 222-3024. The Circuit Court requires a specific case number or party name per Administrative Order 2015-01J.

The County Clerk is at 200 N Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Phone: (734) 222-6730. Current Clerk: Lawrence Kestenbaum. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The 22nd Circuit Court is at 101 E Huron Street, PO Box 8645, Ann Arbor, MI 48107. Phone: (734) 222-3270. Records Unit: (734) 222-3024. Document copies are $2.00 per page, which is higher than most Michigan counties. Certified copies add a $10.00 fee.

Washtenaw County Court System

Washtenaw County is served by the 22nd Circuit Court. It handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $25,000, and family law cases. The Circuit Court Records Unit at (734) 222-3024 handles general record checks and can search by case number or party name. The court is in Ann Arbor near the County Clerk.

Washtenaw County has six district courts spread across the county, which is unusually large for a single county. The 15th District Court serves Ann Arbor city at 301 E. Huron Street, (734) 794-6750, and has the online case search. The 14A-1 District Court is at 4133 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, (734) 973-4545. The 14A-2 District Court serves Ypsilanti at 415 W Michigan Avenue, (734) 484-6690. The 14A-3 District Court is in Chelsea at 122 S Main Street, (734) 475-8606. The 14A-4 District Court serves Saline at 1000 N Maple Road, (734) 429-2504. The 14B District Court is in Ypsilanti Township at 7200 S. Huron River Dr., (734) 483-5300.

Knowing which city or township a case was filed in helps you identify the correct district court to contact. MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov also gives online access to some Washtenaw County records. Note: Some records in Washtenaw County may be limited to seven years of public access under the Michigan Clean Slate Law.

Michigan ICHAT for Washtenaw 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, including Washtenaw.

ICHAT does not include traffic violations, warrants, juvenile records, suppressed records, tribal records, federal records, or out-of-state criminal history. To access it, go to michigan.gov/msp/services/chr. For Washtenaw County, pairing ICHAT with the 15th District Court case search and the 22nd Circuit Court Records Unit gives the most thorough coverage. Each alias or former name costs $10 extra.

County Clerk and Records Access

Clerk Lawrence Kestenbaum manages court and vital records for Washtenaw County. Office: 200 N Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Phone: (734) 222-6730. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Clerk manages circuit court filings and vital records for the county. For court records specifically, the 22nd Circuit Court Records Unit at (734) 222-3024 is the direct contact.

Document copies in Washtenaw County cost $2.00 per page, which is higher than the standard $1.00 rate in most Michigan counties. Certified copies add $10.00 on top of the copy fee. Police records from Ann Arbor City cost $5.00. If you need a copy of a police report from Ann Arbor specifically, contact the Ann Arbor Police Department rather than the Clerk's Office. Bring valid photo ID for any in-person requests.

Sheriff's Office and Local Records

The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office handles county-level arrest records and law enforcement reports. Cities like Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, and Saline have their own police departments with separate records. To request records from the Sheriff's Office, 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 agency has five business days to respond. Copy fees under MCL 15.234 apply. Standard rates are $1.00 per page. For Ann Arbor city police records, contact the Ann Arbor Police Department directly. Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org has free FOIA guides for Michigan residents.

What Washtenaw County Records Show

Background check records in Washtenaw County pull from ICHAT, the Circuit Court, multiple district courts, and the Sheriff and city police. ICHAT gives the widest statewide criminal history. The 22nd Circuit Court records show felony case details. District court records cover misdemeanors and traffic cases. City police records cover incidents in specific cities.

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 remains available for free public inspection at the courthouse for non-sealed records.

FOIA Requests in Washtenaw County

Michigan's 1976 PA 442 gives anyone the right to request public records from Washtenaw County agencies. Submit a written request to the specific 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. Fees under MCL 15.234 apply for copying.

Copy fees in Washtenaw County may be higher than average given the $2.00 per page rate at the Circuit Court. Standard rates vary by office. If denied, you can appeal to the agency head. Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org has a free FOIA guide that covers requests, appeals, and your rights under 1976 PA 442.

Michigan State Resources

The Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking System covers 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 public search tool. Look up registered sex offenders in Washtenaw County or anywhere in Michigan by name or address.

The MSP records page is where you start an ICHAT search for Washtenaw County criminal history. It covers all 83 Michigan counties for $10 per name.

MDOC's offender search covers active supervision across Michigan. Use it alongside ICHAT and the district court case search for a complete Washtenaw County check.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Washtenaw County. Each has its own circuit court and clerk for public records and background check searches.