Ann Arbor DUI Records

Ann Arbor DUI and OWI records are handled primarily by the 15th District Court, which serves the city and the University of Michigan area and maintains the official case files for misdemeanor Operating While Intoxicated charges. Felony OWI cases go to the Washtenaw County Circuit Court, and arrest records from the Ann Arbor Police Department are available through a separate FOIA process. Statewide search tools including MiCOURT and ICHAT let you check OWI history across Michigan without visiting a courthouse.

15th District Court - OWI Records and Sobriety Court

The 15th District Court at the Ann Arbor Justice Center handles all misdemeanor OWI cases originating in the city. That includes first offense OWI charges under the standard 0.08% BAC threshold, High BAC charges for drivers who test at 0.17% or above, and OWI with a minor in the vehicle. The court also operates a DWI Sobriety Court program, which is a supervised treatment track for certain defendants who meet eligibility requirements and choose to participate in lieu of a standard criminal sentence.

Three judges preside in the 15th District Court: Hon. Karen Quinlan Valvo, Hon. Ann L. Stapleton, and Hon. Elizabeth Pollard Hines. Cases are assigned based on scheduling and docket rules. The court clerk maintains all case files, which are public records. You can search 15th District Court cases using the court's own online case search tool or through the statewide MiCOURT portal. Both tools let you search by name or case number at no charge.

For in-person access to court records, visit the clerk's office at the Ann Arbor Justice Center. Certified copies of documents require a written request and a per-page fee. The court's website at a2gov.org/departments/15D has contact information, hours, and a direct link to the court's own case search. Using the court's local search can sometimes return results more quickly than the statewide MiCOURT portal for active cases.

Ann Arbor Police Department - Arrest Records and FOIA

The Ann Arbor Police Department (AAPD) handles OWI enforcement within city limits. When an officer makes an OWI arrest, they prepare an incident report, conduct or arrange a breath or blood test, and process the arrest at the Justice Center. Those arrest records and incident reports belong to the police department, not the court. Getting copies requires a separate FOIA request to AAPD.

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act under MCL 15.231 gives the department 5 business days to respond to a written request. AAPD accepts FOIA requests by email at a2policerecords@a2gov.org or by fax at (734) 994-9928. Walk-in requests are accepted at the Records Unit on the second floor of the Justice Center during business hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The department may charge a fee for copying and staff time. Ask for a cost estimate before they process the request if you want to know upfront what it will cost.

When submitting a request, include the subject's full name, date of birth, and the approximate date of the OWI incident. That information helps the records staff locate the correct report quickly. If you are requesting your own records, you may need to provide identification. Third-party requests for someone else's records may be limited depending on the status of any pending case and what information is exempt under Michigan's FOIA exemptions.

Statewide Search Tools for Ann Arbor OWI Cases

Beyond the local court and police records, Michigan maintains several statewide databases that let you search OWI case history across all 83 counties. These are useful when you need to check whether someone has prior OWI convictions from other parts of Michigan, or when you want a broader picture than local court records alone provide.

ICHAT is the Michigan State Police criminal history tool. It costs $10 per search and returns statewide conviction data. Every OWI conviction that was reported to the state will appear in ICHAT results, covering both misdemeanor and felony charges. Arrests that did not result in conviction, dismissed charges, and acquittals do not show up in ICHAT. For cases that are still pending or were not convicted, MiCOURT is the right search tool instead.

OTIS is the Michigan Department of Corrections offender search, covering people currently in state prison or under MDOC parole and probation supervision. It is free. If someone received a felony OWI conviction and a state prison sentence, they will appear in OTIS. The MSP Criminal History Records service provides a more formal certified background report for employers and licensing agencies that need official documentation. SOS driving records are a separate, parallel track that captures license sanctions and alcohol-related driving convictions independently of the criminal court records.

Washtenaw County Circuit Court - Felony OWI

Felony OWI cases from Ann Arbor go to the Washtenaw County Circuit Court, which is the 22nd Judicial Circuit. A third or subsequent OWI offense in Michigan is always a felony, and any OWI that caused death or serious injury is also charged at the felony level. The circuit court handles those more serious matters and maintains their own separate records from the 15th District Court.

Michigan eliminated the 10-year lookback rule for OWI priors in 2007. That means any prior OWI conviction, even one from 20 or 30 years ago, can count toward a felony third offense charge. A person with two prior OWI convictions faces a felony on any new OWI arrest, regardless of when those prior convictions occurred. Felony OWI cases carry state prison time rather than county jail sentences.

Circuit court records for Washtenaw County are available through MiCOURT. Use case type code FD for Felony Drunk Driving when filtering. For in-person access, the Washtenaw County Trial Court is located in Ann Arbor. Certified copies of felony case records require a written request to the circuit court clerk. See the Washtenaw County DUI Records page for courthouse address, phone number, and detailed access instructions.

Michigan OWI Law - What Ann Arbor Cases Are Filed Under

Michigan does not use the term DUI in its law. The charge is OWI, Operating While Intoxicated, under MCL 257.625. The standard BAC limit is 0.08%. Drivers under 21 face a stricter 0.02% limit. Commercial drivers must stay below 0.04% behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle.

The High BAC or Super Drunk charge applies when a driver tests at 0.17% BAC or higher. A first-time High BAC offense stays a misdemeanor but carries penalties far worse than a standard first OWI. The mandatory suspension is 45 days, followed by 10.5 months of restricted driving. Jail time can reach 180 days. Ignition interlock is often ordered as a condition of any restricted driving privileges granted after the hard suspension period.

Michigan's implied consent law means any driver on a public road has already agreed to submit to a chemical test. Refusing a breath or blood test triggers a 1-year license suspension on the first refusal. That suspension runs through the Secretary of State's administrative process. It is separate from whatever happens in criminal court. An OWI case that gets dismissed in court does not automatically reverse an implied consent suspension that was already imposed.

OWI convictions are permanent in Michigan. They do not fall off your record after a set number of years. Clean Slate legislation created a path for expunging a first-time OWI after 5 years, but only certain offenses qualify. High BAC convictions do not qualify. Neither do OWI cases involving death or injury. The Road to Restoration resources explain current eligibility rules for expungement and license restoration.

Driving Records and OWI History

An OWI arrest and conviction in Ann Arbor creates records in two places. The court file lives at the 15th District Court or Washtenaw County Circuit Court. The driving record lives at the Secretary of State. These are separate systems. Courts report convictions to the SOS, but the SOS also maintains its own administrative records tied to license actions that run independent of court proceedings.

To get a Michigan driving record, use the Secretary of State. The SOS driving records page explains how to request one online or by mail. A standard driving record costs $11. OWI convictions appear on the driving record for the life of the license. Points from an OWI conviction also stay on record, though the rolling 2-year window used for suspension and insurance purposes means older points carry less practical weight over time.

For a complete criminal background check that covers statewide OWI conviction history, ICHAT is the standard option at $10 per search. For certified documentation needed by an employer or licensing board, the MSP Criminal History Records service provides a more formal report. It is not the same as a court transcript, but it does document conviction status, offense date, and charge details for all reported convictions.

Nearby Cities

These Michigan cities also have OWI records pages with court contact information, FOIA guidance, and statewide search tools.