Clinton Township DUI Records

Clinton Township DUI records are processed through the 41B District Court, which handles OWI cases for the township and nearby Macomb County communities. Michigan charges drunk driving as OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) under MCL 257.625, and the 41B District Court also runs a DWI Sobriety Court program for qualifying defendants. Felony OWI cases move up to the 16th Circuit Court in Mount Clemens, and arrest records from Clinton Township Police require a separate FOIA request.

41B District Court: Clinton Township OWI Cases

The 41B District Court handles first and second offense OWI cases for Clinton Township, Harrison Township, and Mount Clemens. The court is located at 22380 Starks Drive, Clinton Township, MI 48038. You can reach the clerk at (586) 469-9300. The court's official website is at 41bdistrictcourt.com. Three judges preside: Judge Sebastian Lucido, Judge Jacob Femminineo, and Judge Carrie Lynn Fuca.

The 41B District Court also operates a DWI Sobriety Court program. This is a treatment-based alternative to standard sentencing for eligible defendants. Participants agree to intensive monitoring, regular check-ins, and substance abuse treatment in exchange for a structured path that can lead to reduced charges or dismissal. If you are searching for someone who entered the sobriety court, their case status in the docket may look different from a standard plea or conviction. Contact the court directly for clarification on those cases.

To search 41B District Court cases online, use MiCOURT, the free statewide court case search. Filter by court to limit results to the 41B. Misdemeanor OWI cases appear under the SD case code for standard statute charges or OD for ordinance-based charges. Results show the charge, hearing history, and final case status. Documents are not available online. To get copies, call the clerk at (586) 469-9300 and ask about the current fee schedule and mail request procedures.

Clinton Township Police: FOIA Records

Clinton Township Police Department handles OWI arrests in the township. Arrest records, incident reports, and booking data from those arrests are held by the police department, not the court. They are public under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.231, but must be requested separately from court records. The two sources cover different things and neither automatically includes what the other shows.

The department is located at 37985 Groesbeck Hwy., Clinton Township, MI 48036. The Records Bureau can be reached at (586) 493-7810. To submit a FOIA request, email FOIA@clintontownship-mi.gov or use the FOIA form available at clintontownship.com. You can also submit a request in person at the Records Bureau or by mail. Include as much identifying information as possible in your request: the full name of the subject, date of birth, the date of the incident, and any report or case number you already have.

Michigan agencies must respond to a FOIA request within 5 business days. They can extend that window by up to 10 additional business days by sending written notice of the extension and the reason for it. The department may charge fees for search time and copying. They must provide a written cost estimate before starting work that will cost more than a minimal amount. If a request is denied, the denial must be in writing and cite the specific legal exemption under MCL 15.231. You have the right to appeal a denial.

An arrest record from Clinton Township Police will show what the officer observed at the scene: driving behavior, the results of field sobriety tests, BAC readings taken at the time of arrest, and the charges filed. It does not show what happened in court. For the court outcome, search MiCOURT or run an ICHAT query.

Statewide Tools for Clinton Township OWI Records

Michigan offers three public state-level tools for searching DUI and OWI records. Each one pulls from different data. Checking more than one gives you the most complete picture of someone's history.

MiCOURT is the free statewide court search run by the Michigan Supreme Court. It covers the 41B District Court and the 16th Circuit Court in Macomb County. Search by name or case number. Results confirm whether a case was filed, what it was charged as, and how it ended. There are no documents available online. MiCOURT is the right first step before paying for anything more detailed.

ICHAT costs $10 and returns a full Michigan criminal history from the Michigan State Police database. It covers all 83 counties. For Clinton Township DUI cases, ICHAT is the most complete tool when you need to know about prior OWI convictions from other parts of the state. Michigan has no 10-year lookback for prior offenses, so a person's full conviction history is what determines whether a new charge comes in as a misdemeanor or a felony. A case that looks like a first offense locally could be a felony third offense based on prior convictions from other counties. ICHAT shows all of that.

The OTIS database from the Michigan Department of Corrections is free and covers offenders currently in state prison or on parole. A Clinton Township OWI case that resulted in a state prison sentence would appear in OTIS. These are almost always felony third-offense or higher cases handled by the 16th Circuit Court. Most misdemeanor OWI outcomes involve county jail, probation, fines, and license suspension rather than state prison, so OTIS often will not show results for first or second offense cases.

Macomb County: 16th Circuit Court and Felony OWI

Clinton Township is in Macomb County, and felony OWI cases originating in the township move to the 16th Circuit Court in Mount Clemens. Felony drunk driving under Michigan law begins at a third offense. It also applies to OWI causing serious impairment of a body function or OWI causing death. The 16th Circuit Court is at 40 N. Main Street, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043, and can be reached at (586) 469-7400. The court's website is at macombcountymi.gov/circuit-court.

Circuit court records for these felony cases are public and can be searched through MiCOURT using the FD case type code. For a full breakdown of how Macomb County handles drunk driving cases at every level, including the Sheriff's Office and other county resources, see the Macomb County DUI Records page.

Michigan OWI Law: What Clinton Township Records Reflect

All Clinton Township OWI arrests are charged under MCL 257.625. The statute defines several offense types that show up in 41B District Court records based on the facts of each case.

Standard OWI applies at a BAC of 0.08% or above. That is the most common charge in Clinton Township court records. High BAC, sometimes called Super Drunk, applies at 0.17% or above and carries enhanced mandatory penalties on a first offense including up to 180 days in jail and a required ignition interlock after conviction. Drivers under 21 face charges at just 0.02% BAC under Michigan's zero tolerance rule. Commercial drivers are held to a 0.04% limit. Each of these charge types appears with its own code in district court records.

Michigan eliminated the 10-year lookback rule for prior OWI convictions in 2007. Every prior Michigan OWI conviction counts when determining offense level, no matter how old it is. This is important context when reading a Clinton Township case. A charge filed as a third-offense felony may seem surprising if the person has only one recent local OWI, but earlier out-of-county or older convictions likely explain the charge level. ICHAT is the tool to check for that full history.

Implied consent applies to every driver in Michigan. Lawfully arrested drivers are required to submit to chemical testing. Refusing a breath or blood test brings a 1-year license suspension for a first refusal and a 2-year suspension for a second refusal within 7 years. Refusal is a civil matter tracked by the Secretary of State on the driving record. It may also appear in the court file if a hearing on the refusal was requested.

OWI convictions are permanent in Michigan. They stay on both the criminal record and the driving record. The one exception is Michigan's Clean Slate law, which creates a narrow path for expunging a first-time OWI conviction after 5 years. Clean Slate does not apply to High BAC cases, cases involving injury or death, or any second or higher offense. Most Clinton Township OWI convictions remain on record indefinitely.

Driving Records vs. Court Records

Court records and driving records are held by different agencies and cover different information. A Clinton Township OWI conviction appears in both systems, but you must request each separately.

The driving record is with the Michigan Secretary of State and can be requested through the SOS Driving Records portal. It shows license status, past suspensions and revocations, points, and any ignition interlock conditions tied to a restricted license after an OWI. It does not include court case history or arrest details. Insurance companies, employers, and courts frequently request this record.

For official criminal history, the Michigan State Police Criminal History Records division maintains the statewide database. ICHAT draws from that system. For a certified criminal history record of a Clinton Township OWI case, contact MSP directly. Courts automatically report convictions to MSP after sentencing, but reporting may take days or weeks. If you search shortly after a case resolved, the conviction may not yet appear in ICHAT or on the driving record.

License penalties after an OWI conviction increase with each offense. First offense: 30-day hard suspension then 150 days restricted. Second offense within 7 years: 1-year revocation. Third offense: revocation with a minimum 5-year wait before a reinstatement hearing. Reinstating a revoked license in Michigan requires going through the Road to Restoration program, which involves formal hearings and evidence of sobriety.

Nearby Cities in Macomb County

These cities are near Clinton Township and have their own local court and records information for DUI cases.