Flint DUI Records

Flint DUI and OWI records are processed through the 7th District Court, which handles first and second offense OWI cases filed within the city. Flint is the county seat of Genesee County, and felony OWI charges move to the 7th Circuit Court located in the same building complex on Saginaw Street. This page covers every source for OWI case records in Flint, from the district court and police department to statewide search tools.

7th District Court (Flint) - OWI Cases

The 7th District Court in Flint handles all first and second offense OWI cases filed in the city. Both charge levels are misdemeanors at the district court level. The court is located downtown on Saginaw Street and is part of the Genesee County court system. You will sometimes see this court referred to as the 67th District Court in older documents and some official listings. Both names refer to the same court serving the City of Flint.

MiCOURT is the fastest way to search for OWI cases from this court. The system is free and run by the Michigan court administration office. Go to micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search and filter results by the 7th District Court or Genesee County to narrow down your search. Results show party names, charges, case numbers, hearing dates, and current status. For very old records that predate electronic filing, contact the clerk directly at (810) 257-3175.

Certified copies of court records can be obtained at the clerk's window in person or by mail request. Call (810) 257-3175 ahead of time to confirm the current copy fees and what identification is required. If you only need basic case information like charge status or hearing dates, MiCOURT is free and faster than an in-person visit.

Flint Police and Genesee County Sheriff - FOIA Records

OWI arrests in Flint may be handled by the Flint Police Department or, in some cases, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. Both agencies generate records tied to each arrest: reports, officer narratives, field sobriety documentation, and chemical test records. These are separate from court records. To access them, you file a FOIA request with the agency that made the arrest.

Under MCL 15.231, Michigan agencies must respond to FOIA requests within 5 business days. Submit your request in writing. Include the name of the person involved, the date of the incident, and any case or report number you already have. The more specific your request, the better the result.

To submit a FOIA request to the Flint Police Department, send a written request to the department directly. The Genesee County Sheriff's Office also accepts written FOIA requests at its Saginaw Street location. If you are not sure which agency made the arrest, check the arrest report source field in any court records you may already have. That usually tells you which department was involved.

Documents you can request include the officer's arrest narrative, field sobriety test records, breathalyzer or blood test results, and booking records. Some records may be withheld while a case is still pending. After the case closes, more documents become releasable. Ask the records unit what is currently available before you file.

Statewide Search Tools for Michigan OWI Records

Three public tools from the state cover different parts of the OWI record landscape. ICHAT gives the most complete criminal background view. MiCOURT is free and shows court case details across all Michigan courts. OTIS covers people in state prison. Use all three for a thorough search.

ICHAT is the Internet Criminal History Access Tool, operated by the Michigan State Police. A search costs $10 and covers all 83 Michigan counties. OWI convictions appear in results along with offense dates, conviction dates, and the court of record. Search at apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT. Pay by credit or debit card. Results typically return within minutes.

MiCOURT is free and goes deeper than ICHAT on case details. You can see all charges in a case, including counts that were dismissed or reduced as part of a plea. OTIS only shows state prison records. A lot of Flint-area OWI cases result in county jail or probation, which would not appear in OTIS. Start with ICHAT and MiCOURT for the most useful results.

Genesee County Circuit Court - Felony OWI Cases

A third offense OWI in Michigan is a felony. Always. The charge moves from the 7th District Court to the 7th Circuit Court at the Genesee County courthouse. The circuit court sits on S. Saginaw Street in Flint and handles all felony criminal cases in Genesee County, including felony OWI cases that start in the city. Felony OWI can result in state prison time, long license revocations, and a permanent felony record.

Felony OWI involving serious injury or death goes directly to the circuit court regardless of how many prior offenses the defendant has. Those cases carry different charge codes in MiCOURT. You can still search them the same way. The Genesee County Circuit Court website at gc7.us provides additional information on the court and its case management. For a full search of Genesee County OWI resources, see the Genesee County DUI Records page.

The Sheriff's Office records unit at (810) 257-3407 can help with questions about custody records tied to felony OWI defendants. The circuit court clerk handles certified copies of felony case records. Contact (810) 257-3225 for copy requests and fees.

Michigan OWI Law - Key Points for Record Searches

Michigan calls drunk driving OWI, which stands for Operating While Intoxicated. The controlling statute is MCL 257.625. You may see older records use terms like OUIL or UBAL. Those are outdated labels but refer to the same type of offense. The standard BAC limit is 0.08%. The High BAC law, also called Super Drunk, applies at 0.17% or above. Drivers under 21 can face charges with a BAC as low as 0.02%.

Michigan removed the 10-year lookback rule in 2007. Before that, only prior OWI convictions within the past decade counted when classifying a new charge. Now there is no limit. A prior from 1999 still makes a new charge a second or third offense. This is something that often surprises people doing records searches. Priors do not age out. They stay relevant permanently.

Implied consent is part of MCL 257.625c. Any driver on Michigan roads is considered to have already agreed to chemical testing if an officer has reason to believe they are driving under the influence. Refusing a test means an automatic one-year license suspension. That refusal is documented and often introduced during the case in court.

OWI records do not have an expiration date in Michigan. Both the criminal record and the driving record hold OWI convictions permanently. The only way to remove a record is through expungement under the Clean Slate law. A person with a single first-time OWI can apply after 5 years if they meet all conditions. High BAC offenses are not eligible. Neither are OWIs involving serious injury or a death. If expungement is granted, the record is sealed from public ICHAT searches, though law enforcement keeps access to it.

License penalties for OWI follow statewide rules. A first offense brings a 30-day suspension and 150 days of restricted driving. A second offense means a one-year revocation. Super Drunk brings 45 days suspended and 320 days restricted. Getting a license back after a revocation requires a formal hearing with the Secretary of State, not just waiting out the time.

Driving Records and the Secretary of State

Court records and driving records are different things from different agencies. Both can show OWI information, but they are not interchangeable. Knowing which one you need saves time.

A court record comes from the 7th District Court or 7th Circuit Court, depending on the charge level. It shows what was filed, what the outcome was, sentencing, and probation details. You can access court records through MiCOURT, the court clerk's office, or ICHAT. A driving record comes from the Michigan Secretary of State and shows license status, points, suspension history, and traffic violations including OWI convictions. Order a driving record at michigan.gov/sos/services/driving-records. Employers, insurers, and attorneys often need both record types to get the full story on an OWI case.

The Michigan State Police maintains a criminal history database through its MSP Criminal History service at michigan.gov/msp/services/chr. ICHAT is the public-facing version of the same underlying data. Both draw on MSP records and can show OWI conviction history going back decades. The MSP Criminal History service is geared more toward agencies; ICHAT is the self-service option for individuals and businesses.

To get a certified copy of a case record from the 7th District Court, call (810) 257-3175. The clerk can tell you what is available, current copy fees, and how to submit a request by mail. Plain copies cost less than certified ones. Both are options depending on what you need the record for.

Nearby Qualifying Cities

Other major Michigan cities also handle OWI records through their own district courts and county circuits. Visit the pages below for DUI records in nearby communities.

View Genesee County DUI Records