Search Livonia DUI Records

Livonia DUI records are processed through the 16th District Court for misdemeanor OWI cases, with felony drunk driving charges moving to the Third Judicial Circuit Court in Detroit. Michigan charges drunk driving as OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) under MCL 257.625, and the 16th District Court serves the City of Livonia exclusively, making it the primary source for local OWI case records.

16th District Court: Livonia OWI Cases

The 16th District Court is the sole district court for the City of Livonia. It handles all misdemeanor-level drunk driving charges that start within city limits. The court is located at 32765 Five Mile Road, Livonia, MI 48154. The main line is (734) 466-2500. Fax is (734) 466-2555. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Current judges are Hon. Sean P. Kavanagh (Chief Judge), Hon. James J. Jolly, and Hon. Kathleen J. McCann. The 16th District also operates a Hybrid DWI/Drug Court program for qualifying defendants.

First and second offense OWI charges in Livonia go to the 16th District Court. That includes standard OWI at a BAC of 0.08% or higher, High BAC cases at 0.17% or above, and Operating While Visibly Impaired (OWVI) charges. Under-21 drivers face charges at just 0.02% BAC under Michigan's zero tolerance rule. Those cases go through the 16th District too. Each case generates a public court record that covers the charging document, any pretrial activity, the plea or verdict, and the sentencing order.

Because the 16th District serves Livonia exclusively, every Livonia misdemeanor OWI case in MiCOURT came from this court. Search by name or case number. Misdemeanor drunk driving cases show up under the SD or OD case codes. MiCOURT confirms whether a case was filed and shows how it resolved. Documents are not available online. Call the court at (734) 466-2500 to ask about document requests, copy fees, and whether a request by mail is possible.

Livonia Police Department Records and FOIA

Livonia Police Department handles OWI arrests within the city. Arrest records, incident reports, and booking information from those arrests are held by the police department, not the court. They are public records under Michigan's FOIA statute, MCL 15.231, but must be requested separately from court records. The department is located at 15050 Farmington Road, Livonia, MI 48154. For records inquiries, call (734) 466-2470 or email law@livonia.gov.

Michigan FOIA requests must be in writing and should include a specific description of the records you need. The department must respond within 5 business days. They can extend that deadline, but any extension must be sent in writing with the reason stated. The agency 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.

What the police record shows is different from what the court record shows. An arrest report documents the officer's observations at the scene: driving behavior, field sobriety test performance, BAC readings at arrest, and the charges placed at the time of booking. It does not tell you how the case ended in court. For the court outcome, use MiCOURT or run an ICHAT search. If a denial comes back on your FOIA request, the department must cite the specific legal basis in writing. You can appeal that denial.

Statewide Tools for Livonia OWI Cases

Three main tools let you search Michigan DUI records at the state level. Each covers different data. Checking more than one gives you the most complete picture.

MiCOURT is the free statewide court case search. It covers both the 16th District Court and the Third Judicial Circuit in Detroit, so you can search for Livonia misdemeanor and felony OWI cases from the same system. Results show the charge type and case resolution. There is no fee, and no documents are available online. Use MiCOURT first, before paying for anything more detailed.

ICHAT costs $10 and pulls a full Michigan criminal history from the Michigan State Police database. It covers all 83 counties. For Livonia DUI cases, ICHAT is the most thorough tool when you need to know about prior OWI convictions anywhere in the state. Michigan has no 10-year lookback for prior offenses. A person's full conviction history is what determines whether a new OWI comes in as a first-offense misdemeanor or a third-offense felony. ICHAT shows all of that across all counties and all years.

The OTIS system from the Michigan Department of Corrections is free and covers offenders under state supervision. A Livonia OWI case that resulted in a state prison sentence would appear in OTIS. That applies mainly to third-offense or higher felony cases sent to the Third Judicial Circuit. Most misdemeanor OWI sentences in Livonia involve county jail, probation, fines, and license action rather than state prison, so OTIS often will not show results for first or second offense cases.

Wayne County Courts and Felony OWI

Livonia is in Wayne County, and felony OWI cases originating in Livonia move to the Third Judicial Circuit Court at 2 Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Felony charges include third-offense OWI, OWI causing serious impairment of a body function, and OWI causing death. The Third Circuit uses the Odyssey Public Access (OPA) system for case lookups at www.3rdcc.org. OPA shows basic case information, but actual documents require an in-person visit to the courthouse.

For a detailed look at how Wayne County processes drunk driving cases, including the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, how the Third Circuit's OPA system works, and which tools cover all Wayne County courts, see the Wayne County DUI Records page.

Michigan OWI Law: What Livonia Records Show

All Livonia OWI arrests are charged under MCL 257.625. The statute defines several charge types that show up in 16th District Court records based on the facts of each arrest.

Standard OWI applies at a BAC of 0.08% or above. That is the most common charge in Livonia court records. High BAC applies at 0.17% or above and carries stiffer mandatory minimums on a first offense, including up to 180 days in jail and mandatory ignition interlock after conviction. Drivers under 21 can be charged at just 0.02% BAC under Michigan's zero tolerance rule. Commercial drivers face a 0.04% limit. Each charge type appears with its own label in court records and leads to different consequences.

OWVI, Operating While Visibly Impaired, applies when a driver appears clearly impaired even without a firm BAC reading over the limit. It does not require proving a specific BAC and is often offered as a plea reduction from standard OWI. OWPD, Operating With Presence of Drugs, covers drug-impaired driving. For Schedule 1 substances, the prosecution only needs to show the substance was in the driver's system. No separate impairment showing is required.

Michigan's implied consent law applies to every driver in the state. An arrest for OWI triggers a legal obligation 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 handled by the Secretary of State and tracked on the driving record. It may also show up in the court file if a hearing on the refusal was held.

OWI convictions are permanent in Michigan. They do not expire or fall off the record on their own. Michigan's Clean Slate law does allow expungement of a single first-time OWI conviction after 5 years under narrow conditions, but it does not cover High BAC convictions or cases involving injury or death. For most Livonia OWI cases, the conviction stays on record indefinitely.

Driving Records and Criminal History in Livonia OWI Cases

A Livonia OWI conviction creates entries in two separate records held by two different agencies. The criminal record goes to the Michigan State Police. The driving record consequences go to the Secretary of State. You must request each one separately. Neither automatically includes what the other shows.

The driving record is held by the Michigan Secretary of State and can be requested through the SOS Driving Records portal. It shows license status, suspensions, revocations, points, implied consent actions, and any ignition interlock conditions tied to a restricted license. It does not include arrest details or criminal case history. Insurance companies, employers, and courts often request this document.

For official criminal history, the Michigan State Police Criminal History Records division maintains the statewide database. ICHAT draws from that system. If you need a certified criminal history record of a Livonia OWI conviction for legal or official purposes, contact MSP directly. Courts report convictions to MSP automatically after sentencing, but reporting may lag by days or weeks. A search run shortly after a case resolved may not yet show the conviction.

License penalties after OWI convictions in Michigan escalate 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 requires going through Michigan's formal hearing process. The Road to Restoration program outlines the steps and requirements.

Nearby Cities in Wayne County

These cities near Livonia also have local court and records information for DUI cases in Wayne County.