Search Macomb Township DUI Records

Macomb Township DUI and OWI records flow through the 41B District Court, which serves the township along with neighboring Clinton Township in Macomb County. First and second offense OWI cases are handled at the district court level, while third-offense felony charges move up to the 16th Circuit Court. This page walks through every source you can use to find OWI case records, arrest history, and related documents tied to Macomb Township.

41B District Court - Macomb Township OWI Cases

The 41B District Court handles all first and second offense OWI cases filed in Macomb Township. Both are misdemeanors. The court is shared with Clinton Township, and its physical location is in Clinton Township. Do not let the address confuse you. If someone was stopped and charged with OWI in Macomb Township, the case went to this court.

You can search 41B District Court cases for free through MiCOURT. That is the statewide case system run by the Michigan courts. Go to micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search and filter by court name to narrow results to just the 41B District Court. The system shows party names, case numbers, charges, hearing dates, and whether the case is open or closed. For older records that predate the court's electronic filing, contact the clerk's office directly.

Certified copies of district court records can be obtained in person at the clerk window or by mail. Call the court at (586) 493-7500 to ask about current fees, what ID you need, and how long mail requests take. If you just need case status or basic charge information, MiCOURT is faster and free.

Macomb Township Police - FOIA Records

Most OWI arrests in Macomb Township are made by the Macomb Township Police Department. The department generates arrest reports, incident reports, and chemical test records during each OWI stop. These documents are separate from what the court holds. To get them, you need to file a records request with the police department directly.

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, found at MCL 15.231, gives public agencies 5 business days to respond to a request. Submit your FOIA request in writing to the Macomb Township Police Department. Include details like the date of the incident, the name of the person involved, and any report number you already have. The more detail you provide, the smoother the process tends to go.

OWI arrest reports often include the officer's narrative, field sobriety test observations, chemical test results, and dash or body camera log references. If a case is still pending in court, some of those documents may be withheld under FOIA exemptions. Once the case closes, more records typically become available. Contact the records unit before filing if you want to know what is currently releasable.

Statewide Search Tools for Michigan OWI Records

Michigan provides three public tools for checking OWI and criminal history. Each one shows something different. ICHAT gives the most thorough criminal background check. MiCOURT shows court case details at no cost. OTIS covers people in state corrections custody. Run all three if you want a full picture.

ICHAT stands for Internet Criminal History Access Tool and is operated by the Michigan State Police. It costs $10 per search and covers all 83 counties. Results show conviction dates, offense codes, and the court of record. OWI convictions appear here, including older ones. You can search at apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT. Pay by credit or debit card. Results typically come back in minutes.

MiCOURT is free and shows more case-level detail than ICHAT. You can see dismissed charges and reduced pleas, not just convictions. OTIS is mainly useful for people sentenced to state prison. Many first and second offense OWI cases result in county jail or probation, which would not appear in OTIS at all.

Macomb County Circuit Court - Felony OWI

Third offense OWI in Michigan is always a felony. There is no 10-year lookback. A prior from 20 years ago still counts. When a Macomb Township resident faces a third OWI charge, the case leaves the 41B District Court and goes to the 16th Circuit Court in Mount Clemens. Felony OWI carries the possibility of state prison time, a longer revocation period, and a permanent felony record.

Felony OWI cases involving serious injury or death also go to the circuit court, no matter how many prior offenses exist. These cases carry different charge codes in MiCOURT, typically filed as circuit-level felony cases. You can search them the same way you would any other circuit court case, using MiCOURT or by contacting the clerk directly.

For a full breakdown of all Macomb County courts and search resources, see the Macomb County DUI Records page. That page covers the 16th Circuit Court, all district courts in the county, and county-specific search tools.

Michigan OWI Law and How It Affects Records

Michigan's drunk driving statute is MCL 257.625. The charge is called OWI, which stands for Operating While Intoxicated. The term DUI appears in informal settings and older documents, but OWI is what you will see in court records and statute references. The standard BAC limit is 0.08%. At 0.17% or higher, the charge becomes High BAC, sometimes called Super Drunk. Drivers under 21 can be charged at a BAC as low as 0.02%.

The 10-year lookback rule was removed in 2007. Before that, courts only counted prior OWI convictions within the past decade when classifying a new charge. Now there is no cutoff. Every prior OWI on record counts, no matter how old. A conviction from 1998 still makes a new 2025 charge a second or third offense depending on how many priors exist. This is something many people do not realize when searching old records.

Implied consent is part of Michigan law under MCL 257.625c. Driving on Michigan roads means you have already agreed to chemical testing if an officer suspects OWI. Refusing a test brings an automatic one-year license suspension. That refusal gets recorded and can be introduced at trial.

OWI records stay on the criminal record and driving record permanently. They do not fall off after a set number of years. The only path to removal is 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 cases and OWIs involving injury or death are not eligible. If expungement is granted, the record is sealed from public searches but stays visible to law enforcement. ICHAT results will not show a sealed record, but a law enforcement query still will.

Driving Records and the Secretary of State

Court records and driving records are not the same thing. They come from different agencies and carry different information. Knowing the difference saves time and helps you get what you actually need.

A court record reflects the legal outcome. Charges filed, hearings, plea or verdict, sentence, and probation terms all appear there. You get court records through MiCOURT, the court clerk, or ICHAT. A driving record is issued by the Michigan Secretary of State and covers license status, points, suspensions, and traffic violations including OWI convictions. You can order a driving record through the SOS at michigan.gov/sos/services/driving-records. Employers, insurers, and attorneys often need both records to get the full story on an OWI case.

The Michigan State Police also maintains a separate criminal history database. The MSP Criminal History service at michigan.gov/msp/services/chr is used more by agencies than individuals, but it is another official source. ICHAT is the public-facing version of the same underlying data. Both can show OWI conviction history going back decades.

If you need a certified copy of a district court record, contact the 41B District Court clerk at (586) 493-7500. The clerk can tell you what is on file, current copy fees, and how to get records by mail. For uncertified copies, fees are lower. Both options are available.

Nearby Cities

Other cities near Macomb Township also have OWI cases processed through Macomb County courts. Their district courts and police departments handle records independently. See the pages below for DUI records in nearby communities.

View Macomb County DUI Records