Berrien County OWI and DUI Records
Berrien County DUI records include OWI arrests and court cases processed through the 2nd Circuit Court and the 5th District Court, both located in St. Joseph. You can search these records for free through MiCOURT, pay $10 to access criminal history through ICHAT, or contact the court clerk directly. This page covers each search method, what the courts handle, and how Michigan law shapes what appears in the record.
Berrien County Overview
Berrien County Courts and OWI Cases
Two courts handle OWI cases in Berrien County. The 5th District Court takes misdemeanor charges. That means first and second offense OWI under MCL 257.625. The 2nd Circuit Court handles felony OWI cases, including third-offense OWI and OWI causing death or serious injury. Both courts share the same address at 811 Port Street in St. Joseph.
The 5th District Court covers most of Berrien County and can be reached at (269) 983-7111. It handles arraignments, pretrial hearings, and trials for misdemeanor OWI cases. Most first-offense OWI cases resolve at this level through a plea or bench trial. The court keeps records of all case activity including charges, hearing dates, and outcomes. You can search these cases through the statewide MiCOURT system at no cost.
The 2nd Circuit Court takes over when the charge is elevated to a felony. A third OWI conviction is always a felony in Michigan, and there is no longer any lookback limit. Every prior OWI counts, no matter how old. OWI causing death carries up to 15 years in prison. OWI causing serious injury carries up to 5 years. These serious cases leave a longer court record and may also connect to OTIS records if the person serves prison time.
| 2nd Circuit Court | 811 Port Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085 |
|---|---|
| 5th District Court | 811 Port Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085 |
| Phone | (269) 983-7111 |
| Felony OWI | 2nd Circuit Court (3rd offense, death, injury) |
| Misdemeanor OWI | 5th District Court (1st and 2nd offense) |
How to Find Berrien County DUI Records
MiCOURT is the best free starting point. The state court system runs this search tool at micourt.courts.michigan.gov. It covers all Berrien County courts. Search by name or case number. The system uses case code labels that matter when you search for OWI records. Look for SD (Statute Drunk Driving), OD (Ordinance Drunk Driving), and FD (Felony Drunk Driving). Results include party names, charges, scheduled dates, and case status.
ICHAT is the other main option. The Michigan State Police operates this database at apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT. It costs $10 per search. ICHAT covers statewide criminal conviction history, not just case filings. It will show OWI convictions that are part of the person's permanent record. It does not show arrests that did not result in conviction, and it does not show pending cases. For a full picture, run both MiCOURT and ICHAT.
You can also contact the clerk's office directly at (269) 983-7111. Staff can tell you what records are available and how to get copies. Certified copies cost more than plain copies. For arrest records not yet in the court system, contact the Berrien County Sheriff's Office or the arresting local police department through a FOIA request under MCL 15.231. The Michigan State Police FOIA process is outlined at michigan.gov/msp.
The Berrien County Sheriff's Office website provides additional contact details for record requests. The county government site lists sheriff contact information and resources for residents seeking official records through proper channels.
The Berrien County Sheriff's Office website is one starting point for locating local law enforcement records related to OWI arrests in the county.
The sheriff's page includes contact information useful for submitting FOIA requests related to Berrien County OWI arrests and incident reports.
Michigan OWI Law: What Shows in Berrien County Records
Michigan calls impaired driving OWI, not DUI. The law is MCL 257.625. The standard BAC limit is 0.08%. At 0.17% or higher, the Super Drunk provision kicks in with doubled jail time and a required ignition interlock. Drivers under 21 face zero tolerance at 0.02%. Commercial drivers have a 0.04% limit. Each of these charge types shows up differently in court records, but all are traceable through MiCOURT.
Beyond alcohol, there are two other charge types worth knowing. OWVI means Operating While Visibly Impaired. No specific BAC is required for this charge. It is a lesser charge sometimes offered as a plea reduction from OWI. OWPD means Operating With Presence of Drugs. This applies to Schedule 1 controlled substances and is strict liability, meaning no impairment needs to be proven, only presence. Both OWVI and OWPD records appear in Berrien County DUI records alongside standard OWI charges.
Implied consent is another piece. Driving in Michigan means you consent to a breath or blood test under MCL 257.625c. Refusing the test triggers a one-year license suspension for the first refusal. That refusal record appears separately from the criminal case but ties directly to the driving record held by the Secretary of State. You can request a driving record through the SOS driving records page.
Note: Michigan eliminated the 10-year lookback for OWI offenses in 2007. Every prior conviction counts when determining if a charge is a first, second, or third offense.
Driving Records and License Status in Berrien County
An OWI conviction in Berrien County appears on both the criminal history record and the Michigan driving record. These are two separate records maintained by two different agencies. Criminal history is through the Michigan State Police. The driving record is through the Secretary of State. You need to request each one separately if you want both.
The driving record shows license suspensions, revocations, and OWI entries. A first OWI brings a 30-day hard suspension followed by 150 days of restricted driving. A second OWI in seven years brings a 1-year revocation. A third OWI results in revocation with a 5-year wait before a hearing. Getting a license back after revocation requires going through the Road to Restoration process, which involves hearings with the Driver Assessment and Appeal Division.
Driver Responsibility Fees also attach to OWI convictions. These are $1,000 per year for two years, totaling $2,000. These fees are separate from court fines and go to the state. They appear as an obligation on the driving record. Failure to pay can result in additional license suspension. The MSP impaired driving page has more detail on how enforcement and fees work statewide.
Felony OWI Records at the 2nd Circuit Court
When an OWI charge reaches felony level in Berrien County, the case moves to the 2nd Circuit Court. Third offense OWI is always a felony. So is OWI causing death or serious injury. The Circuit Court record covers the full arc of the case: arraignment, preliminary examination, pretrial motions, plea or trial, and sentencing. These records are public and available through MiCOURT or by request from the clerk at (269) 983-7111.
If a defendant is convicted and sentenced to prison, they may appear in the OTIS database. OTIS is the Michigan Department of Corrections offender tracking system, available at michigan.gov/corrections. It shows people currently incarcerated or on parole. Once released and off supervision, they come out of OTIS but remain in the court record and criminal history databases.
The Michigan Legislature site at legislature.mi.gov has the full text of all relevant statutes. MCL 257.625 lays out penalties for each OWI tier. Reviewing the statute helps you understand what a charge in the court record actually means in terms of potential penalty and case history.
Additional Berrien County Record Resources
The Berrien County government website is a useful reference point. It lists court contacts, sheriff information, and links to county offices. The county seat is St. Joseph, which is also where both courts are located, making in-person visits straightforward for those who want to search records or pick up copies.
The county sheriff's office handles OWI arrests in unincorporated areas of Berrien County. Local police departments in Benton Harbor, Niles, St. Joseph, and other cities handle arrests within city limits. Each agency is the starting point for FOIA requests related to that specific arrest. The court record, once filed, is accessible through the county clerk regardless of which agency made the arrest.
Berrien County is in southwest Michigan along Lake Michigan. The county borders Indiana to the south. Cases involving out-of-state drivers or drivers who move after a conviction can complicate record lookups. Both the court record in Berrien County and the ICHAT history statewide should be checked. The MSP criminal history page explains how to request that information formally.
One more resource is the county sheriff's online information page. It provides context for how arrests are processed locally before cases reach the court system.
This resource page from the Berrien County Sheriff helps residents understand local processes around OWI arrests and how to connect with the right office for record requests.
Nearby Counties
Berrien County is at the southwest corner of Michigan. OWI cases near county lines may involve courts in these neighboring counties.