Jackson County OWI and DUI Records

Jackson County DUI records are held at the 12th Circuit Court and the 12th District Court, both at 312 S. Jackson Street in Jackson. The circuit court handles felony OWI cases, and the district court handles first and second offense charges as misdemeanors. Michigan uses the term OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) for drunk driving under MCL 257.625, and Jackson County case records follow that same language in all filings and dispositions. This page explains which courts and agencies hold these records and how to get access to them.

12th Circuit Court - Felony OWI in Jackson County

The 12th Circuit Court is at 312 S. Jackson Street, Jackson, MI 49201, and can be reached at (517) 788-4260. This court handles all felony-level OWI cases in Jackson County. Felony charges arise when a person faces a third or subsequent OWI conviction, an OWI causing serious impairment of a body function, or an OWI causing death. Michigan removed the 10-year lookback rule in 2007, so a third OWI is always charged as a felony regardless of how old the prior convictions are. The circuit court file in a felony OWI case typically runs longer than a misdemeanor record, containing the charging documents, motions, plea or trial records, sentencing documents, and any post-conviction proceedings.

Case lookups are available through the free MiCOURT statewide case search. Felony OWI cases from the 12th Circuit Court appear in MiCOURT under case type code FD (Felony Drunk Driving). Searches can be done by name or case number. MiCOURT returns case status, charge information, hearing dates, and party names. It does not provide access to the actual case documents. To get copies of filings from the 12th Circuit, contact the clerk's office at (517) 788-4260 or visit in person at 312 S. Jackson Street.

The image below is from the Jackson County government website, which links to court services and public records access for DUI and other criminal cases in the county.

The county government portal provides contact information and links to court and sheriff services relevant to Jackson County DUI records.

12th District Court Jackson County DUI Records

The 12th District Court shares the same address as the circuit court: 312 S. Jackson Street, Jackson, MI 49201, phone (517) 788-4260. It handles misdemeanor OWI cases in Jackson County, which include first and second offense drunk driving charges. The court processes standard OWI at 0.08% BAC or above, High BAC (Super Drunk) at 0.17% or more, OWVI (Operating While Visibly Impaired), and OWPD (Operating With Presence of Drugs). First offense High BAC carries mandatory minimum penalties that exceed a standard first OWI, including at least 48 hours in jail and a 320-day license suspension with a mandatory interlock period.

In the MiCOURT system, Jackson County misdemeanor OWI cases from the 12th District Court appear under case type codes OD (Ordinance Drunk Driving) and SD (Statute Drunk Driving). MiCOURT is free and shows charge details, hearing history, and case status. If you need a full criminal history rather than case-specific data, ICHAT costs $10 per search and provides all Michigan OWI conviction history from the Michigan State Police criminal history database. Both circuit and district court convictions from Jackson County are included.

Jackson County Sheriff's Office Records

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is at 212 W. Wesley Street, Jackson, MI 49201, phone (517) 768-7900. The Sheriff makes drunk driving arrests in unincorporated Jackson County and handles bookings for some cases from contracted agencies. Arrest records from the Sheriff's Office are separate from the court records at the 12th Circuit and 12th District courts. They show what the officer observed and documented at the time of the arrest, not how the case ended in court.

You can request arrest records, incident reports, and booking information from the Jackson County Sheriff under Michigan's FOIA law, MCL 15.231. The agency must respond within five business days. Copy fees typically run $0.10 to $1.00 per page. An OWI incident report may include the officer's written account of the stop, field sobriety test results, breath or blood test data, and any evidence documentation. Records are generally available once court proceedings are complete or no longer pending, though some portions may be redacted.

The image below is from the Jackson County Sheriff's resource page, which provides information on law enforcement services and records requests.

The Sheriff's records unit handles FOIA requests for Jackson County DUI arrest reports and incident documents.

Statewide Databases for Jackson County OWI Searches

Michigan's statewide public databases all include Jackson County OWI records. Which one you use depends on what you are looking for.

MiCOURT is the free Michigan Supreme Court case search tool. It covers both Jackson County courts and shows case status, charges, and dispositions. Start here for a quick, no-cost case lookup. Documents are not available, but the case index is complete and current.

ICHAT from the Michigan State Police costs $10 and returns a person's complete Michigan criminal history. It is a better tool than MiCOURT when you need to know about all of a person's OWI convictions, not just one case. The MSP Criminal History Records unit at (517) 241-0606 manages the database and can assist with questions about official criminal history records.

The OTIS offender search from the Michigan Department of Corrections is free and covers Jackson County felony OWI cases from the 12th Circuit Court that resulted in a state prison sentence. OTIS shows current and past supervision status, offense details, and release information. It is a useful tool when searching for someone who may have served prison time for a felony drunk driving conviction in Jackson County.

OWI Law and What Jackson County Records Contain

Every Jackson County DUI record reflects a charge brought under MCL 257.625. Standard OWI at 0.08% BAC is the most common charge. High BAC at 0.17% brings a heavier first-offense penalty. OWVI, the impaired driving charge, does not require a specific BAC and is often used as a plea outcome in cases where the BAC was close to the 0.08% threshold or where the evidence of impairment is based on observations rather than chemical tests. OWPD covers the presence of Schedule 1 drugs without any BAC component at all. Each of these generates its own distinct court record with different charge language and sentencing ranges.

Michigan's implied consent law requires drivers to submit to a chemical test after a lawful OWI arrest. Refusing costs a one-year license suspension on the first refusal. A second refusal within seven years brings a two-year suspension. These are Secretary of State administrative actions separate from the criminal case but may also lead to a refusal hearing in the district court. The MSP Impaired Driving page covers the full range of Michigan's OWI enforcement and penalty structure.

OWI convictions in Jackson County, like all Michigan OWI convictions, are permanent. They stay on both the criminal record and the driving record for life and cannot be expunged under current Michigan law. People seeking to restore a revoked license after multiple OWI convictions may find guidance through the Road to Restoration program, which helps navigate the Secretary of State's license reinstatement process. The Michigan Legislature's statutes are published at legislature.mi.gov if you want to read the full text of MCL 257.625 and related provisions.

Nearby Counties

Jackson County borders these counties, each with their own circuit and district courts for OWI cases.