Macomb County DUI Records Lookup

Macomb County DUI records are filed in one of two places: the 16th Circuit Court in Mt. Clemens handles felony OWI charges, while six district courts spread across the county handle first and second offense OWI cases as misdemeanors. Michigan law labels these offenses as OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) under MCL 257.625, and every conviction or dismissal leaves a court record in Macomb County. This page covers how to find those records, which courts to contact, and what statewide tools are available for searching Macomb County drunk driving cases.

16th Circuit Court

The 16th Circuit Court is at 40 N. Main Street, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043. Reach the clerk's office at (586) 469-7400. The circuit court website has general information about filing procedures and access to court services. This court handles all felony OWI cases from Macomb County, including third-offense drunk driving convictions, OWI causing serious injury, and OWI causing death. Third offense OWI is always a felony in Michigan because the state removed the 10-year lookback rule in 2007. It does not matter when the prior convictions happened.

Macomb County Circuit Court uses the CourtView system for case management. Note that CourtView has historically required Internet Explorer in some configurations, so browser compatibility can be an issue for online access. The statewide MiCOURT system is a more accessible alternative for initial case lookups. Public access terminals are available at the courthouse for in-person searching. If you need copies of documents from the circuit court, you must request them from the clerk's office either in person or by mail. There is a per-page fee for copies, and the clerk's office can tell you the current rate when you call.

Felony drunk driving cases appear in MiCOURT under case type code FD. Search by name or case number to find Macomb County Circuit Court OWI records.

Macomb County District Courts

Six district courts handle misdemeanor OWI cases in Macomb County. Which court has your case depends on where the arrest took place. The courts are in Warren, Eastpointe, Roseville, St. Clair Shores, Sterling Heights, and Clinton Township. Each has its own records and procedures for public access.

The 37th District Court in Warren at 8301 Common Road, Warren, MI 48093, phone (586) 574-4787, has online case search available through its website at 37thdistrictcourt.org for cases filed after January 1, 2022. That is one of the more accessible options in Macomb County for online OWI record searches. The 41B District Court in Clinton Township at 22380 Starks Drive, Clinton Township, MI 48038, phone (586) 493-7500, also has a public-facing website at 41bdistrictcourt.com with case information available.

Here is the full list of Macomb County district courts:

In MiCOURT, misdemeanor OWI cases appear under codes OD (Ordinance Drunk Driving) and SD (Statute Drunk Driving). Searching by name across all Macomb County courts at once is the fastest way to find which district court handled a specific case when you do not have a case number.

ICHAT and MiCOURT for Macomb County DUI Records

Two statewide tools cover most public searches for Macomb County OWI records. They are not interchangeable. Each returns different data, and knowing which to use saves time.

MiCOURT is free. It pulls case data from all 83 Michigan counties, including the 16th Circuit and all six Macomb County district courts. You can search by name or case number and see basic case information: charges filed, hearing dates, and how the case ended. MiCOURT does not give you documents. It does not show full sentencing details or criminal history. But it is useful for confirming whether a Macomb County drunk driving case exists and which court holds the records.

ICHAT costs $10 per search and returns a subject's full Michigan criminal history from the Michigan State Police database. For Macomb County DUI records tied to a specific person, ICHAT shows all OWI convictions on record, including offense dates, dispositions, and sentencing. This is the right tool when you need a complete criminal history rather than just case status. The MSP Criminal History Records unit maintains the underlying database at (517) 241-0606.

Felony OWI cases that resulted in state prison sentences also appear in the OTIS system from the Michigan Department of Corrections. OTIS is free and covers offenders currently or previously under MDOC supervision. A Macomb County third-offense OWI conviction with a prison sentence would show up there.

Macomb County Sheriff's Office Records

The Macomb County Sheriff's Office is at 43565 Elizabeth Road, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043, phone (586) 469-5151. The Sheriff handles arrests in unincorporated Macomb County and in some contract communities. Arrest records from OWI stops made by the Sheriff's Office are public records under Michigan's FOIA, governed by MCL 15.231. Response time for a FOIA request is five business days.

An arrest record from the Sheriff is not the same as a court record. The Sheriff's report covers the stop, the officer's observations, field sobriety testing, and any chemical test administered at the scene or booking. It tells you what law enforcement found and documented at the time of the Macomb County DUI arrest. The court record covers what happened after charges were filed: arraignment, plea, trial (if any), and sentencing. You need both if you want the full picture of what occurred and how it resolved. Request Sheriff's records by submitting a FOIA request to the address above or contacting the records unit directly.

If the OWI stop involved a Michigan State Trooper rather than a county deputy, request records from the MSP through their FOIA office.

Michigan state tools like ICHAT and MiCOURT are accessible through the Michigan government portal and cover Macomb County OWI records alongside all other counties statewide.

OWI Charges and Macomb County Court Records

Macomb County DUI records reflect the charge types defined in MCL 257.625. The standard OWI charge applies when a driver's BAC is at or above 0.08%. High BAC (sometimes called "Super Drunk") applies at 0.17% BAC or above and carries steeper mandatory penalties. Operating While Visibly Impaired (OWVI) applies when impairment is evident even if BAC is below 0.08%. Under-21 drivers face the Zero Tolerance standard at 0.02% BAC. Each of these charges produces a distinct court record with its own set of penalties and license consequences.

Michigan's implied consent law (MCL 257.625c through 625e) is worth knowing. Any driver lawfully arrested for OWI must submit to chemical testing or face a one-year automatic license suspension. A second refusal within seven years bumps that to two years. Refusal records are maintained by the Secretary of State on the driving record. If criminal charges also result, a court record opens separately in the appropriate Macomb County court. These are two different records, maintained by two different agencies, but tied to the same incident.

OWI convictions are permanent in Michigan. There is no way to expunge a drunk driving conviction under current state law. A Macomb County OWI from any year will still show in ICHAT today. The Road to Restoration program through the Secretary of State handles some license reinstatement matters for eligible drivers, but it does not affect criminal records. For a full explanation of Michigan impaired driving law, the MSP Impaired Driving page is a clear and current reference. Statute text is on the Michigan Legislature website.

Driving Records After a Macomb County OWI

A court record and a driving record are two different things. The Macomb County court record shows charges and criminal outcomes. The driving record, held by the Michigan Secretary of State, shows license actions that follow from an OWI conviction: suspensions, revocations, points, and any ignition interlock requirements tied to a restricted license.

You can get your own Michigan driving record through the SOS Driving Records portal. For a Macomb County OWI conviction, the Secretary of State receives notification from the court and updates the driving record accordingly. That record will show the OWI action, any license suspension periods, and the reinstatement conditions set by the Secretary of State. It is separate from what MiCOURT or ICHAT shows about the criminal case, even though both trace back to the same drunk driving incident.

Cities in Macomb County

These qualifying cities in Macomb County have their own pages covering local court access and OWI records information.

Nearby Counties

Macomb County borders these counties, each with its own courts for handling OWI cases.