Search Oakland County DUI Records

Oakland County DUI records are maintained across multiple courts depending on the severity of the offense and where it occurred. Michigan classifies drunk driving offenses as OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) under MCL 257.625, and Oakland County handles these cases through the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Pontiac and seven district courts spread across the county. Whether you are searching for a misdemeanor OWI from a traffic stop in Southfield or a felony drunk driving case that went through the circuit court, this page explains where to look, what tools to use, and how to get copies of Oakland County OWI records.

Sixth Judicial Circuit Court

The Sixth Judicial Circuit Court handles felony OWI cases in Oakland County. The courthouse is at 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac, MI 48341, and you can reach the clerk's office at (248) 858-0348. The circuit court website is available through the Oakland County government portal. Felony OWI cases include third-offense drunk driving, OWI causing serious injury, and OWI causing death. Under Michigan law, a third OWI is always a felony because Michigan removed the 10-year lookback window in 2007. Prior convictions count no matter how old they are.

Oakland County uses a Court Explorer system for online case searches. You can look up case numbers, party names, and case status through Court Explorer. Public access terminals are also available in the courthouse lobby for in-person searches. Copies of documents cost $1.00 per page. The circuit court does not mail documents out automatically. You either request copies in person at the clerk's office or submit a written request by mail to 1200 N. Telegraph Road. For felony OWI records, the circuit court is the only place to get the actual filings. The statewide tools pull summary data, not documents.

Case type code FD in MiCOURT covers felony drunk driving cases, which applies to Oakland County Circuit Court OWI records just as it does statewide.

Oakland County District Courts

First and second offense OWI cases in Oakland County are misdemeanors and go to one of seven district courts, depending on where the arrest occurred. Oakland County's district courts page lists all locations and contact information. Each district court keeps its own records. The statewide MiCOURT system covers all of them, but for copies of specific documents you need to contact the court that handled the case.

Here is a breakdown of the district courts serving Oakland County and their contact details:

OWI case type codes in MiCOURT for misdemeanor cases are OD (Ordinance Drunk Driving) and SD (Statute Drunk Driving). Searching MiCOURT by name will surface matching cases across all Oakland County district courts at once, which saves time when you do not know which court handled a specific case.

Using ICHAT and MiCOURT for Oakland County OWI Records

Two tools cover most searches for Oakland County DUI records. They serve different purposes and return different information, so understanding both is useful.

MiCOURT is a free public case search that covers all Michigan courts. For Oakland County, it pulls data from both the Sixth Circuit and all seven district courts. You can search by name or case number and see party information, charge descriptions, hearing dates, and case dispositions. MiCOURT does not display documents or full sentencing details, but it is a fast way to confirm whether a case exists and which court handled it. Case type codes to watch for: FD for felony drunk driving, SD and OD for misdemeanor OWI cases.

ICHAT is Michigan's statewide criminal history tool, run by the Michigan State Police. It costs $10 per search. ICHAT returns a subject's full Michigan criminal history as recorded in the MSP database, including OWI convictions with offense dates, case dispositions, and sentencing information. For a complete picture of Oakland County DUI records tied to a specific person, ICHAT is more comprehensive than MiCOURT. Law enforcement agencies, courts, and the public can all use ICHAT, though the information returned may differ based on user type.

If a felony OWI conviction in Oakland County resulted in a state prison sentence, that offender's record may also appear in the OTIS system maintained by the Michigan Department of Corrections. OTIS is free and searchable by name. It shows supervision status, facility, and offense information for people under MDOC jurisdiction.

Oakland County Sheriff's Office

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is at 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac, MI 48341. The main line is (248) 858-5000, and the records unit is at (248) 858-5011. The Sheriff's Office makes arrests across unincorporated Oakland County and in communities that contract for Sheriff patrol services. Arrest records from drunk driving stops handled by the Sheriff are public records subject to the Michigan FOIA, governed by MCL 15.231.

To get an incident report or arrest record from the Sheriff's Office, you submit a FOIA request. The law requires a response within five business days. You may receive the full report, a partial release with redactions, or a denial with an explanation. Incident reports typically include the officer's narrative, field sobriety test observations, chemical test results (if taken), and vehicle and subject information. These records show what happened at the time of the OWI stop, which is different from what the court record shows about charges and outcomes. Both are worth requesting if you need a complete picture of a specific Oakland County drunk driving case.

The MSP FOIA page explains the process for requesting records from the Michigan State Police if the arrest involved a state trooper rather than a county deputy.

Below is an image from the Michigan state resources page used for Oakland County DUI records.

The Michigan state portal connects to statewide tools including ICHAT, MiCOURT, and the MSP Criminal History Records division.

OWI Law and Record Types in Oakland County

Oakland County DUI records reflect the full range of charges under MCL 257.625. The statute covers standard OWI (BAC at or above 0.08%), High BAC operating with a BAC of 0.17% or above (commonly called "Super Drunk"), Operating While Visibly Impaired (OWVI), Zero Tolerance for drivers under 21 (BAC at or above 0.02%), and the commercial vehicle standard of 0.04% BAC. Each charge type produces its own court record in Oakland County with different penalty ranges and license consequences.

Michigan's implied consent law (MCL 257.625c through 625e) applies to every driver stopped on suspicion of OWI. Refusing a chemical test triggers an automatic one-year license suspension for a first refusal. A second refusal within seven years brings a two-year suspension. These refusal actions appear on driving records maintained by the Michigan Secretary of State. If the driver also faces criminal charges, a separate OWI court record opens in the appropriate Oakland County court. The two records are connected by the underlying incident but maintained by different agencies.

OWI convictions in Michigan are permanent. There is no expungement for drunk driving offenses under current state law. An Oakland County OWI conviction from 2005 shows up in ICHAT today the same as it did the year it was entered. The Road to Restoration program through the Secretary of State addresses license reinstatement for some drivers, but it does not remove the criminal record. For background on Michigan impaired driving law and enforcement priorities, the MSP Impaired Driving page and the Michigan Legislature site are the most reliable references.

Cities in Oakland County

These qualifying cities in Oakland County have their own pages with local court and DUI records information.

Nearby Counties

Oakland County shares borders with several other Michigan counties, each with its own court system for OWI cases.