Ottawa County DUI and OWI Records

Ottawa County DUI records are maintained across two court levels: the 20th Circuit Court in West Olive handles felony OWI cases, while the 58th District Court processes first and second offense charges that come in as misdemeanors. Michigan law identifies drunk driving offenses as OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) under MCL 257.625, and Ottawa County court filings, case dockets, and conviction records all use this terminology. Whether you are searching for a specific case or trying to understand what records exist, knowing which court and which tools apply to Ottawa County will save you time.

20th Circuit Court - Felony OWI Cases

The 20th Circuit Court is Ottawa County's trial court of general jurisdiction. It sits at 12180 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460, and can be reached at (616) 786-4175. Felony OWI cases originate here when a person faces a third drunk driving offense, an OWI causing serious injury, or an OWI causing death. Michigan removed the 10-year lookback period for prior OWI convictions back in 2007, which means a third offense is always treated as a felony no matter how long ago the earlier cases happened. The Circuit Court's records on these cases include charging documents, motion filings, plea agreements, jury verdicts, and sentencing orders.

The Ottawa County Circuit Court website at miottawa.org/clerk/circuit-court/ provides information on court services and records access. Public case search is available through the statewide MiCOURT system, which covers both circuit and district court cases for Ottawa County. When searching for felony OWI records in MiCOURT, look for case type code FD (Felony Drunk Driving). That code identifies cases handled at the circuit court level across all 83 Michigan counties.

Documents are not viewable online. You need to visit the courthouse or submit a written request to get copies of actual court filings. The clerk's office can tell you what fees apply and how long document requests typically take.

58th District Court OWI Records

First and second offense OWI charges in Ottawa County go to the 58th District Court, located at 12180 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460. The main number is (616) 786-4110. The 58th District Court handles misdemeanor OWI cases, which cover the standard 0.08% BAC threshold, the High BAC "Super Drunk" charge at 0.17% or above, Operating While Visibly Impaired (OWVI), and Operating With the Presence of Drugs (OWPD). Each of these charges generates a separate court record that includes the complaint, any arraignment documents, and the final disposition.

In MiCOURT, misdemeanor drunk driving cases from the 58th District Court show up under two main case type codes: OD (Ordinance Drunk Driving) and SD (Statute Drunk Driving). MiCOURT is free to use and shows basic information like party names, case numbers, hearing dates, and current case status. It's a good first step before spending money on ICHAT. If you need a full conviction history rather than just a case lookup, ICHAT provides complete Michigan criminal history records for a $10 fee per search.

The 58th District Court serves all of Ottawa County. There is one courthouse location, so all district court OWI cases in the county go through the same office.

Statewide Tools for Ottawa County DUI Records

Michigan offers several public databases that cover Ottawa County DUI and OWI records. Each tool serves a different purpose, and it helps to understand what each one returns before you start searching.

MiCOURT is the free statewide case search tool maintained by the Michigan Supreme Court. It covers both the 20th Circuit Court and the 58th District Court, so Ottawa County cases at both levels are searchable here. You can look up cases by party name, case number, or date. Results show whether charges were filed, what the offense code was, and how the case ended. Documents are not included in MiCOURT results, but the system gives you enough to confirm a case exists and see its current status.

ICHAT (Internet Criminal History Access Tool) is run by the Michigan State Police and costs $10 per search. It returns a person's complete Michigan criminal history, including all OWI convictions from Ottawa County and any other Michigan county. This is the most thorough source for checking OWI conviction history. ICHAT pulls from the MSP criminal history database, which courts across the state report into after each conviction.

For felony OWI cases that led to state prison sentences, the OTIS system from the Michigan Department of Corrections is also worth checking. It is free and shows offenders currently or previously under MDOC supervision. A third-offense OWI from Ottawa County Circuit Court that resulted in prison time would appear here.

Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Arrest Records

The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office is at 12125 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460, with a main number of (616) 738-7400. The Sheriff's Office makes drunk driving arrests in unincorporated areas of Ottawa County and handles bookings for some contracted jurisdictions. Arrest records generated by the Sheriff are separate from court records. They capture what happened at the time of the stop and arrest, not how the case resolved in court.

You can request arrest records, incident reports, and booking information from the Ottawa County Sheriff using a written FOIA request under MCL 15.231. The law requires the agency to respond within five business days. Agencies may charge copying fees, typically in the $0.10 to $1.00 per page range. Incident reports may include the officer's written narrative, field sobriety test observations, breath or blood test results, and any vehicle impound details. Some information may be withheld if charges are still pending.

Arrest records from the Sheriff are a starting point. For the full picture of how a case ended, you need the court record from MiCOURT or the conviction history from ICHAT. Sheriff records and court records together tell the complete story of an OWI arrest in Ottawa County.

Michigan OWI Law and What It Means for Ottawa County Records

Michigan's drunk driving law is codified at MCL 257.625. It covers several different offense types, all of which show up in Ottawa County court records. Standard OWI applies at a BAC of 0.08% or more. High BAC (Super Drunk) applies at 0.17% and carries enhanced penalties including mandatory minimum jail time and a longer license suspension. OWVI (Operating While Visibly Impaired) is a lesser charge that doesn't require a specific BAC reading but is based on observed impairment. OWPD (Operating With Presence of Drugs) applies when any Schedule 1 controlled substance is detected in the driver's system.

Under Michigan's implied consent law at MCL 257.625c, a driver lawfully arrested for OWI must submit to chemical testing. Refusing a test results in an automatic one-year license suspension for a first refusal. A second refusal within seven years means a two-year suspension. These refusal records appear on the driving record and may also generate a separate court action. The MSP Impaired Driving page has a useful overview of how these laws work in practice.

OWI convictions in Michigan are permanent. They stay on both the criminal history and the driving record for life. Michigan does not allow OWI offenses to be expunged. The Road to Restoration program through the Secretary of State addresses license restoration but does not affect the underlying criminal record.

Driving Records and Criminal History

An Ottawa County OWI conviction produces two separate records: a criminal record and a driving record. These are kept by different agencies and must be requested separately.

Criminal history is maintained by the Michigan State Police Criminal History Records unit. Courts across the state, including the 20th Circuit and 58th District Court in Ottawa County, report conviction data into this database. ICHAT pulls from this same source. If you need an official criminal history for court or legal purposes, the MSP is the authoritative source. The MSP can be reached at (517) 241-0606 for questions about criminal history records.

Driving records are held by the Michigan Secretary of State. An OWI conviction in Ottawa County will appear on the driver's SOS record, showing the conviction date, any license actions taken, points assessed, and any ignition interlock requirements tied to a restricted license. You can request a driving record through the SOS Driving Records portal. Driving records are useful when you want to see the administrative consequences of an OWI, as opposed to the criminal court outcome.

Nearby Counties

Ottawa County borders these counties. Each has its own circuit and district courts for OWI cases.