Search Saginaw County DUI Records
Saginaw County DUI records are held at two court levels. The 10th Circuit Court at 111 S. Michigan Avenue handles felony OWI charges, and the 70th District Court at the same address handles first and second offense cases as misdemeanors. Michigan calls drunk driving OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) under MCL 257.625, and Saginaw County case records follow that same terminology across all filings and dispositions. This guide explains which courts, databases, and agencies hold Saginaw County OWI records and how to access them.
Saginaw County Overview
10th Circuit Court - Saginaw County Felony OWI
The 10th Circuit Court sits at 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602, and can be reached at (989) 790-5400. This court handles all felony-level OWI cases in Saginaw County. Felony OWI charges arise in three main situations: a third or subsequent OWI conviction, OWI causing serious impairment, and OWI causing death. Michigan changed the law in 2007 to remove the 10-year lookback period, so any third OWI is now a felony regardless of how old the prior convictions are. Felony cases in the 10th Circuit produce a more extensive record than misdemeanor cases, often including grand jury materials, extensive pretrial motions, sentencing reports, and probation supervision orders.
Circuit court case lookups are available through the free MiCOURT statewide case search. Felony OWI cases from Saginaw County appear in MiCOURT under case type code FD. You can search by name or case number. MiCOURT returns case status, charge information, hearing dates, and party names. It does not provide access to the actual documents in the case file. To get copies of filings, you need to contact the 10th Circuit clerk's office or visit in person.
The image below is from the Saginaw County government website, which links to court and public records services including those relevant to DUI records.
The county government site provides links to court contacts, public records offices, and other services useful when searching Saginaw County DUI records.
| Court Name | 10th Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602 |
| Phone | (989) 790-5400 |
| Felony OWI Types | 3rd offense or more, OWI causing serious injury, OWI causing death |
| Case Type Code | FD (Felony Drunk Driving) in MiCOURT |
70th District Court OWI Cases
The 70th District Court at 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602, phone (989) 790-5300, handles first and second offense OWI cases in Saginaw County. These misdemeanor cases make up the large majority of drunk driving records in the county. The 70th District Court processes charges under the standard 0.08% BAC threshold, the High BAC (Super Drunk) offense at 0.17% or more, OWVI (Operating While Visibly Impaired) based on observed impairment rather than a specific BAC reading, and OWPD (Operating With Presence of Drugs). Each offense type has a different penalty range and produces its own court record.
In the MiCOURT system, Saginaw County misdemeanor OWI cases from the 70th District Court appear under case type codes OD (Ordinance Drunk Driving) and SD (Statute Drunk Driving). MiCOURT is free and shows the basic case details. If you need a complete criminal history rather than a single case lookup, ICHAT is the right tool. It costs $10 per search and returns the full Michigan criminal history for a given individual, including all Saginaw County OWI convictions reported to the Michigan State Police.
Note: Driving record consequences tied to a Saginaw County OWI, including suspensions and ignition interlock requirements, are administered by the Michigan Secretary of State and are separate from the court record.
Saginaw County Sheriff Records and FOIA
The Saginaw County Sheriff's Office is at 208 S. Harrison Street, Saginaw, MI 48602, with a main number of (989) 790-5400. The Sheriff makes arrests for drunk driving in unincorporated Saginaw County and processes bookings for some cases from contracted agencies. Arrest records from the Sheriff's Office are distinct from court records. They document the circumstances of the arrest, not the final outcome of the case in court.
Under MCL 15.231, Michigan's FOIA law, anyone can request records from the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office. The agency must respond within five business days. Standard fees apply for copies, typically $0.10 to $1.00 per page. An OWI arrest record from the Sheriff may include the officer's account of the stop, field sobriety test results, breath or blood test data, vehicle impound information, and booking details. Records are generally available after a case has been resolved in court, though some details may be withheld if an investigation is still active.
The image below is from the Saginaw County Sheriff's department, which handles law enforcement records and FOIA requests for drunk driving arrests in unincorporated parts of the county.
The Sheriff's records office can assist with requests for incident reports and arrest records related to Saginaw County DUI cases.
Michigan Statewide Search Databases
Beyond Saginaw County's own courts and sheriff, three statewide Michigan databases cover OWI records from this county. Each one serves a different use case.
MiCOURT is free and covers all Michigan courts. It is a good first step for any case lookup. You can search Saginaw County OWI cases by name or case number and see the charge, disposition, and hearing history. Documents are not available online.
ICHAT costs $10 per search and returns the full criminal history maintained by the Michigan State Police. This is the best source when you need to know about all of a person's OWI convictions across Michigan, not just a single case. The MSP Criminal History Records unit manages this database, which courts statewide report into after each conviction.
The OTIS offender search from the Michigan Department of Corrections is free. It covers felony OWI cases from the 10th Circuit Court that resulted in a state prison sentence. OTIS shows current and past supervision status, offense details, and release information for offenders under MDOC control.
For driving record data, the SOS Driving Records portal shows the license consequences of any Saginaw County OWI conviction, including suspensions, revocations, points, and interlock conditions.
OWI Charges and What the Records Show
Saginaw County DUI records reflect charges filed under MCL 257.625. The statute defines multiple offense types. OWI at 0.08% or above is the standard charge. High BAC at 0.17% or above adds a mandatory minimum jail sentence and a 180-day license suspension for a first offense. OWVI, the impaired driving charge, has lesser penalties than full OWI but still results in a conviction on the record. OWPD applies when any Schedule 1 drug is detected, even without BAC evidence of impairment. Each type produces a distinct court record with its own charge language and sentencing range.
Michigan's implied consent law requires that any driver lawfully arrested for OWI submit to a chemical test. Refusing means an automatic one-year license suspension for the first refusal and two years for a second refusal within seven years. These are administrative actions taken by the Secretary of State, but they may also lead to a court proceeding. The MSP Impaired Driving page summarizes current Michigan OWI law and penalties.
OWI convictions in Michigan are permanent on both the criminal and driving record. Michigan law does not allow OWI expungement. People seeking license restoration after an OWI revocation may find information through the Road to Restoration program, though this does not change what appears in the criminal record.
Note: FOIA requests to Michigan state agencies, including the MSP, are governed by MCL 15.231, and more information is available at the MSP FOIA page.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Saginaw County and have separate circuit and district courts handling OWI records.