Find DUI Records in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County DUI records are maintained by the Circuit Court and District Court in Centreville, the county seat. OWI cases can be searched at no cost through MiCOURT, Michigan's statewide public court search, and a full statewide criminal history is available through ICHAT for $10. This page covers the court structure for OWI charges in St. Joseph County, how to get arrest records from the sheriff, and what state databases hold conviction and driving record data.

Circuit Court - Felony OWI in St. Joseph County

The Circuit Court in Centreville handles felony OWI charges for St. Joseph County. A felony OWI in Michigan starts at the third offense under MCL 257.625. It also applies to OWI that causes death or serious bodily injury. Michigan dropped its 10-year lookback rule in 2007, which means every prior OWI conviction in the state counts toward the offense number. A third OWI is always a felony regardless of how long ago the earlier offenses occurred.

The courthouse is at Centreville, MI 49032. The county website at stjosephcountymi.org provides links to court departments and county services. Circuit court records are public and cover the full case history from arraignment through sentencing. MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov is the primary free tool for searching these records by name or case number.

Felony OWI causing death carries up to 15 years in state prison. OWI causing serious injury carries up to 5 years. These serious felony cases often result in lengthy probation, major fines, and long-term license revocation on top of any prison sentence. The circuit court record for a felony OWI case is detailed and tracks every stage of the proceeding.

MiCOURT and ICHAT are the primary tools for searching St. Joseph County OWI records without visiting the courthouse in Centreville.

District Court - Misdemeanor OWI Cases

The District Court in Centreville handles first and second offense OWI charges in St. Joseph County. These are misdemeanors under Michigan law. The majority of OWI cases go through district court, since most defendants are first-time offenders. District court records cover arraignment, bond conditions, pretrial hearings, and final disposition.

When you search MiCOURT for OWI cases, look for these case code labels: OD is ordinance-based drunk driving, SD is standard statute OWI, and FD is felony drunk driving. These codes help you identify what type of charge was filed. Super Drunk OWI, which applies at a BAC of 0.17% or above, still starts in district court on the first offense. It is a misdemeanor but carries doubled maximum jail time and mandatory ignition interlock after conviction.

If a case was dismissed, pled to a lesser charge, or resulted in a conviction, MiCOURT will generally show that outcome. For full case documents, contact the District Court clerk directly. The clerk can confirm what records are on file and provide certified copies for a fee. Uncertified copies cost less. Some records may also be requested in writing by mail.

Statewide Search Tools for OWI Records

Michigan provides several statewide systems for searching OWI records. Each one covers different data and has different costs. For St. Joseph County specifically, using at least MiCOURT and ICHAT together gives you the most complete picture.

MiCOURT is the best free option. Start there. It shows whether a case was filed, what the charges were, and how the case ended. ICHAT is better when you need to know if someone has prior OWI convictions from elsewhere in Michigan, since it pulls from all 83 counties. OTIS applies only to felony cases where the sentence included state prison. Most misdemeanor OWI convictions result in local jail, probation, or fines, not state prison, so OTIS will not have those records.

The Secretary of State driving records system is separate from all court records. It shows what happened to the license after an OWI, including hard suspensions, restricted driving periods, and revocations. A driving record and a court record together give you a more complete picture than either one alone.

St. Joseph County Sheriff - Arrest Records and FOIA

The St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county. The office is at 821 Airport Road, Centreville, MI 49032. The Sheriff handles OWI arrests throughout the unincorporated parts of the county. Michigan State Police also patrols state highways in St. Joseph County and may hold records separately.

Arrest records and incident reports are available under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.231. Submit a written FOIA request to the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office at 821 Airport Road, Centreville, MI 49032. Your request should describe the records you need as specifically as possible. Include the date of the incident, a name if known, and any case or report number you have. The more specific your request, the faster the agency can respond.

Michigan agencies must acknowledge a FOIA request within 5 business days and either fulfill it or provide a written explanation for any denial or extension. Extensions are allowed in writing for up to 10 additional business days for complex requests. Fee estimates must be provided before work begins. Fees typically include labor for search and retrieval, copying costs, and mailing. Agencies may waive fees for indigent requesters or when the request serves the public interest.

Arrest records show what someone was charged with and the circumstances of the stop and arrest. They do not reflect the court outcome. For case disposition, use MiCOURT or contact the court clerk. If an MSP trooper made the arrest, submit a separate FOIA request through the MSP FOIA portal at michigan.gov/msp.

Michigan's statewide DUI records tools cover St. Joseph County. MiCOURT provides free access to case records, and ICHAT provides statewide conviction history for $10 per search.

Michigan OWI Law - What You See in St. Joseph County Records

Michigan calls the charge OWI, operating while intoxicated. The law is MCL 257.625. Standard OWI applies at 0.08% BAC or higher. Super Drunk OWI applies at 0.17% and carries mandatory enhanced penalties even on a first offense. Drivers under 21 face a zero-tolerance limit of 0.02%. Commercial drivers must stay below 0.04%.

Two related charges appear in St. Joseph County court records. OWVI stands for operating while visibly impaired under MCL 257.625(3). This does not require a precise BAC reading. It gets charged when the driver clearly appears impaired even if the BAC is not confirmed above the standard limit. OWVI is also sometimes offered as a plea reduction from standard OWI. OWPD means operating with the presence of drugs under MCL 257.625(8). For Schedule 1 controlled substances, presence is enough. Prosecutors do not have to prove impairment, just that the substance was in the driver's system.

Implied consent is also part of the picture. Driving in Michigan is legal consent to a chemical test when requested by an officer under MCL 257.625c. Refusing the test triggers a 1-year license suspension on the first refusal, and a 2-year suspension on the second refusal within 7 years. Those suspensions are civil actions recorded by the Secretary of State, separate from any criminal court case. Refusing a test does not make a DUI charge go away. Prosecutors can still charge OWI based on observed impairment and other evidence.

License consequences after conviction go up with each offense. A first OWI means a 30-day hard suspension followed by 150 days restricted. A second conviction within 7 years brings a 1-year revocation. A third conviction means revocation with a minimum 5-year wait for a reinstatement hearing. Getting back a revoked license requires the SOS Road to Restoration process, which involves a formal hearing. Sobriety courts in Michigan can provide restricted license access during treatment programs for qualifying participants.

Driving Records vs. Court Records in St. Joseph County

An OWI conviction in St. Joseph County goes into two separate systems. The criminal conviction is recorded by the Michigan State Police and is searchable through ICHAT. The driving record consequences go to the Secretary of State. Each must be accessed through a different agency and neither system automatically includes what the other shows.

The court record, available free through MiCOURT or in person at the clerk's office, shows the charges filed, the case history, and the final outcome. A guilty plea or verdict triggers reporting to MSP and to the SOS. That reporting happens automatically but may take days or weeks to appear in ICHAT and the driving record. If you are checking records shortly after a case was decided, there may be a short lag before the conviction appears in both systems.

OWI convictions are permanent in Michigan. There is no standard expungement path for most OWI convictions. Under the Clean Slate law, a first-time OWI may be expungeable after 5 years and meeting certain conditions, but this is relatively new and has strict eligibility limits. ICHAT will reflect any granted expungement differently, but will still show that a record exists in some form for law enforcement purposes.

The SOS driving records service is where you get a current driving record showing suspensions, revocations, and points. The Michigan State Police impaired driving page gives a full breakdown of penalties by charge type and offense number, which is useful when reading St. Joseph County OWI records and trying to understand what each conviction means in terms of real-world consequences.

Nearby Counties

St. Joseph County is in southwest Michigan. OWI cases near county borders may involve courts in these neighboring counties.