Southfield Criminal Records Search
Southfield criminal records are public documents held by Oakland County courts, the 46th District Court, and the Michigan State Police. Residents, attorneys, and researchers can search case records online through ICHAT and MiCOURT or request documents directly from the Southfield Police Department and Oakland County courthouse.
Southfield Overview
Oakland County Courts for Southfield Cases
Southfield sits in Oakland County, and all criminal cases from the city run through the Oakland County court system. Felony cases go to the 6th Circuit Court in Pontiac. Misdemeanor cases, traffic matters, and local ordinance violations are handled by the 46th District Court, which specifically serves Southfield. Both courts maintain public records accessible online and in person.
| Circuit Court | 6th Circuit Court (Oakland County) |
|---|---|
| Circuit Court Address | 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI 48341 |
| District Court | 46th District Court |
| District Court Address | 26000 Evergreen Rd., Southfield, MI 48076 |
| Case Search | MiCOURT Case Search |
The 46th District Court is located right in Southfield at the same address as the city government complex. That makes it easy to handle court and police matters in the same visit. Misdemeanor records from the 46th District Court are searchable through MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov. Search by name or case number. No account is needed and the service is free.
Felony case records at the 6th Circuit go to the Oakland County Clerk's office in Pontiac. You can get certified copies there. The Oakland County criminal records page has clerk contact details and full instructions for in-person or mail requests.
The MiCOURT case search portal at micourt.courts.michigan.gov covers Southfield cases in the 46th District and Oakland County 6th Circuit. Search by name to find criminal case records filed in Southfield courts.
Southfield Police Department
The Southfield Police Department is a full-service department covering this major Detroit suburb. The department makes arrests, generates police reports, and submits criminal record data to the Michigan State Police database. Records requests go through the department's records division under the Freedom of Information Act.
| Department | Southfield Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 26000 Evergreen Rd., Southfield, MI 48076 |
| Phone | (248) 796-5500 |
| Website | cityofsouthfield.com/police |
| City Clerk | 26000 Evergreen Rd., (248) 796-5100 |
Southfield has a significant business district and a dense suburban population. As a result, the police department handles a high volume of calls and generates a large number of records each year. Incident reports and arrest logs are generally available through a FOIA request once a case has been resolved or moved to court. Active investigation files may be withheld under MCL 15.243.
The city website at cityofsouthfield.com lists all department contacts and has information on how to submit records requests online or by mail.
How to Search Southfield Criminal Records
ICHAT is the main state tool for criminal history searches in Michigan. It pulls from the MSP database and covers arrests and court dispositions statewide. Access it at apps.michigan.gov/ichat. A small fee applies per name search. ICHAT is best when you need a broad look at someone's record across all Michigan counties, not just Oakland.
MiCOURT gives you free access to case-level data. Go to micourt.courts.michigan.gov and search by name or case number. Filter by Oakland County to narrow results to Southfield-area cases. The system shows charge details, hearing dates, and case outcomes for both district and circuit court cases. It does not include sealed or expunged records.
The Michigan Sex Offender Registry at michigan.gov/psor is a free public database. Search by name or address to find registered sex offenders in Southfield. The registry is maintained by the Michigan State Police and shows current address information for people required to register under Michigan law.
That site aggregates public data from multiple sources and can be useful as a first step before going to official agency databases. It is not the same as an official government background check.FOIA Requests for Southfield Records
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act at MCL 15.231 gives any person the right to request public records from a government body. In Southfield, you can submit FOIA requests to the police department, the city clerk, or Oakland County agencies. Each agency has 5 business days to respond and may extend that by 10 more days with written notice.
To get a police incident report or arrest record from Southfield, write a request to the Southfield Police Department at 26000 Evergreen Rd. Include the incident date, the subject's name, and any known report number. Fees may apply under MCL 15.234 for labor and copy costs. Call (248) 796-5500 to ask about the current process before submitting.
For a complete statewide criminal history, submit a FOIA request to the Michigan State Police. The MSP FOIA portal is at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia. MSP holds data from all reporting agencies in Michigan and provides more complete results than a single city department can.
Note: MCL 15.243 lets agencies withhold records in certain cases. Ongoing investigations, confidential sources, and matters under active prosecution may not be disclosed. Juvenile records are generally sealed under Michigan law.
Expungement and Legal Help in Southfield
Michigan's expungement law under MCL 780.621 allows people to clear certain criminal records from their history. A 2021 expansion broadened eligibility to cover more offense types and added automatic expungement for some cases. Southfield residents with a qualifying record can petition the court to have it set aside.
Oakland County has legal aid resources, and several nonprofits in the Detroit metro area offer expungement help. The Michigan Legal Help portal at courts.michigan.gov has self-help guides and forms for filing your own expungement petition. An attorney is not required, though it helps with complex cases. If you are unsure whether your record qualifies, legal aid organizations in Oakland County can review it at no cost.
The Michigan eFiling system at mifile.courts.michigan.gov lets you submit expungement petitions and other court documents online. That can save a trip to the courthouse for Southfield residents whose cases are in the 46th District Court or the 6th Circuit.
Michigan's consumer protection resources at michigan.gov/ag/consumer-protection include information on how criminal records affect background checks and what rights you have when records are used against you.
Oakland County Criminal Records
Southfield is part of Oakland County. Felony cases go through the 6th Circuit Court in Pontiac, and the county clerk maintains the official record archive. For full county-level court details, clerk contact information, and how to request certified copies, visit the Oakland County criminal records page.
Nearby Oakland County Cities
Southfield borders several other Oakland County cities that also have criminal record pages. All share the 6th Circuit Court system for felony cases.