Find Criminal Records in Antrim County
Antrim County criminal records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office in Bellaire and through the 13th Circuit Court based in Grand Traverse County. Antrim County does not have its own circuit court, so felony cases go through the Grand Traverse system. This page explains how to search Antrim County criminal records using state tools, local contacts, and the shared court system, along with fees, FOIA procedures, and the laws that govern access.
Antrim County Overview
Antrim County Sheriff and Court Contacts
The Antrim County Sheriff's Office is at 107 Grove Street in Bellaire. The office handles all county law enforcement, including arrests, jailing, and patrol. For police reports and local arrest records, call (231) 533-8621. The fax number is (231) 533-8353. The Sheriff's Office is the primary contact for any law enforcement record tied to an incident in Antrim County.
Court records go through the Antrim County Clerk's Office at 203 E. Cayuga Street in Bellaire. Clerk staff can be reached at (231) 533-6353. Antrim County is part of the 13th Judicial Circuit, which is administered through Grand Traverse County. That means felony criminal cases filed in Antrim County are processed through the Grand Traverse County circuit court system. For circuit court records, you may need to contact Grand Traverse County directly. The 86th District Court handles misdemeanor and traffic cases locally and can be reached at (231) 533-6353.
| Sheriff's Address | 107 Grove Street, Bellaire, MI 49615 |
|---|---|
| Sheriff Phone | (231) 533-8621 |
| Sheriff Fax | (231) 533-8353 |
| Clerk Address | 203 E. Cayuga Street, Bellaire, MI 49615 |
| Clerk Phone | (231) 533-6353 |
| Circuit Court | 13th Circuit Court (Grand Traverse County) |
| District Court | 86th District Court |
| County Website | antrimcounty.org |
The Antrim County Government website has contact pages for each county department including the Sheriff's Office, Clerk, and courts. Start here if you are not sure which office holds the record you need.
The county website provides the full department listing with hours and contact options for accessing public records in Antrim County.
How to Search Antrim County Criminal Records
The Michigan ICHAT system is the best tool for a name-based criminal history search in Antrim County. Operated by the Michigan State Police under MCL 28.241, ICHAT searches felony and serious misdemeanor records statewide. Each search costs $10. It covers all counties, including Antrim, and returns conviction data quickly. This is the most comprehensive remote option available.
For court case records, the MiCOURT Case Search portal covers both district and circuit court filings from Antrim County. Searches are free and can be done by name or case number. Because the circuit court is managed through Grand Traverse County, it may also be worth checking the Grand Traverse County court system for felony case records tied to Antrim County residents.
The Grand Traverse County website hosts information on the 13th Circuit Court, which handles felony cases from Antrim County as part of the shared circuit system. If you are looking for felony-level criminal records, this is a useful secondary source.
The MiCOURT portal makes it possible to search most Michigan court case records for free, including those from Antrim County's 86th District Court and circuit court filings processed through Grand Traverse.
FOIA Requests in Antrim County
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act at MCL 15.231 gives the public the right to request records from Antrim County government agencies. You can submit FOIA requests to the County Clerk or the Sheriff's Office. Requests must be in writing and can be submitted by mail or in person at the offices in Bellaire.
The county has 5 business days to respond. They can extend by 10 days if your request is complex. Some records may be withheld. Under MCL 15.243, agencies can deny access to records tied to active investigations or that would violate personal privacy if disclosed. If your request is denied, you have the right to appeal to the agency head or file a court action. Fees follow state guidelines.
Note: To get a copy of a police report in Antrim County, contact the Sheriff's Office at (231) 533-8621 and ask about their FOIA procedure for incident reports.
Fees for Antrim County Records
Standard FOIA fees in Antrim County follow state law. Copies cost $0.10 per page. Certification fees and labor costs may apply depending on the scope of your request. ICHAT searches through the Michigan State Police cost $10 per name. Contact the specific department for their current fee schedule before submitting your request, especially for large or multi-document requests.
More Resources for Antrim County Criminal Records
The Michigan OTIS offender tracking system is free and covers current and former state prison inmates statewide. If you are looking for someone who served time in a Michigan prison or is currently on parole, OTIS is the right tool. It does not include local jail records from the Antrim County Jail.
The Michigan Sex Offender Registry lets you search for registered sex offenders in Antrim County by name, address, or zip code. This statewide database is free and managed by the Michigan State Police. It shows registration status, current address, and offense details for each listed offender.
Michigan's Clean Slate law under MCL 780.621 provides for automatic expungement of certain records. Eligible misdemeanors may be cleared after 7 years, and some felonies after 10 years, if the person has no new convictions during that time. Expunged records will not show in ICHAT or most court searches, so a clean result does not always mean a clean record.
Communities in Antrim County
Antrim County is in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, southeast of Traverse City. The county seat is Bellaire, and other communities include Elk Rapids, Mancelona, Central Lake, Ellsworth, and Kewadin. The county is known for Torch Lake and Elk Lake. None of these communities meet the population threshold for a dedicated page, but all criminal matters from the county are processed through the courts in Bellaire and Grand Traverse.
Nearby Counties
Antrim County is bordered by these counties in northern Michigan. If you need to check which county processed a specific case, verify the location where the incident occurred.