Crawford County Criminal Records Search

Crawford County criminal records are kept by the Sheriff's Office and the courts in Grayling, Michigan. The 46th Circuit Court handles felony cases, and the 87-C District Court takes misdemeanors and preliminary hearings. You can search court records online through MiCOURT or request records by contacting the county offices directly. This page covers the main ways to find criminal records, background check tools, and FOIA procedures for Crawford County.

Crawford County Sheriff and Circuit Court

The Crawford County Sheriff's Office is at 200 W. Michigan Avenue in Grayling. Sheriff Ryan Swope heads the department. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. For general business, call (989) 348-4616 ext 214. You can also email the office at tips@crawfordsheriff.org, and for anonymous crime tips, use the separate line at 989-344-3228. The undersheriff is Shawn Schnoor. The Sheriff's Office is the main point of contact for arrest records, warrants, and incident reports in Crawford County.

The 46th Circuit Court in Grayling handles all felony criminal cases for Crawford County. The court is located at 200 W. Michigan Avenue. Circuit Court phone is 989-344-3206 and fax is 989-344-3223. Chief Circuit Judge Colin G. Hunter presides, and Circuit Judge George J. Mertz also serves the bench. Clerk of Court Jamie McClain manages the court records. For misdemeanors, traffic cases, and preliminary hearings, the 87-C District Court handles those matters. Chief Judge Monte J. Burmeister leads the district court. The district court line is (989) 344-3242.

How to Find Crawford County Criminal Records

Crawford County does not have its own separate online criminal records portal. The main tool for statewide criminal background checks is the Michigan State Police ICHAT system at apps.michigan.gov/ichat. ICHAT pulls from the state's criminal history database and covers cases from courts across Michigan. You will need the person's name and date of birth to run a search. There is a small fee to use the service, and results are returned quickly.

For specific court case information in Crawford County, use MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search. You can search by name or case number to find docket entries, charges, hearing dates, and case status for cases at the 46th Circuit Court and 87-C District Court. If a case is not in the online system, contact the circuit court clerk directly at 989-344-3206. Jamie McClain and the clerk's office can search by name or case number and make copies of records on file.

For police reports from Crawford County, contact the Sheriff's Office at (989) 348-4616. They handle incident reports and can direct you to the right department for the specific record you need.

The Crawford County Sheriff's Office webpage is shown below.

Visit crawfordco.org for current contact information and services from the Crawford County Sheriff.

FOIA Requests in Crawford County

Under MCL 15.231, you have the right to request public records from Crawford County offices. To make a FOIA request, write to the County Clerk or the specific department that holds the records you want. Your request needs to describe the records clearly enough that the office can find them. Include the word "FOIA" in your request. The county has 5 business days to respond. Copying costs run $0.10 per page in many county offices.

For court records, contact the Circuit Court Clerk at 989-344-3206. For Sheriff's Office records like incident reports or arrest records, contact the Sheriff at (989) 348-4616 or email tips@crawfordsheriff.org. If your request is denied or partially denied, the county must give you the reason in writing. Some records are exempt under MCL 15.243, including active investigation files and records that would endanger someone's safety.

The Crawford County courts page with additional contact information is shown below.

Find the Crawford County courts information at crawfordco.org.

Statewide Criminal Record Resources

In addition to ICHAT, Michigan provides several other tools for checking criminal history. The OTIS offender search system at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2 covers people who are or were in Michigan state prison. If someone has done state prison time and a case originated in Crawford County, OTIS may have their record. The Michigan sex offender registry at michigan.gov/psor is maintained under MCL 28.241 and is free to search by name or zip code.

The Michigan Courts website at courts.michigan.gov offers court rules, forms, and self-help resources. The Michigan Sheriffs' Association page for Crawford County at misheriff.org also has verified contact information for the Sheriff's Office. If you need to request an expungement of a conviction in Michigan, MCL 780.621 outlines who qualifies and how the process works. Legal aid organizations in northern Michigan can help with this if you qualify based on income.

The Michigan Courts page is shown below.

Visit courts.michigan.gov for statewide court resources and forms.

The Michigan Sheriffs' Association page for Crawford County is shown below.

View Crawford County's listing at misheriff.org.

Cities in Crawford County

Crawford County's largest community is Grayling, which serves as the county seat. No cities in Crawford County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All criminal cases for residents of Crawford County are processed through the 46th Circuit Court and 87-C District Court, both located in Grayling.

Nearby Counties

Crawford County sits in northern Michigan. These surrounding counties also have circuit courts that handle criminal cases for their respective residents.