Find Criminal Records in Leelanau County
Leelanau County criminal records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office and County Clerk in Suttons Bay, Michigan. The county shares the 13th Circuit Court with neighboring Grand Traverse County, and the 86th District Court handles local misdemeanor cases. Because Leelanau is a small peninsula county in northwest Michigan, many residents rely on the statewide ICHAT background check and MiCOURT online case search for criminal record lookups. This page covers both those tools and the direct contact options for the county Sheriff and Clerk.
Leelanau County Overview
Leelanau County Sheriff and Court Clerk
The Leelanau County Sheriff's Office is located at 8525 E. Government Center Drive, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. Call (231) 256-8800 for general inquiries. The fax number is (231) 256-8899. The Sheriff handles arrest records, jail intake data, and other law enforcement records for the county. For most criminal record needs beyond a basic arrest inquiry, the statewide systems are faster than contacting the Sheriff directly.
The County Clerk is next door at 8527 E. Government Center Drive, also in Suttons Bay. Call (231) 256-9824. The Clerk maintains court case files for the 86th District Court and coordinates with the 13th Circuit Court in Grand Traverse County. Because the 13th Circuit Court is shared with Grand Traverse County and based in Traverse City, some felony records may need to be accessed through Grand Traverse County. The 13th Circuit Court portal at gtcountymi.gov is helpful for that.
| Sheriff's Office | 8525 E. Government Center Dr., Suttons Bay, MI 49682 |
|---|---|
| Sheriff Phone | (231) 256-8800 |
| Sheriff Fax | (231) 256-8899 |
| County Clerk | 8527 E. Government Center Dr., Suttons Bay, MI 49682 |
| Clerk Phone | (231) 256-9824 |
| Circuit Court | 13th Circuit Court (shared with Grand Traverse County) |
| District Court | 86th District Court |
The 13th Circuit Court in Grand Traverse handles felony cases for Leelanau County. The screenshot below shows the Grand Traverse County portal where circuit court records are accessible.
Visit gtcountymi.gov to access 13th Circuit Court records that cover Leelanau County felony cases.
How to Search Leelanau County Criminal Records
The Michigan State Police ICHAT is the primary statewide tool for criminal background checks. It's available at apps.michigan.gov/ichat and searches Michigan's central criminal history repository under MCL 28.241. ICHAT covers all convictions and other entries from any Michigan county, including Leelanau. A small per-search fee applies. This is the most thorough way to check someone's Michigan criminal history.
Free court record searches are available through MiCOURT Case Search. Enter a name or case number to see filings from Leelanau County's 86th District Court and the 13th Circuit Court. Docket entries, charges, and case status all show up without any fee. The screenshot below shows MiCOURT in action.
Note: Leelanau County felony cases are filed with the 13th Circuit Court in Traverse City, so those records may appear under a Grand Traverse County address in some search results.
FOIA and Records Requests
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act under MCL 15.231 applies to all Leelanau County records. Submit written requests to the Sheriff's Office for law enforcement records or to the County Clerk for court documents. Describe the records clearly and include relevant dates or case numbers. Leelanau County must respond within 5 business days. Records exempt under MCL 15.243, such as active investigation files, may be withheld with an explanation.
For Michigan State Police investigative records, submit through michigan.gov/msp/services/foia. This is the MSP's FOIA portal and covers records beyond what is available through ICHAT. Standard copy fees apply under the FOIA rate schedule.
Record Copy Fees
Leelanau County charges standard Michigan FOIA fees for record copies. This includes a per-page charge for photocopies, actual labor costs for staff time spent on large requests, and postage if records are mailed. ICHAT charges a small per-name search fee. Certified court copies from the County Clerk are billed at the rate set by the Michigan Supreme Court. MiCOURT case lookups are free. Call the Clerk at (231) 256-9824 before making a large request to confirm current costs.
Resources for Leelanau County Criminal Records
The OTIS offender tracking system at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2 lets you find anyone currently in state prison from any Michigan county. This is free and updated regularly. The Michigan Sex Offender Registry at michigan.gov/psor shows registered offenders in Leelanau County, searchable by name, county, or zip code.
For expungement questions, MCL 780.621 governs which offenses can be cleared and what the waiting period is. Residents file petitions with the court where the original case was handled. For felonies, that means working through the 13th Circuit Court in Traverse City. Legal aid and the Michigan courts website at courts.michigan.gov have guides and forms.
Communities in Leelanau County
Leelanau County is a rural county on a peninsula in northwest Michigan. It includes Suttons Bay, Leland, Lake Leelanau, Northport, and several townships. No Leelanau County communities reach the qualifying population threshold for dedicated city pages on this site. All criminal records for the county are processed through the offices in Suttons Bay and the 13th Circuit Court in Traverse City.
Nearby Counties
Leelanau County borders Grand Traverse County to the east and Benzie County to the south. These counties share some court administration and are the nearest neighbors for records searches.