Livingston County Criminal Records
Livingston County criminal records are kept by the Sheriff's Office and County Clerk in Howell, Michigan. The 44th Circuit Court handles felony cases, and the 53rd District Court handles misdemeanors and local matters. Livingston County sits between Lansing and Detroit and has grown significantly as a suburban county. This page covers how to search criminal records in Livingston County, including the ICHAT background check system, MiCOURT court case search, direct contact with county offices, and how to file FOIA requests for records not available online.
Livingston County Overview
Livingston County Sheriff and Court Offices
The Livingston County Sheriff's Office is at 150 S. Highlander Way, Howell, MI 48843. The main number is (517) 546-2440. The fax is (517) 546-2385. The Sheriff handles arrest records, jail intake information, and law enforcement records for the county. Visit livgov.com/sheriff for current services and contact info. This is your first call for questions about arrests, jail bookings, or law enforcement documents in Livingston County.
The County Clerk's office and courts are at 304 E. Grand River Avenue, Howell, MI 48843. Call (517) 546-3500. The Clerk stores case files for the 44th Circuit Court and 53rd District Court. Certified copies of court documents and in-person case searches are available during business hours. The Livingston County government portal at livgov.com links to all county departments, forms, and services online.
| Sheriff's Office | 150 S. Highlander Way, Howell, MI 48843 |
|---|---|
| Sheriff Phone | (517) 546-2440 |
| Sheriff Fax | (517) 546-2385 |
| County Clerk | 304 E. Grand River Ave., Howell, MI 48843 |
| Clerk Phone | (517) 546-3500 |
| Courts | 44th Circuit Court, 53rd District Court |
| Sheriff Website | livgov.com/sheriff |
How to Search Livingston County Criminal Records
The Michigan State Police ICHAT system is the best starting point for a Livingston County criminal background check. Access it at apps.michigan.gov/ichat. ICHAT searches Michigan's central criminal history repository under MCL 28.241 and returns conviction records for any Michigan county. A small fee applies per name. The results are official and come from the State Police database, not a third-party aggregator.
For court case details, MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search is free and covers all Livingston County 44th Circuit and 53rd District Court cases. Search by name or case number. You'll see charge descriptions, hearing dates, and final dispositions. This is the right tool for anyone who needs more detail than a background check provides, such as attorneys, researchers, or parties to a case.
This can serve as a useful secondary check when you're cross-referencing information from other sources.
Note: ICHAT reflects conviction data only; dismissed charges and cases still pending may not appear, so use MiCOURT for a full view of a case's status.
FOIA Requests in Livingston County
Under MCL 15.231, Michigan's FOIA law gives you the right to ask for records from Livingston County departments. To request Sheriff's records, send a written request to 150 S. Highlander Way, Howell. For court records, send your request to the County Clerk at 304 E. Grand River. The county must respond within 5 business days. Some records are exempt under MCL 15.243, including active investigation files and certain law enforcement reports that could compromise ongoing cases.
For Michigan State Police records, use the MSP FOIA portal at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia. This is separate from ICHAT and covers investigative reports and other MSP documents. Standard copy fees apply. Requests that cost more than $50 may require a deposit before the county or MSP begins pulling files.
Record Fees in Livingston County
Livingston County follows Michigan's standard FOIA fee schedule. Costs include a per-page copy fee, actual labor costs for large requests, and postage for mailed responses. ICHAT charges a small fee per name searched. Certified copies from the County Clerk are priced per the Michigan Supreme Court's schedule. MiCOURT is free for all searches. Call the Clerk at (517) 546-3500 before making a large request to get a cost estimate in advance.
Livingston County Criminal Records Resources
The OTIS offender tracking system at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2 covers everyone currently in state prison custody, including those sentenced from Livingston County courts. This is free and updated daily. The Michigan Sex Offender Registry at michigan.gov/psor lets you search registered offenders by name, county, or zip code throughout Livingston County.
Expungement rules under MCL 780.621 let eligible people clear certain Michigan convictions. In Livingston County, you file the petition with the court that handled the original case. Felony petitions go to the 44th Circuit Court. Misdemeanor petitions go to the 53rd District Court. Legal aid organizations in Howell and the Michigan courts website have guides and forms for the process.
Communities in Livingston County
Livingston County includes Howell, Brighton, Pinckney, Fowlerville, and many townships. None of these communities reach the qualifying population threshold for dedicated city pages on this site. All criminal records for Livingston County are handled through the Sheriff's Office and courts in Howell.
Nearby Counties
Livingston County sits between Lansing and the Metro Detroit area. Several counties share borders with it. If you're unsure which county handled a case, the court address in MiCOURT will confirm it.