Mackinac County Criminal Records
Mackinac County criminal records are maintained by the County Clerk, the 11th Circuit Court, and the Mackinac County Sheriff's Office in St. Ignace. This Upper Peninsula county covers the mainland as well as Mackinac Island. You can search criminal cases online through MiCOURT and the Michigan State Police ICHAT system, or you can visit the courthouse in person. This page walks you through every option available to get the records you need.
Mackinac County Overview
Mackinac County Sheriff and Court Contacts
The Mackinac County Sheriff's Office handles criminal incidents and maintains arrest records for the county. They are located at 100 S. Marley St. in St. Ignace. If you need incident reports or arrest data, this is your first stop. The Records Division can pull reports by name or case number. For non-emergency questions, call (906) 643-1911.
Court records for felony cases go through the 11th Circuit Court. Misdemeanor cases are heard in the 92nd District Court. Both courts are served through the Mackinac County Clerk at 100 W. Court St., St. Ignace. The clerk's office at (906) 643-7300 can direct you to the right department. If you are searching for older criminal cases or need certified copies of judgments, the clerk keeps those files on hand.
The Mackinac County government website has department contact pages and general guidance on how to reach each office. It is a good starting point if you are not sure which office handles the record type you need.
| Sheriff's Office | 100 S. Marley St., St. Ignace, MI 49781 |
|---|---|
| Sheriff Phone | (906) 643-1911 |
| Sheriff Fax | (906) 643-7304 |
| County Clerk | 100 W. Court St., St. Ignace, MI 49781 |
| Clerk Phone | (906) 643-7300 |
| Circuit Court | 11th Circuit Court |
| District Court | 92nd District Court |
The Michigan Sheriffs' Association page for Mackinac County lists current contact details and leadership for the sheriff's office.
How to Search Mackinac County Criminal Records
The Michigan State Police run the ICHAT system, which is the main statewide tool for criminal background searches. ICHAT pulls from the central criminal history repository maintained under MCL 28.241. You search by name and get back any Michigan criminal history on file. The system covers arrests, charges, and dispositions from courts across the state, including Mackinac County cases. Go to apps.michigan.gov/ichat to run a search. There is a small fee for most searches.
MiCOURT is the statewide court case portal. It shows active and recent cases from many Michigan courts. You can look up Mackinac County criminal cases by name or case number. The system does not show every case type, but it covers most public criminal records. Visit micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/ to get started. No login is needed for basic name searches.
In-person searches at the courthouse let you see the full case file. Bring a name, date of birth, or case number. Clerks can pull records and make copies while you wait. This is the best option if you need certified documents or records that are not yet online.
Note: MiCOURT case search shows most public criminal cases but does not display sealed, expunged, or juvenile records under MCL 780.621.
FOIA Requests in Mackinac County
The Michigan Freedom of Information Act under MCL 15.231 gives you the right to request public records from government agencies. This includes incident reports, arrest logs, and other criminal records held by the Mackinac County Sheriff's Office and courts. Submit your FOIA request in writing to the agency that holds the record you need.
Requests go to the sheriff's office or the county clerk depending on what you want. The response time is 5 business days, though agencies can extend this if needed. You should be specific in your request. Include the name of the person, the approximate date of the incident, and the type of record. Agencies can charge for labor and copying costs under MCL 15.234. They must give you a cost estimate before doing the work if the total will exceed a small threshold.
Note that some records are exempt from public release under MCL 15.243, including active investigation files and personal privacy information. The agency will tell you what they can and cannot release.
Fees for Criminal Record Copies
Mackinac County follows standard Michigan FOIA fee rules for most criminal record requests. Agencies can charge for the actual cost of labor, copying, and any necessary search time. Copy fees are typically $0.10 to $0.25 per page for paper documents. Mailing costs are added on top if you want records sent to you. If the total cost is expected to be more than $50, the agency can ask for a 50% deposit before starting work.
ICHAT searches through the Michigan State Police cost a flat fee per search. Check the current rate at the ICHAT portal before you submit. Certified court document copies cost more than plain copies. The clerk's office can tell you the exact fee when you request them. Fee waivers may be available for low-income requesters in some circumstances. Ask the agency directly if you need help with costs.
Mackinac County Criminal Record Resources
The Michigan Department of Corrections runs OTIS, the Offender Tracking Information System. OTIS shows the current status and location of people in Michigan's prison system. You can search by name for free. The system also shows recent release dates and supervision status. Go to mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2/otis2.html to run a search. This is useful if you are looking for someone who may be incarcerated in the state system.
The Michigan Sex Offender Registry is a public database maintained by the Michigan State Police. It covers people required to register under Michigan law. You can search by name, address, or zip code at michigan.gov/psor. Mackinac County residents and offenders are included in this database. The registry is updated regularly and is free to search.
For records involving the Michigan State Police directly, you can submit a FOIA request through the MSP FOIA portal. This covers troop post records, accident reports, and state-level criminal history maintained by MSP.
The Michigan State Police ICHAT portal screenshot below shows what the online background check system looks like. This is the same system used for Mackinac County criminal history searches.
The MDOC OTIS offender tracking tool lets you search Michigan prison records at no cost.
OTIS covers all people currently or recently in the Michigan Department of Corrections system, including those from Mackinac County cases.
Cities in Mackinac County
Mackinac County includes St. Ignace (the county seat), Mackinac Island, and several small communities throughout the Upper Peninsula mainland. Criminal cases for all of these locations are handled through the 11th Circuit Court and 92nd District Court. None of the cities in Mackinac County meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site.
Nearby Counties
Mackinac County sits in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and shares borders with several neighboring counties. If you are not sure which county handles a case, use the location of the incident to find the right court.