Search Oakland County Criminal Records

Oakland County criminal records are accessible through multiple channels, including the county's own Court Explorer portal, the statewide ICHAT database, and in-person requests at the Sheriff's Office and 6th Circuit Court. With a population over 1.3 million, Oakland County is one of Michigan's most active jurisdictions. This page covers how to search case filings, access inmate records, request certified copies, and submit FOIA requests for law enforcement reports and court documents.

Oakland County Sheriff and Circuit Court

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is at 1201 North Telegraph Road in Pontiac. The Records Unit handles requests for criminal background checks, police reports, and inmate information. Call (248) 858-5011 for the Records Unit directly. For general matters, the main number is (248) 858-5000. Email ocsorecords@oakgov.com for written records requests. The Records Unit is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The Sheriff's Records Unit page lists available services and request procedures.

The 6th Circuit Court handles felony cases for all of Oakland County. The Clerk's office at 1200 N. Telegraph, Dept. 413, Pontiac, manages court records access and certified copy requests. For eFiling questions, call (248) 858-0582. For PPO matters, call (248) 303-1534. Oakland County operates ten district courts across the county, including the 43rd through 52nd District Courts, each handling misdemeanors and civil infractions in their respective areas.

The County Clerk and Register of Deeds office handles official records outside the court system. Visit oakgov.com/government/clerk-register-of-deeds for Clerk services. The 6th Circuit Court page at oakgov.com/government/courts/circuit-court provides case filing procedures and court contact details.

Oakland County Criminal Records Search Tools

Oakland County built its own online case search system called Court Explorer. You can use it at courtexplorer.oakgov.com. This tool covers 6th Circuit Court records going back to the early 1990s. It shows party names, docket entries, charges, hearings, and case status. Searches are free and available without creating an account. It does not show warrant status, PPO records, juvenile records, or probate mental health cases.

Court Explorer is a fast, no-cost way to check case status, docket entries, and party information for Oakland County criminal cases without visiting the courthouse.

For warrant status, you must call the court directly. The district courts can confirm warrant information by phone. Do not rely on Court Explorer for active warrant checks. The data is unofficial and may lag behind real-time court updates. For the official criminal history under MCL 28.241, use the Michigan State Police ICHAT system at michigan.gov/ichat. ICHAT returns results tied to a person's fingerprint record and is the state's authoritative background check source.

The statewide MiCOURT portal at micourt.courts.michigan.gov also covers Oakland County. MiFILE at mifile.courts.michigan.gov handles electronic filing for Oakland County cases and lets attorneys and parties manage their cases online. Bulk data downloads from Court Explorer are not allowed. For large data requests, you need to submit a FOIA request.

FOIA Requests in Oakland County

Oakland County handles FOIA requests for law enforcement records through the Sheriff's Office. You can submit requests online, by mail, or in person. Under MCL 15.231, county agencies must respond within 5 business days. They may extend this by 10 days with written notice. The Sheriff's Records Unit email is ocsorecords@oakgov.com. Court records go through a different process, either directly through Court Explorer or through the Circuit Court Clerk.

Court records that are not available through Court Explorer require in-person requests or written requests to the Clerk's office. Certain records are protected from disclosure under MCL 15.243. These include records related to active investigations, juvenile cases, mental health proceedings, and some PPO matters. The Michigan State Police also handles FOIA requests for statewide law enforcement records at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia.

Use the MSP FOIA portal for records related to State Police investigations, highway patrol incidents, and statewide criminal data requests.

Oakland County Criminal Record Fees

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office charges $5 for a criminal background check. This is one of the lower fees in Michigan and reflects a name-based check against the local records database. For court record copies, the standard rate is $1.00 per page for regular copies. Certified copies cost $10.00 per case plus $1.00 per page for each page in the document. These fees apply to the 6th Circuit Court and Oakland County district courts.

Electronic payment through the county portal carries a 3.5% surcharge for credit cards and a $2.50 flat fee for ACH transfers. If you request records by mail, include a check or money order made out to Oakland County. For online searches through Court Explorer, there is no charge. The ICHAT background check through MSP has its own fee schedule set by the state and is separate from county fees.

Oakland County Criminal Records Resources

The Michigan OTIS inmate search at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2 shows current state prison and parole status for people under MDOC supervision. For Oakland County Jail inmates, contact the Sheriff's Office directly. The jail and the state prison system are separate, and neither system shows the other's records. If you are not sure which system to check, start with the jail inquiry line and then check OTIS if the person is not found locally.

The Michigan Sex Offender Registry at michigan.gov/psor is searchable by name, address, or zip code and includes all registered offenders in Oakland County. The registry is updated regularly and is free to use. Expungement of Oakland County criminal convictions is available under MCL 780.621 for eligible cases. The petition must be filed at the court where the original conviction was entered. Oakland County legal aid organizations can assist with this process.

Cities in Oakland County

Oakland County has several large cities. The following cities have dedicated criminal records pages on this site.

Other communities in Oakland County include Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Royal Oak, West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Township, and many others. All criminal cases from these communities are handled by the 6th Circuit Court or one of the county's district courts.

Nearby Counties

Oakland County borders several other Michigan counties. Use these links to find records if a case may have been filed in an adjacent jurisdiction.