Waterford Township Felony Records

Waterford Township felony records are maintained by the Oakland County court system. Waterford Township is one of the most populated townships in Oakland County, located northwest of Pontiac along the M-59 corridor and home to Pontiac Lake and many inland waterways. Felony cases from Waterford Township go through the 51st District Court for early proceedings and then to Oakland County Circuit Court for trials and sentencing. This page covers where to find Waterford Township felony records, how to search them, what the files contain, and how to make formal record requests.

51st District Court - Waterford Township

The 51st District Court serves Waterford Township and is located at 5100 Civic Center Drive in Waterford. The court is part of the Waterford Township Civic Center complex, which also houses the township police department and clerk. This court handles all misdemeanor criminal cases for the township and processes the preliminary stages of felony charges. Felony arraignments and preliminary examinations happen here before cases are bound over to Oakland County Circuit Court.

The 51st District Court is available through Oakland County's court system. Records at this court include misdemeanor case files, felony arraignment records, bond orders, and preliminary hearing outcomes. Contact the court at (248) 674-4650 for hours and records request procedures. The Waterford Township Police Department is at 5150 Civic Center Drive, reachable at (248) 674-0351. The township clerk's office at 5200 Civic Center Drive at (248) 674-6262 handles township-level record requests including FOIA submissions.

Oakland County Circuit Court

Waterford Township felony cases that are bound over from the 51st District Court proceed to Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac. The circuit court at 1200 N Telegraph Road is the trial court for all Oakland County felony cases, including those from Waterford Township. Arraignments at the felony level, pre-trial proceedings, plea hearings, and trials all take place here. The circuit court clerk's office at (248) 858-0344 manages all public records access and certified copy requests.

Oakland County provides an online case search tool called Oakland Court Explorer at courtexplorer.oakgov.com. The Explorer covers the circuit court, all district courts in Oakland County including the 51st, and probate records. For Waterford Township felony records, this tool is a strong starting point. You can search by party name or case number and view case events, hearing dates, charges, and document types. Oakland Court Explorer is one of the more thorough county-level court search tools in Michigan.

Note: Full documents are not downloadable from Oakland Court Explorer. For copies of actual case filings, visit the circuit court clerk's office in person at 1200 N Telegraph Road in Pontiac or submit a written copy request.

How to Search Waterford Township Felony Records

Two online tools work well for searching Waterford Township felony records. Oakland Court Explorer at courtexplorer.oakgov.com is the county-specific system and provides the best local coverage. It pulls records from both the 51st District Court and Oakland County Circuit Court. Enter a name to see all cases associated with that person in Oakland County courts. The results include case types, charges, current status, and hearing dates.

The statewide MiCOURT tool is the free Michigan Courts case search system. It covers all 83 counties and is a good option when you are not sure which court or county holds a case. MiCOURT and Oakland Court Explorer pull from overlapping data, so running a search in both can help confirm what you find. MiCOURT is available around the clock and does not require any login or fee.

For a statewide criminal history covering all Michigan convictions, use the ICHAT system at apps.michigan.gov/ichat. The Michigan State Police operates ICHAT and charges $10 per search. Results include conviction data from all 83 Michigan counties. ICHAT is most useful for background check purposes. It does not show pending cases or charges that did not result in a conviction.

For complete Waterford Township felony case documents, visit the Oakland County Circuit Court clerk's office at 1200 N Telegraph Road in Pontiac during regular business hours. The clerk can locate and copy files while you wait. Bring the person's full name and any case numbers you found online to speed up the process.

What Waterford Township Felony Records Include

Waterford Township felony records at Oakland County Circuit Court document the entire life of a felony case from its arrival from the district court through the final judgment. The case file includes the felony information naming the charges, arraignment records showing the initial plea and bond terms, and all motions and court orders filed during pre-trial proceedings. These records grow as the case develops and are available to the public.

The most important documents in a Waterford Township felony case are the final disposition records. Whether the case ended with a plea or a trial, the sentencing order is the key document. It identifies the conviction offense, the sentence imposed, probation length and conditions, fines, restitution to victims, and any registration requirements. Courts, agencies, and employers frequently need certified copies of sentencing orders for official purposes. These copies are available at the Oakland County Circuit Court clerk's office for a per-page fee.

The 51st District Court retains its own records from the preliminary phase of Waterford Township felony cases. These include the arraignment minutes from the first hearing, bond orders, and the preliminary examination record or dismissal. Misdemeanor cases from the township stay entirely at the 51st District Court level. For misdemeanor records, contact the 51st District Court at (248) 674-4650.

Oakland Court Explorer for Waterford Township Cases

The Oakland Court Explorer is the primary online search tool for Waterford Township felony records, covering both the 51st District Court and Oakland County Circuit Court cases.

Oakland Court Explorer is updated with new case activity from Oakland County courts and is the most detailed county-level tool for finding Waterford Township felony records online.

Expungement of Waterford Township Felony Records

Michigan law at MCL 780.621 allows individuals with Waterford Township felony convictions to petition for expungement. The petition is filed at Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, where the conviction was entered. The petition must be served on the Waterford Township Police Department, the Oakland County Prosecutor's office, and the Michigan Attorney General. A court hearing follows where the judge decides whether to set aside the conviction.

The Clean Slate law at MCL 780.621g provides automatic expungement for eligible convictions without a petition. For felonies, the waiting period is seven years from the completion of the sentence. Qualifying convictions are set aside automatically after this period. Crimes causing death or serious injury, crimes against minors, sex offenses requiring registration, and certain other serious felonies are not eligible for automatic expungement.

Michigan Legal Help has free tools to check whether a Waterford Township felony conviction qualifies for expungement and provides step-by-step guides for Oakland County filings. Contact the Oakland County Circuit Court clerk at (248) 858-0344 for petition forms and local filing requirements.

FOIA Requests for Waterford Township Records

Michigan FOIA under MCL 15.231 gives the public the right to request records from government agencies. Court case files at the 51st District Court and Oakland County Circuit Court are public records accessible directly through the clerk's offices. For law enforcement records, including Waterford Township Police Department incident reports and arrest files, you must submit a FOIA request to the township.

Submit FOIA requests for Waterford Township Police records to the Waterford Township Clerk at 5200 Civic Center Drive, Waterford, MI 48329, or call (248) 674-6262. You can also contact the Waterford Township PD at (248) 674-0351 to ask about their specific FOIA procedures. Michigan law requires a written response within five business days of the agency receiving your request, with a possible extension of up to ten additional days for large or complex requests.

Nearby Cities

These qualifying Oakland County cities near Waterford Township also have felony records pages.

Oakland County Felony Records

Waterford Township is part of Oakland County. All felony cases for the township are handled at Oakland County Circuit Court. Visit the county page for full information on courts, fees, and record access options.