Westland Felony Records

Westland felony records are processed through the Wayne County court system. Located in western Wayne County, Westland is a mid-sized city along the Ford Road corridor. The 18th District Court in Westland handles misdemeanor cases and early felony proceedings, while Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit is responsible for all felony trials and sentencing. This page covers how to search Westland felony records online and in person, what court documents you can access, and how to request copies from the courts and law enforcement offices that serve the city.

18th District Court - Westland

The 18th District Court is located in Westland on Ford Road and serves all district-level criminal matters for the city. This court handles misdemeanor cases, civil infractions, and the preliminary phases of felony charges. When a felony arrest occurs in Westland, the defendant first appears before the 18th District Court for arraignment and bond setting. If the court finds probable cause at the preliminary exam, it sends the case to Wayne County Circuit Court.

The 18th District Court building shares the same general area as the Westland Police Department on Ford Road. This proximity makes it fairly easy to visit both in a single trip if you need records from both the court and law enforcement. Records at the 18th District Court include misdemeanor case files, felony arraignment documents, bond condition orders, and preliminary hearing outcomes. Staff can help you locate cases by name or case number.

Wayne County Circuit Court

Felony cases from Westland that are bound over from the 18th District Court proceed to Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit. Wayne County uses the 3rd Circuit Court, which is one of the busiest circuit courts in Michigan. The 3rd Circuit Court handles all Wayne County felony trials, plea hearings, sentencing, and appeals from district court decisions.

Wayne County Circuit Court is at 2 Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. The clerk's office manages all public records for the court. You can search Wayne County felony records through MiCOURT statewide or through the 3rd Circuit Court's own resources at 3rdcc.org. Case files are public once filed and include charging documents, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and all court hearing records. In-person requests for certified copies are available at the clerk's office on Woodward Avenue.

Westland Police Department at 36701 Ford Road maintains arrest records and incident reports for the city. Contact Westland PD at (734) 722-9600 for law enforcement records. The Westland City Clerk at 36600 Ford Road, phone (734) 713-3888, handles city-level FOIA requests.

How to Search Westland Felony Records

Searching Westland felony records is straightforward once you know which court holds the case. Felony trial and conviction records are at Wayne County Circuit Court. Early felony records and all misdemeanor matters are at the 18th District Court. Both courts are searchable online through MiCOURT.

MiCOURT is the free statewide case search tool run by Michigan Courts. You can search by first and last name or by case number. Results show party names, court, charge descriptions, and case status. The tool covers all Michigan courts, so one search can return results from both the 18th District Court and 3rd Circuit Court for the same person or case. It is available any time and does not require an account.

The 3rd Circuit Court website at 3rdcc.org also has resources for searching Wayne County circuit records and learning about the court's procedures. For in-person record requests at Wayne County Circuit Court, visit the clerk's office at 2 Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Bring the person's full name and any case information you have to help staff find the records faster.

Michigan's ICHAT system at apps.michigan.gov/ichat offers a statewide criminal history search for $10 per search. ICHAT covers all Michigan courts and returns conviction information. Use it when you need a broad background check rather than a single case lookup.

What Westland Felony Records Contain

Westland felony records at Wayne County Circuit Court include all documents filed from the time the case was bound over from the 18th District Court through the final judgment. The felony information or complaint is the charging document and names the offenses. Arraignment records show the initial plea and bond terms. Pre-trial conference notes reflect discussions between the attorneys and the court about the case direction.

If a plea deal was reached, the case file contains the plea agreement, any conditions attached to it, and the sentencing order. If the case went to trial, you will find jury selection records, transcript indexes, exhibit lists, the verdict, and the final judgment of sentence. Sentencing orders detail the prison or jail term, any probation conditions, fines, and restitution orders. All of this becomes part of the permanent circuit court record and is public.

The 18th District Court holds its own records from the preliminary phase. These documents are separate from the circuit court file and include the original arrest warrant or complaint, arraignment minutes, and any preliminary exam records. Both sets of records are accessible to the public.

Michigan Courts Felony Records Portal

The Michigan Courts official website provides statewide access to court tools, including MiCOURT case search and resources for finding Westland felony records through the Wayne County court system.

Michigan Courts is the central hub for court information across all 83 counties. Use it to access MiCOURT and find links to specific court websites when searching Westland felony cases.

Expungement of Westland Felony Records

Michigan law at MCL 780.621 allows people with certain felony convictions to petition for expungement. An expungement order removes the conviction from public records. Petitions for Westland felony convictions are filed at Wayne County Circuit Court, where the conviction was entered.

Michigan's Clean Slate law under MCL 780.621g created automatic expungement for certain eligible convictions after required waiting periods. This means qualifying records can be set aside without a court petition. The waiting period after a felony conviction is generally seven years after the sentence is completed. Certain serious felonies, including crimes causing death or serious injury and offenses involving children, are not eligible.

For manual expungement petitions, you file the application at Wayne County Circuit Court and serve copies on the Westland Police Department and the Wayne County Prosecutor's office. The court schedules a hearing where you can present your case for expungement. Michigan Legal Help has free guides for Wayne County expungement petitions and can help you determine if your conviction qualifies.

FOIA Requests for Westland Records

Michigan FOIA under MCL 15.231 allows any person to request public records from government agencies. Court case files at the 18th District Court and Wayne County Circuit Court are public records available through the clerk's offices. For law enforcement records, including police incident reports and arrest files from Westland PD, you need to submit a FOIA request.

Send FOIA requests for Westland Police Department records to the Westland City Clerk at 36600 Ford Road, Westland, MI 48185, or call (734) 713-3888. You can also contact Westland PD directly at (734) 722-9600 to ask about their FOIA process. Michigan law requires a response within five business days of receiving a written request. Fees may apply for copies and search time depending on the volume of records requested.

Nearby Cities

These nearby qualifying cities in the Wayne County area also have felony records pages.

Wayne County Felony Records

Westland is part of Wayne County. All felony cases for Westland residents are filed at Wayne County Circuit Court. Visit the county page for full details on courts, search tools, and record access.