Branch County Felony Records

Branch County felony records are maintained at the Branch County Circuit Court in Coldwater, where all felony criminal matters for the county are filed and processed. The court keeps a full record of each case from the initial charge through sentencing, and those records are public unless the court seals them. You can search cases online through MiCOURT, get a statewide criminal history report through ICHAT, or visit the clerk's office in person. This guide covers all the main ways to find and access felony records in Branch County, Michigan.

Branch County Circuit Court Felony Records

The Branch County Circuit Court in Coldwater handles all felony criminal matters filed in the county. Felony cases begin with a district court preliminary examination and then move up to circuit court for trial or plea proceedings and sentencing. The court file for each felony case includes the charging document, hearing records, motions, plea terms, and sentencing orders. All of this is part of the public record unless sealed.

The court sits at 31 Division St in Coldwater. The county clerk's office is at the same address. You can reach the clerk at (517) 279-4306 or by fax at (517) 278-5627. Email inquiries go to tkubasiak@countyofbranch.com. Staff are available Monday through Friday during regular business hours. They can help you find a case file, get copies of documents, and take FOIA requests for court records.

Branch County sits in south-central Michigan near the Indiana border. The county handles its own circuit court, separate from neighboring Calhoun or Hillsdale. If you are not sure which county a case was filed in, check with the clerk's office or run a name search in MiCOURT, which pulls from all Michigan courts at once.

How to Search Branch County Felony Records

Start your search at MiCOURT, the Michigan Supreme Court's free online case search system. Enter a full name or case number to pull up results. MiCOURT shows the register of actions for each case, which is a dated list of every filing, hearing, and court order. It is available at any time and covers all Michigan courts including Branch County. This is the fastest way to confirm whether a case exists and get basic case details.

For a formal background check on a specific person, use ICHAT, the Internet Criminal History Access Tool run by the Michigan State Police. A search costs $10 and returns a statewide criminal history. ICHAT pulls conviction data from courts in all 83 counties. Any Branch County felony conviction on file will appear in the results along with the offense, statute, disposition date, and sentence.

For in-person access, visit the clerk's office at 31 Division St in Coldwater. Bring the name of the person you are looking up or a case number. Staff can locate files and make copies for a fee. The Branch County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement records such as arrest reports. FOIA requests for those documents go to the sheriff's office. For MDOC offender information, use OTIS, the state's Offender Tracking Information System.

What Branch County Felony Records Include

A felony case file at the Branch County Circuit Court holds the complete record of a criminal matter. It starts with the complaint or information setting out the charges. Arrest warrant details, arraignment notes, and preliminary exam records follow. As the case moves through the court, the file adds motions, plea agreements, and transcripts of key hearings. The register of actions gives a full date-by-date account of every court event.

Sentencing documents are often what people need most. These show the offense the person was convicted of, the sentence handed down, jail or prison time, probation conditions, and fines. Presentence investigation reports prepared under MCL 771.14 are part of the record but are generally not available to the public unless a court orders release. Other case documents are public under MCL 15.231, Michigan's Freedom of Information Act.

ICHAT reports from the Michigan State Police offer a quick summary. They include conviction type, statute, date, and sentence. They do not carry the full detail found in a circuit court case file, but they are a fast and reliable way to verify a conviction statewide.

Michigan Felony Records Search Resources

The Michigan Courts website links to resources across all 83 counties, including the MiCOURT search tool and information on how records are maintained at each local court level.

This statewide portal connects you to MiCOURT for online case searches and provides links to individual circuit court websites where local records and court forms are available.

Expungement in Branch County

Michigan law gives eligible people the chance to have a felony conviction removed from their public record. Under MCL 780.621, you file a petition at the circuit court where the conviction was entered. For Branch County convictions, that is the Branch County Circuit Court in Coldwater. The process involves filing form MC 227, paying a $50 fee to the Michigan State Police, and giving notice to the county prosecutor. The court then holds a hearing to decide whether to grant the petition.

Michigan's automatic expungement law, MCL 780.621g, may clear certain felonies automatically after 10 years without any action from the person convicted. Not all crimes are eligible. Violent offenses, crimes against minors, and certain other categories are excluded. The Michigan Legal Help website has tools to check eligibility and guides for filing a petition if automatic expungement does not apply.

FOIA and Public Records Requests

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act at MCL 15.231 gives the public the right to request records from government agencies. Most felony case records are public. The county clerk handles FOIA requests for court documents. The sheriff's office takes requests for arrest reports and other law enforcement records.

Agencies must respond within 5 business days of getting a written request and may extend by up to 10 days with written notice. Fees for copies must be reasonable under state law. A denial can be appealed. For Michigan State Police criminal history records, direct requests to MSPRecords@Michigan.gov. Records that have not been digitized may take longer to pull and may require an in-person visit.

Cities in Branch County

Branch County is a rural county in south-central Michigan near the Indiana state line. The county seat is Coldwater. No cities in Branch County meet the population threshold for dedicated felony records pages on this site. All felony cases for county residents go through the Branch County Circuit Court in Coldwater.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Branch County. Each has its own circuit court handling felony cases. Check the right county if you are unsure where a case was filed.