Search Macomb County Felony Records

Macomb County felony records are maintained by the 16th Circuit Court in Mount Clemens. One of the most populous counties in Michigan, Macomb handles a high volume of felony cases each year. The circuit court and county clerk maintain these records and provide public access both online and in person. You can search Macomb County felony cases using the court's own CourtView system, the state's MiCOURT portal, or by contacting the clerk's office directly.

Macomb County 16th Circuit Court

The 16th Circuit Court in Mount Clemens is the court of record for all felony cases in Macomb County. The court is located at 40 N Main Street in Mount Clemens. Felony cases come to the circuit court after a district court preliminary examination finds probable cause. From there, the circuit court handles arraignment on the information, pretrial proceedings, trial or guilty plea, and sentencing. The clerk's office keeps the full public record of every case.

Macomb County is the third most populous county in Michigan and borders Oakland, Lapeer, St. Clair, and Wayne counties. The county has several district courts serving different parts of the county, all feeding felony cases up to the 16th Circuit. The circuit court website at circuitcourt.macombgov.org provides online case access through CourtView. The fax filing line is (586) 469-5353.

Macomb County's district courts handle preliminary felony examination for each part of the county. The 37th District serves Warren and Center Line. The 38th serves Eastpointe. The 39th serves Roseville and Fraser. The 40th serves St. Clair Shores. The 41-A District Court is at 40111 Dodge Park Rd, Sterling Heights, (586) 446-2500. The 41-B District Court is at 22380 Starks Dr, Clinton Township, (586) 469-9300. The 42nd serves Romeo, New Baltimore, and Richmond.

How to Search Macomb County Felony Records

Macomb County offers its own CourtView case search through the circuit court website. Go to the CourtView page to search by name or case number. Results show charges, case status, and hearing dates. This is the most direct tool for Macomb County circuit court cases.

You can also search using MiCOURT, the statewide case lookup tool. MiCOURT covers all Michigan circuit courts including the 16th Circuit. Both CourtView and MiCOURT are free and do not require an account. For certified criminal history reports, use the Michigan State Police ICHAT service, which costs $10 per search and returns fingerprint-linked records from the statewide database.

Clerk Anthony G. Forlini's office also offers online access to real estate records, vital records, and document ordering through clerk.macombgov.org. For in-person access, the clerk is at 120 N Main Street in Mount Clemens. The circuit court is at 40 N Main Street. Both offices are in the same area of downtown Mount Clemens.

Note: For offenders currently under state supervision, the free OTIS system from the Michigan Department of Corrections shows current MDOC status.

What Macomb County Felony Records Contain

Macomb County felony case files are public under MCL 15.231. Each file contains the complete case record from charge through final disposition. Documents include the complaint or information, warrant, bond order, register of actions, motions and responses, plea agreement or trial transcript, presentence investigation report, and the judgment of sentence.

The register of actions gives a full chronological case history. It records every filing, hearing, and court order from arraignment to sentencing and beyond. This is the best starting point when reviewing a case. From the register you can tell what is in the file, when key events happened, and which documents you need copies of. The clerk can pull copies for a fee at the counter.

Sentencing records note the prison or jail term, probation length and conditions, fines, and court costs. If the defendant was required to register under the Sex Offenders Registration Act at MCL 28.241, that requirement appears in the judgment. Records of any post-conviction motions, appeals, or sentence modifications also become part of the public file. Sealed records and juvenile records are not publicly accessible.

The Macomb County official website provides links to the circuit court, clerk's office, and online case search tools for felony records.

Use the county homepage to navigate to circuit court services, CourtView case search, and the county clerk's online resources for Macomb County felony records.

Expungement of Macomb County Felony Records

Michigan's expungement law at MCL 780.621 allows eligible felony convictions to be set aside. A set-aside removes the conviction from the public record but keeps it visible to law enforcement. Macomb County petitions are filed at the 16th Circuit Court in Mount Clemens.

The Clean Slate Act under MCL 780.621g introduced automatic expungement for certain convictions after a waiting period. If your offense qualifies, the set-aside may happen without filing anything. For other convictions, file a petition using form MC 227. The standard waiting period is five years from completing your sentence, including probation and parole.

Certain offenses are permanently excluded. Murder, criminal sexual conduct, and offenses against minors do not qualify. Having more than two prior felony convictions can also make you ineligible. Check your eligibility at Michigan Legal Help before filing. The MC 227 form is available from the Michigan Courts website.

FOIA and Public Records in Macomb County

Under MCL 15.231, Macomb County agencies must respond to public records requests within five business days. You can submit requests to the circuit court clerk, county sheriff, or prosecutor's office. Agencies can grant the request, deny it with written reasons, or ask for more time when the records are extensive.

Circuit court case records already in the public file do not require a formal FOIA request. Ask the clerk directly at the counter at 120 N Main Street in Mount Clemens, or through the clerk's website at clerk.macombgov.org. For records held by the county sheriff or other agencies, like incident reports or jail logs, submit a written FOIA request to the relevant office. Copying fees apply for most requests.

The free OTIS offender database shows current MDOC custody or supervision status without any request or fee. For Macomb County records questions, call the clerk at (586) 469-5120 or email clerk@macombgov.org.

Cities in Macomb County

Macomb County includes several large cities, each served by the 16th Circuit Court for felony matters. Warren is the largest city in the county. Sterling Heights and Clinton Township are also major communities.

Nearby Counties

Macomb County borders these counties. Felony jurisdiction is based on where the offense occurred.