Access Oakland County Public Records for Free (Resource)

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Free Oakland County Public Records Search

Access Oakland County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

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Access Oakland County public records for free online and in person through the official agencies outlined in this resource. Public records encompass anything from criminal records (e.g., warrants, probation, arrests) to family records (e.g., marriages and divorce). You can use this information to get court dates or prisoner information or to learn more about a particular individual or piece of property.

If you need to, you can also request this information formally through background check reports.

Public records in Oakland County must be provided to requesters at no cost under the Freedom of Information Act and the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. Many records are accessible online, by mail, and in person. To obtain them, you must know the process for acquiring each record type and which agencies host them.

This streamlined resource will clarify the availability of public records throughout Oakland County and how to find them quickly and affordably.

This resource was written by Attorney Robert Bailey Jr, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.

How To Find Recent Arrests in Oakland County Michigan for Free

When you are looking to find Oakland County arrest records, it is important to gather all available information before beginning your free public records search. Hopefully you have the person’s name, but additional information–such as where the crime took place or when they were arrested–can also be helpful.

Having this information is also helpful in determining where to conduct your search. For instance, if you’re looking for police reports, then knowing the arresting agency will help to quickly narrow down your search. If you do not have much information beyond their name, then it is usually best to start your search at the county level.

This will allow you to find out if someone is in jail throughout Oakland County.

If you search at the county level and find what you are looking for, you can end your search there. You may also be able to use the information you gather there to get more detailed information, such as an arrest report from the arresting agency if the person in question was arrested by a city police department.

Below are tools you can use to search for arrests in Oakland County for free.

Search the Oakland County Jail for Recent Arrests

To search for jail records in Oakland County, you can use the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Locator Tool. Utilize this tool to check the jail roster of the Oakland County Jail, find someone’s mugshot and get detailed arrest information.¹

To perform a search, simply enter a person’s name or their Inmate ID. Once you enter a person’s name or ID number, you will get a list of all matching Oakland County bookings. Here, you can see the person’s mugshot, name and the time and date when they were booked in the Oakland County Jail.

You can also see their inmate ID and some basic descriptive information like sex and birth date on the search results page.

To get additional information, you can click on the person’s name and select “details.” In addition to the information provided on the search results page, you can view important information, such as when the inmate is scheduled to be released.

You can also get detailed information on the charges brought against the inmate, as well as the case number and the court responsible for adjudicating those charges. In this section, you can also view the bond type and amount for the individual.

For additional information, contact the Oakland County Jail by sending an email to [email protected]. You can contact them by phone at 248-858-5000 or in person at the following address:

Oakland County Jail
1200 North Telegraph Road
Building 38E
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

The East Annex Correctional Facility is a different section of the Oakland County Jail and is located at the address below:

Oakland County Jail – East Annex
1201 Telegraph Rd. 
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

The Corrective Services Division of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the supervision of the Oakland County Jail. For inmate information, you can contact them at 248-858-1800. The primary address for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is:

Oakland County Sheriff’s Office
1201 N. Telegraph Rd. 
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office has jurisdiction over several townships and cities within the county. As a result, they have several different substations throughout the county. If you are looking for a recent arrest report it may be helpful to go in person to one of these substations, especially if you know a person was arrested in a particular location.

Here is the contact information with links to the pages for the various Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Substations:

Substation	Address	Phone Number
Addison Township	1440 Rochester Rd. Leonard, Michigan 48367	248-628-2998
Brandon Township	15 South St. Ortonville, Michigan 48462	248-627-4911
Commerce Township	2401 Glengary Rd. Commerce Township, Michigan 48390	248-624-0715
Highland Township	165 North John St. Highland Township, Michigan 48356	248-887-6240
Independence Township	6560 Citation Dr. Independence Township, Michigan 48346	248-620-4968
Lyon Township	58000 Grand River Ave. Lyon Township, Michigan 48165	248-437-5600
Orion Township	2323 Joslyn Rd. Lake Orion, Michigan 48360	248-858-4950
Oakland Township	4391 Collins Rd. Oakland Township, Michigan 48306	248-652-4617
Oxford Township	310 Dunlap Rd. Oxford, Michigan 48371	248-969-3077
Springfield Township	12000 Davisburg Rd. Davisburg, Michigan 48350	248-858-4950
City of Pontiac	110 E. Pike St. Pontiac, Michigan 48342	248-858-4950
City of Rochester Hills	750 Barclay Circle Rochester Hills, Michigan 48307	248-537-3530

Access Arrest Reports From Police Departments in Oakland County Michigan

Another option for obtaining arrest reports is to make a request with a city police department in Oakland County that was the arresting agency. This may also be a necessary step if you know a person was arrested recently but do not have many details. You may be able to access their arrest log to get the information you need.

Below is the contact information for some of the larger police departments in Oakland County. Each police department may have different processes in place for requesting records and different hours of availability. As a result, it may be beneficial to call the police department before planning a visit.

Use the contact information below for requesting arrest reports and other related information for police departments in Oakland County:

Police Department	Address	Phone Number
Troy Police Department	500 W. Big Beaver Rd. Troy, Michigan 48084	248-524-3477
Waterford Police Department	5150 Civic Center Dr. Waterford, Michigan 48329	248-674-0351
Farmington Hills Police Department	31655 W. Eleven Mile Rd. Farmington Hills, Michigan 48336	248-871-2600
Rochester Hills Police Department	400 6th St. Rochester, Michigan 48307	248-651-9621
Southfield Police Department	26000 Evergreen Rd. Southfield, Michigan 48076	248-796-5500
West Bloomfield Township Police Department	4530 Walnut Lake Rd. West Bloomfield Township, Michigan 48323	248-975-9200
Novi Police Department	45125 Ten Mile Rd. Novi, Michigan 48375	248-348-7100
Royal Oak Police Department	450 East 11 Mile Royal Oak, Michigan 48067	248-246-3500
Bloomfield Township Police Department	4200 Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Township, Michigan 48303	248-433-7755
Northville Police Department	215 West Main St. Northville, Michigan 48167	248-349-5100

How To Perform a Free Public Criminal Record Check in Oakland County

There are a variety of criminal records a searcher may be looking to obtain. Some criminal records you may be able to get online, while others require you to go in person or request a background check.

Criminal records may consist of general case information, such as charges brought against a person and their sentence. It may also include specific information regarding whether or not someone is on probation or if there is a warrant out for their arrest.

Below is detailed information on the various ways to check criminal records for free and the type of information you will find when performing these searches.

Look Up Criminal Records & Cases via the 6th Judicial Circuit Court’s Online Search Tool

You can perform a free criminal record check in Oakland County using their online Court Explorer Tool.³ This tool is used for a variety of different case types throughout the county. This tool can provide you with criminal records for cases decided by the 6th Judicial Circuit Court, which is limited to felony cases and cases on appeal from one of the district courts.

For Oakland County criminal records, you will have to take certain steps to narrow down your search results. Once you navigate to the search tool, select “Advanced Search” at the bottom of the page. To narrow your search to criminal cases, you will have to enter the appropriate criminal case code in the case types section.

Options for criminal case types for this search tool include the following:

• A.P. – Parole Board Decisions
• AR – Criminal Appeals
• F.C. – Capital Felonies
• F.H. – Noncapital Felonies
• F.J. – Juvenile Felony Offenses
• V.P. – Violation, Out-County Adult PPO

Once you select your case type, you can search by either the offender’s name or the case number.

Note: You can conduct a partial name search, but you must have the exact number to search by case number. 

In addition to focusing on criminal cases, you can also narrow down your search by party type and case year range. Once you enter all available information, you will be provided with search results organized by party name. The search results will also indicate the party type and the opposition party.

Once you complete your search, you can view a case summary of the individual’s criminal record. This includes basic case information such as the case number, the judge, when the case was filed and when it ultimately concluded.

You can also use this search tool to get a detailed case history of every event that occurred from when the case was initiated through to the final disposition.

Execute a Free Public Criminal Record Check in Oakland County Michigan With the MiCourt Case Search Tool

If someone has a criminal record in Oakland County, you will be able to find that information by using the MiCourt Case Search Tool.⁴ This is a unified case search tool for all of Michigan, which allows you to search for criminal records specifically by courts within a particular county.

To search their online directory for Oakland County criminal cases, begin by typing “Oakland County” in their search bar. This will filter the search results to only courts located in Oakland County. This tool does not allow you to search all district courts in Oakland County, so you will have to select the particular court you want to search.

Once you select a particular district court, you can perform a search by name (including birth year, if available) or case number. The searcher will then want to click the filter option and select “Criminal/Traffic/Civil Infractions” to narrow the search results. From there, you can also filter the cases by status (e.g., open, closed) or set a range for either the filing date or offense date.

Once you perform your search, this tool will provide you with a significant amount of criminal case information.

For instance, you can view a detailed account of the charges against a person, including the arresting agency, disposition and sentencing date. You can also get detailed information about any bonds, hearings and all events that occurred under the specific criminal case.

To search for records in person, you can get contact information for all Oakland County courts in the section below on court documents and cases.

The District Court handles less serious criminal offenses (e.g., misdemeanors). The 6th Judicial Circuit Court handles the more serious criminal offenses (e.g., felonies) as well as appeals from the District Courts.

How To See if Someone Has a Warrant Out for Their Arrest in Oakland County

To perform a warrant search in Oakland County, a searcher’s best option is to perform a general criminal record search using either the MiCourt Case Search Tool or the 6th Judicial Circuit Court’s Court Explorer Tool. Use these tools, as described earlier, to perform a criminal record search for the individual you are checking on.

If someone has a warrant, you may be able to find information in the sections detailing the various case events and hearings. In these sections, they provide details on court hearings and events that happened throughout a particular criminal case. If a warrant was issued for an individual’s arrest, it will likely be listed here.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office also maintains a Most Wanted Fugitives List.⁵ When you click on an individual on this list, you can view their mugshot along with some basic descriptive information about them (date of birth, height, weight). In addition, the fugitive list will provide you with information on any Oakland County warrants issued for the fugitive.

How To Obtain Probation Information in Oakland County Michigan

If you are looking to obtain probation information as part of your criminal record search, your best option is to search using the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS).⁶

This online search tool allows you to specifically search for probationers in Oakland County and throughout Michigan. When you perform your search, select “probationers” under the “Offender Status” section. Then, enter any other information you have, such as the person’s name and other identifying information.

You can also perform a criminal record search through the MiCourt Case Search Tool or the 6th Judicial Circuit Court’s Court Explorer Tool to find additional probation information provided in an individual’s criminal case record.

When you complete your search, you can confirm their probation status as well as the individual’s assigned probation supervisor. You can also view the date their probation began and the date it ends.

For additional information, contact the Adult Probation Department from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. You can either call them or visit them in person using the contact information provided below:

Adult Probation Department – Pontiac Office
1200 N. Telegraph Rd.
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

Phone:(248) 858-0300

Adult Probation Department – Troy Office
1151 Crooks Rd.
Troy, Michigan 48084

Phone:(248) 655-1100

How To Acquire a Background Check Report in Oakland County Michigan

There are also other ways to obtain Oakland County public records, such as through a local or statewide background check. A personal background check can be conducted by anyone and used for any personal reason as long as it does not involve criminal activity.

A professional background check is a more formal process and requires, among other things, consent and having the criminal record produced and verified by a specific government agency. Often, you can request a criminal record through a local or statewide police agency. The scope of the criminal background check will depend on the agency you request one from and the purposes for making a request.

You can obtain a criminal background check through the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.⁷ To do so, all you have to do is schedule an appointment and go in person to make a request. Make sure you bring with you either a driver’s license or state ID and the $5.00 fee.

Requests can be made at the Records Unit at the Oakland County Jail. Here is their address:

Oakland County Jail – East Annex
1201 Telegraph Rd. 
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

This search is limited to criminal records from Oakland County. If you need a more detailed criminal background check, you can make a request through the Michigan State Police (MSP) for a state level investigation.⁸ They offer two different types of background checks.

Name-Based Background Check: You can use their ICHAT option to perform a Michigan criminal history name-based background check.⁹ First, you must register for an account. Once that is completed, you can make a request by providing an individual’s name and date of birth.

If you have any questions regarding a name-based background check, you can contact the MSP by phone at 517-241-0606. They also provide a helpful FAQ page, which may answer many questions regarding what type of information you can receive and the process for conducting a search.

Fingerprint-Based Background Check: You can also request a fingerprint-based background check through the MSP.¹⁰ Follow the below steps to request a fingerprint-based background check:

1. Complete the applicable application for your request.
   • Licensing and Employment – RI-030 Live Scan Fingerprint Background Check Request Form¹¹
   • Michigan Resident General Request – RI-008
   • Non-Michigan Resident General Request – FD-258
2. Get fingerprinted by an approved Live Scan vendor.
3. Submit your fingerprints and a $30.00 processing fee to the address below.

Michigan State Police
CJIC
P.O. Box 30266
Lansing, Michigan 48909

How To Conduct a Michigan Criminal Record Search Utilizing State & Federal Agencies

Beyond Oakland County public records, you can also search the entire state of Michigan for criminal records.

These resources can provide you with public criminal records for every county in Michigan, along with federal criminal records. These tools can be used to perform general criminal searches as well as very specific searches to, for instance, see where sex offenders live in your neighborhood.

Use the Michigan public records resources below to look up someone’s criminal record with various federal and Michigan state agencies.

• Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) – You can use this search tool to find the criminal record (and mugshot) of anyone who is currently in a Michigan prison or under the supervision of the MDOC using their Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS).
• MiCourt Case Search – This search tool provides a public records repository of criminal cases in the state of Michigan. You can use this tool to search for criminal records by name or case number.
• Michigan Sex Offender Registry – A searcher can use this tool to find sex offenders located throughout the entire state of Michigan. You can search by name, an individual’s MDOC number or their address.¹²
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) – You can use this search tool provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons search tool to search for inmates located in federal prisons both in Michigan and the entire United States.¹³
• United States National Sex Offender Registry – This search tool allows you to search for convicted sex offenders throughout the United States, by location or name.¹⁴

How To View Oakland County Court Documents & Cases

To view Oakland County court records online, you can use the 6th Judicial Circuit Court’s Online Search Tool. Search by name or case number for the following types of cases:

• Civil Cases (Contract Disputes, Appeals, Business etc.)
• Domestic Cases (Child Custody, Divorce, Support)
• Criminal Cases
• Estate Cases

The online tool is available for cases as far back as the early 1990s. To search for older cases, another option is to look up Oakland County judicial records in person or make a request by mail.

To make a request in person or by mail, it’s important to understand what the different courts in Oakland County handle. The 6th Judicial Circuit handles the following types of cases:

• Felony criminal cases
• Civil suits in excess of $25,000
• Cases that require equitable remedies
• Cases that have been appealed in lower courts

District courts primarily handle less serious criminal offenses, traffic violations and civil cases below $25,000. If you want to perform an Oakland County case search in person or by mail, a searcher can use the contact information below:

Courthouse Location	Address	Phone Number
Sixth Judicial Circuit Court	1200 N. Telegraph Rd. Pontiac, Michigan 48341	248-858-0344
43rd District Court (Ferndale)	305 E. Nine Mile Rd. Ferndale, Michigan 48220	248-547-8700
43rd District Court (Hazel Park)	43 E. Nine Mile Road Hazel Park, Michigan 48030	248-546-4099
43rd District Court (Madison Heights)	200 W. Thirteen Mile Rd. Madison Heights, Michigan 48071	248-583-1800
44th District Court	400 E. Eleven Mile Rd. Royal Oak, Michigan 48068	248-246-3600
45th District Court	13600 Oak Park Blvd. Oak Park, Michigan 48237	248-691-7440
46th District Court	26000 Evergreen Rd. Southfield, Michigan 48076	248-796-5800
47th District Court	31605 W. Eleven Mile Rd. Farmington, Hills, Michigan 48336	248-871-2900
48th District Court	4280 Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302	248-647-1141
50th District Court	70 N. Saginaw St. Pontiac, Michigan 48342	248-758-3800
51st District Court	5100 Civic Center Dr. Waterford, Michigan 48329	248-674-4655
52nd District Court (Novi)	48150 Grand River Ave. Novi, Michigan 48374	248-305-6460
52nd District Court (Clarkston)	5850 Lorac Dr. Clarkston, Michigan 48346	248-625-4880
52nd District Court (Rochester Hills)	700 Barclay Circle Rochester Hills, Michigan 48307	248-853-5553
52nd District Court (Troy & Clawson)	520 W. Big Beaver Rd. Troy, Michigan 48084	248-528-0400
Oakland County Probate Court	1200 N. Telegraph Rd. Pontiac, Michigan 48341	248-858-0260

It is recommended that before you go to perform a record search, either click the courthouse link or call them to verify their hours of availability and answer any basic questions you may have regarding access to court records.

How To Retrieve Oakland County Michigan Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death Records

Oakland County public records also include birth certificates and death certificates, as well as marriage records (including any divorces). These types of records are typically referred to as vital records and include government-issued records that document major life milestones.

A searcher could want access to these types of records for a variety of reasons. For instance, a certificate of birth or marriage record may be needed to be added to a person’s health or life insurance policy. A certificate of death may be needed as an executor when you administer an estate.

Finally, you may need divorce records to update your social security card or other legal documents.

Of course, vital records can be used if you simply want to find out if someone is married or perform a genealogy search. Below is information on how to find and request these types of records, along with any restrictions to public access.

Request Oakland County Divorce & Marriage Records Through the Clerk’s Office Vital Records Department

Marriage records are public in Oakland County, so anyone can request information to check if someone is married. For Oakland County marriage records, you can request them from the Clerk’s Office Vital Records Department online, by mail or in person.

The quickest option is to request a marriage record online as long as it is for a marriage record from 1942 to the present.¹⁵ You can also make a request in person or by mail using their Marriage Request Form. The cost of a marriage record is $15 for the first copy ($10 for seniors 65 or older or your own record) and $5 for each additional copy.

The marriage request form, along with the fee, can be mailed or brought in person to the below address:

Oakland County Clerk
Vital Records
1200 N. Telegraph Rd.
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

For older marriage records, you can also make a request using their genealogy research services.¹⁶

To find Oakland County divorce records, you can use the Court Explorer Tool that was discussed earlier. Perform an advanced search, and for case type, enter either D.M. (Divorce, Minor Children) or D.O. (Divorce, No Children) along with the information you have to perform the search.

Once you perform your case search, you will be able to view party and case information, along with the date the divorce was finalized.

You can also request these divorce records in person. To do so, call or contact the Legal Records Division of the Clerk-Register of Deeds Office. They are the custodian of all domestic cases, including divorce.

You can call them at 248-858-0582 or visit the address below:

Oakland County Clerk’s Office
Legal Records Division
1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Dept. 412
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

Access Birth & Death Records via the Oakland County Clerk’s Office Vital Records Department

Birth and death records may be obtained through the Oakland County Clerk’s Office Vital Records Department.

The quickest option is to request a birth or death record online.¹⁷ You can also make a request in person or by mail using their Vital Records Certified Copy Request Form. The cost of a birth or death record is $15 for the first copy ($10 for seniors 65 or older or your own record) and $5 for each additional copy.

The vital records request form, along with the fee, can be mailed or brought in person to the following address:

Oakland County Clerk
Vital Records
1200 N. Telegraph Rd.
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

For older birth or death records, you can also make a request using their genealogy research services.

Note: Birth records are considered confidential and can only be provided to the person listed on the record, parents, legal guardians or an heir of the person.

How To Determine Who Owns a Property or Home in Oakland County Michigan at No Cost

You can find a public index of property records for free using the Oakland County Clerk and Register of Deeds Property Records Search Portal.¹⁸

You can use the Clerk and Register of Deeds Super Index to search for a variety of property records. The Advanced Search allows you to search for specific property records such as an Assignment of Lease, Deed, Mortgage and much more.

When using this search tool, there is a variety of information you can enter. You can provide the party name, grantor, grantee, record year and the document number. You can also set a Processed Date range to narrow down your search results.

For more specific searches, you can search by specific information regarding subdivisions, sections and condominiums. The type of basic information you get includes the recorded date, type of document and specific identifying document information (e.g., document number, page, etc.). Beyond that, the additional information will depend on what type of property record you are viewing.

The Clerk and Register of Deeds also provides an Acreage Search Tool if you want to conduct that type of search using information regarding the section, quarter and range for the real property area you are searching.²⁰

If you need additional information, you can contact the Oakland County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds by email at [email protected] or by phone at 248-858-0581. You can also go in person from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, at:

Oakland County Clerk and Register of Deeds
1200 North Telegraph Rd., Bldg. 12E
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

You can also search for property tax information using the Oakland County Treasurer’s Parcel Search Tool. To use this tool, you can search by parcel ID or address.

Note: To get a personal property tax statement, you can only search by the parcel number. Fortunately, if you only have the address, you can search by the address first to get the parcel number. 

You can also contact them by email at [email protected] and by phone at 248-858-0611. If you would like to go in person to request information, you can do so during the week (Monday – Friday) from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM at the following location:

Oakland County Treasurer
1200 N. Telegraph Rd. 
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

Your Rights & Responsible Use of Oakland County Public Records

Before you check public records in Oakland County, it’s important to know what rights and responsibilities you have. While citizens have every right to search and use these public records, it’s important to identify the rights of the people being searched and how you can be responsible with public records.

This article has discussed the use of public records for both personal and professional reasons. Here are some tips for using each of these types of records in a responsible manner.

As was described earlier in this article, personal use involves conducting your own searches of public records to learn more about a particular individual. Here are some helpful things to be aware of, whether you are performing a search or you are the one being searched.

Illegal Use: The primary limitation when using public records for personal use is that you cannot use those records for any type of criminal activity. The illegal use of public records is seen most notably with stalking and harassment.

Inappropriate Use: The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) prohibits conducting a personal search to be used for certain activities that require a professional background check. Examples include rental screenings, employment decisions and determining an individual’s creditworthiness.

Consent: Consent is not required when conducting a search for personal use.

Professional use of public records involves formal requests for criminal and other types of records. Professional use is often seen in situations required by state or federal law (e.g., purchasing a firearm) and in various situations in which it is important to confirm the background of a person is accurate (e.g., working with minor children, applying for a job, etc.).

Professional use comes with additional restrictions and rights. Here are some important things to know when it comes to the professional use of public records.

Discrimination: You cannot be discriminated against based on your arrest or criminal record. If someone believes they have been discriminated against, they can file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The process is straightforward, and they provide an online portal to submit your claim electronically.

Consent Required: Unlike personal use, professional use requires that you receive the consent of the person you are searching public records on. If a person did not provide consent, they can file a claim with the Federal Trade Commission.

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): The FCRA provides numerous protections, including informing a person being searched if information was used against them.²¹ A person being searched also has a right to know what’s in their file and can dispute any information they believe to be incomplete or inaccurate.

Bookmark this article as a comprehensive resource for how to find, access and properly use Oakland County public records.