Search Farmington Hills Criminal Court Records
Farmington Hills criminal court records are maintained at the Oakland County Circuit Court for felony cases and at district courts for misdemeanor matters. This guide explains how to access and search criminal court records tied to Farmington Hills, Michigan, including how to submit FOIA requests to the City Clerk or Police Department, use the Oakland County CLEMIS system for accident reports, and run criminal history checks through ICHAT and MiCOURT.
Farmington Hills Overview
Which Courts Handle Farmington Hills Criminal Cases
Farmington Hills is in Oakland County. Felony cases from the city go to the Oakland County 6th Circuit Court, which sits in Pontiac at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd. The 6th Circuit is the general trial court for serious criminal matters in Oakland County and handles all felony charges arising from Farmington Hills incidents. The Oakland County Clerk maintains all circuit court case files.
Misdemeanor criminal cases and civil infractions from Farmington Hills go to the local district court. Michigan district courts handle crimes punishable by up to one year in jail. Both felony and misdemeanor court records are public under MCR 8.119 unless a court order restricts access.
| Felony Court | Oakland County 6th Circuit Court, Pontiac |
|---|---|
| City Hall | 31555 W. 11 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, MI 48336 |
| City Clerk Phone | (248) 871-2410 |
| Clerk FOIA Email | FOIA-Clerk@fhgov.com |
| City Website | fhgov.com |
For online case lookup, the statewide MiCOURT tool at micourt.courts.michigan.gov covers many Oakland County courts and lets you search by name or case number for free.
District Court and Misdemeanor Records
Misdemeanor criminal records from Farmington Hills cases are held at the relevant district court. These records are public documents under Michigan law. They include the original charging documents, arraignment records, plea or trial disposition, sentence, and probation terms if any were imposed. Cases that ended in acquittal or dismissal still show in the court file with the outcome noted.
MiCOURT provides free online access to basic case information for many Michigan courts. Search at micourt.courts.michigan.gov. The system shows party names, case status, docket entries, and scheduled hearings. It does not provide full documents online for most district courts, but it confirms whether a case exists and what happened in it.
Oakland County's CLEMIS system also provides accident reports from Farmington Hills through payments.clemis.org. This is the easiest way to get a crash report if you were involved in an accident in Farmington Hills without going through the full FOIA process.
How to Search Farmington Hills Criminal Court Records
Three tools cover most searches for Farmington Hills criminal court records. MiCOURT is free and handles basic case lookups. ICHAT costs $10 and gives a statewide name-based criminal history check. The Oakland County Circuit Court Clerk is the source for certified copies of felony case files.
Use MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov to start. Enter the person's full name or a case number. You will see case type, status, parties, and key events. This is enough for most informational searches. If you need more detail or the full case file, you must go to the courthouse.
ICHAT at michigan.gov/ichat is run by the Michigan State Police and costs $10 per search. It draws from MSP's criminal history database and includes arrests and convictions from participating agencies statewide. ICHAT covers more ground than MiCOURT when you need a comprehensive picture. It is not a court records system, but it supplements what MiCOURT shows.
For certified court copies, contact the Oakland County Circuit Court Clerk at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI 48341. Bring photo ID and the case number if available. Fees for copies vary by document type and whether certification is required.
Farmington Hills Police Records and FOIA
The Farmington Hills Police Department Records Division is at 31655 W. 11 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, MI 48336. The general police line is (248) 871-2720. Police-specific FOIA requests go to FOIA-PD@fhgov.com. For non-police city records, email FOIA-Clerk@fhgov.com. The city's FOIA request page is at fhgov.com.
All police records requests in Farmington Hills must follow the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.231 et seq. Submit a written request by email or mail. The city has 5 business days to respond, with a possible 10-business-day extension for large or complex requests. Fees follow Michigan's FOIA schedule. Copy charges range from $0.10 to $1.00 per page depending on the document.
Accident reports involving Farmington Hills vehicles or locations are available through the Oakland County CLEMIS system at payments.clemis.org. CLEMIS serves all Oakland County law enforcement agencies and is the fastest way to get a crash report without filing a full FOIA request. You need the report number or the incident details to search.
Note: Active investigation files, records that could compromise a pending prosecution, and records that would invade personal privacy may be withheld under FOIA exemptions even when a proper request is submitted.
Getting Copies of Farmington Hills Criminal Records
For Farmington Hills criminal court records, the right office depends on the type of case. Felony court files are at the Oakland County Circuit Court Clerk in Pontiac. Misdemeanor files are at the local district court. Police incident reports go through the Farmington Hills Police Department FOIA process.
To get court copies, call the Oakland County Circuit Court Clerk at the general county line and ask about current copy fees. For most civil uses, plain copies are fine. For legal proceedings or official background checks, you need certified copies. Certification adds to the cost. Mailed requests with a check are accepted at the courthouse in Pontiac.
For police records, send your FOIA request to FOIA-PD@fhgov.com or mail it to the police department at 31655 W. 11 Mile Rd. Include your name, contact info, date of the incident, and any report or case numbers you have. The more detail you provide, the faster the response. Fee waivers are available under MCL 15.234 for qualifying low-income requesters.
Legal Resources for Farmington Hills
Michigan Legal Help offers free guides on court records, FOIA requests, expungement, and criminal record issues for Michigan residents. It is the best starting point if you need to understand how the system works before calling a lawyer or going to the courthouse.
The Michigan State Police Records Resource Section handles FOIA requests for state police records. Reach them at (517) 241-1934 or MSPRecords@Michigan.gov. Their address is 7150 Harris Drive, Dimondale, MI 48821. For a self-check, ICHAT at michigan.gov/ichat is the fastest tool available to the public for a statewide criminal history name search.
Oakland County has several legal aid organizations and bar referral services. The Oakland County Bar Association can connect you to criminal defense or expungement attorneys. Michigan Legal Help can refer you to local legal aid if you qualify based on income.
Oakland County Criminal Court Records
Farmington Hills is in Oakland County, and all felony cases go to the Oakland County 6th Circuit Court. The county page covers the Circuit Court, the county clerk, local fees, CLEMIS, and resources across Oakland County.