Clare County Arrest Records Search
Clare County arrest records are public documents held by the Sheriff's Office in Harrison and by Michigan state agencies. This page covers the main tools for searching arrest histories, criminal backgrounds, and court case data for people in this central Michigan county in the Lower Peninsula.
Clare County Overview
How to Search Clare County Arrest Records
Clare County is a rural county in the center of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Harrison is the county seat. The area is known for lakes and outdoor recreation, but it's also a year-round residential community. The Sheriff's Office handles most law enforcement in the county, and it's the primary local source for arrest records.
Two main options exist for searching. For a statewide criminal history search covering all 83 Michigan counties, use ICHAT at apps.michigan.gov. This tool is run by Michigan State Police under MCL 28.241 and costs $10 per search. For records specific to Clare County, including arrest reports and booking data that may not appear in ICHAT, contact the Sheriff's Office at 989-539-7166 or visit clareco.net to learn about the county's FOIA process.
Clare County sits near the geographic center of the Lower Peninsula. U.S. 127 runs through the county, and it's a corridor that sees significant traffic. Law enforcement activity along this corridor sometimes generates records that span multiple counties, so keep that in mind if you're doing a thorough search and need to look in neighboring counties as well.
Clare County Sheriff's Office
The Clare County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement and records agency for the county. They patrol rural areas, manage the county jail, and process records requests from the public.
| Office | Clare County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 255 W. 5th St., Harrison, MI 48625 |
| Phone | 989-539-7166 |
| Website | clareco.net |
Arrest and incident records held by the Sheriff are subject to public access under MCL 15.231, Michigan's Freedom of Information Act. To get copies, submit a written FOIA request directly to the Sheriff's Office. They have five business days to respond. Fees for copying and staff time are allowed, but must be reasonable and itemized. The county website has information on how to submit requests. Exempt records include active investigation materials, juvenile records, and certain personal information protected by law.
Clare County is not a large county, so the Sheriff's Office generally handles FOIA requests without a long backlog. Most straightforward records requests are processed without major delays.
Clare County Jail and Inmate Information
The Clare County Jail in Harrison holds people arrested locally who are waiting for court dates or serving sentences of under a year. To find out if someone is currently detained, call the Sheriff's Office at 989-539-7166.
For people in Michigan state prison or under MDOC parole and probation supervision, use the OTIS system. OTIS, the Offender Tracking Information System, is a free public database at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2/otis2.html. A name search returns sentence details, current facility, and projected release date for anyone in MDOC custody. Clare County jail inmates are not listed in OTIS. Only state-supervised offenders appear there.
Michigan Court Case Search for Clare County
Court records for Clare County are searchable through the Michigan Courts public case search at courts.michigan.gov/case-search. This tool covers circuit and district courts statewide. You can search by name, case number, or date range to find criminal, civil, and traffic cases.
The 55th Circuit Court serves Clare County for felony and major civil cases. District courts handle misdemeanors and traffic matters. The online portal shows case status, charges, and hearing dates. For full documents, you'd need to contact the Clare County Circuit Court Clerk in Harrison. The clerk's office maintains the official case files.
The Michigan court case search is the same portal shown below that covers all Michigan counties including Clare. A name search here will return any Michigan case, not just those from Clare County.
The online system is useful for a quick check. For detailed case information or copies of filed documents, follow up with the clerk directly.
ICHAT Criminal Background Search
ICHAT is Michigan State Police's statewide criminal history tool. It costs $10 per search and covers all 83 counties under MCL 28.241. Access it at apps.michigan.gov. You pay by credit card and results come back quickly. The system shows felony and misdemeanor conviction records.
ICHAT is the fastest way to get a broad look at someone's Michigan record. It does not show all arrests, only convictions. Cases dismissed before conviction, acquittals, and records set aside under Clean Slate law (MCL 780.621g) may not appear. For Clare County specifically, ICHAT is a solid first step. The county is small enough that results are usually easy to sort through.
If you need more than conviction data, follow up with the Sheriff's Office or the circuit court clerk after reviewing ICHAT. Arrest reports and case details that aren't visible in the ICHAT database may be available through those channels.
FOIA for Clare County Public Records
Michigan FOIA, MCL 15.231, gives you the right to request records from any Clare County government agency. This includes the Sheriff's Office, Harrison Police Department, the county clerk, and other offices. Each agency handles FOIA separately. Submit your written request to the agency that holds what you need.
The response window is five business days. Extensions of up to ten days are allowed with written notice. If a request will cost more than $50, the agency must provide a written estimate first. Fees must be reasonable and broken down by category. You can appeal a denial to the agency head and then through the circuit court if needed.
MSP records from troopers who patrol Clare County are handled separately through the MSP FOIA portal at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia. Submit those requests to MSP directly, not to the Sheriff's Office.
Sex Offender Registry for Clare County
Michigan's Sex Offender Registry is searchable by location and covers Clare County. The system is governed by MCL 28.721 and run by Michigan State Police. You can search by name or by address, city, or zip code at mspsor.com. The advanced search at mspsor.com/Home/Search provides more filtering options for searching specific parts of Clare County.
Registry profiles show current address, photo, offense type, and registration tier. Tier levels range from one to three and determine how long a person must register. Failure to register is a felony in Michigan. The registry is updated as registrants report changes to their address or other required details.
Michigan Clean Slate Law
Michigan's Clean Slate law, MCL 780.621g, created automatic set-asides for many convictions after a waiting period has passed. Most misdemeanors become eligible after seven years. Some felonies qualify after ten years. The process is automatic, meaning no petition is required for eligible records.
Not all convictions qualify. Serious violent felonies, offenses involving minors, and significant traffic crimes are excluded. For Clare County residents seeking manual expungement, the 55th Circuit Court in Harrison handles those petitions. When a conviction is set aside, it may no longer appear in ICHAT or court search results. This is worth knowing when interpreting records that appear lighter than expected.
The Michigan Legislature website is where you can read the full text of MCL 780.621g and related statutes. The screenshot below shows the legislature site where those laws are published.
Always check current statute text before relying on it. The Clean Slate law has been updated since it was originally passed, and eligibility rules may have changed.
Third-Party Research Resources
Third-party sites like michigan.staterecords.org aggregate public records data from Michigan counties including Clare. These tools can be helpful starting points, but they often lag behind real-time updates from official agencies. Use them to identify leads and then verify with official sources before drawing conclusions.
Nearby Counties
Clare County is surrounded by other central Michigan counties, each with its own records system.