Leelanau County Arrest Records
Leelanau County covers the Leelanau Peninsula in northwestern lower Michigan along Lake Michigan, with Suttons Bay as the county seat. Arrest records in Leelanau County are maintained by the county sheriff and processed through the local circuit and district courts. This page covers how to find arrest records, court case data, and criminal history tied to Leelanau County using public state tools and direct records requests.
Leelanau County Overview
How to Find Leelanau County Arrest Records
Leelanau County is known as a scenic peninsula county with a relatively low crime rate. Still, arrest records are public and available through the same statewide systems used for every Michigan county. The Leelanau County Sheriff's Office in Suttons Bay is the starting point for recent bookings and jail records. The Michigan Court Case Search covers all county court filings for free. ICHAT runs a full statewide background check for $10. And FOIA requests are available for records not accessible online.
Leelanau County's felony and family law cases go through the 13th Circuit Court, which is shared with Grand Traverse County. Misdemeanors, traffic cases, and small claims go through the 86th District Court. Both courts are included in the Michigan statewide case search system.
The county can see higher case volume during summer and fall when seasonal visitors and wine country tourists fill the peninsula. Records from those periods are public just like any other time. Third-party aggregators like michigan.staterecords.org can be a starting point, but going to primary sources gives you the most current and complete information.
Leelanau County Sheriff's Office
The Leelanau County Sheriff's Office in Suttons Bay handles all county law enforcement and jail operations. Booking records from the county jail are public under Michigan law. Contact the office by phone to ask about current inmates or the process for requesting written records.
| Office | Leelanau County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Phone | 231-256-8800 |
| County Seat | Suttons Bay, MI |
| Website | leelanau.cc |
| Region | Northwestern lower Michigan, Leelanau Peninsula |
Call 231-256-8800 for records questions. The Michigan State Police also has a post serving the northwest lower Michigan region and may hold records for incidents involving MSP officers in Leelanau County. For those, you would submit a separate FOIA request to MSP.
Michigan Court Case Search for Leelanau County
The Michigan statewide court case search covers all Leelanau County filings. The 13th Circuit Court (shared with Grand Traverse) handles felonies and family law. The 86th District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic, and smaller civil matters. Both are fully searchable through the statewide portal at no cost.
Access the search at courts.michigan.gov/case-search/. Search by name or case number. Results show charges filed, case status, and outcomes. Court records are generally public in Michigan unless the court has issued a sealing order.
ICHAT for Leelanau County Criminal History
ICHAT is Michigan's Internet Criminal History Access Tool, run by the Michigan State Police. It checks the statewide criminal history database and covers all 83 counties at once. The cost is $10 per search under MCL 28.241. Results include arrests, charges, convictions, and sentencing data for both felonies and misdemeanors.
Access ICHAT at apps.michigan.gov. Pay online and get results right away. If someone has records from multiple Michigan counties, ICHAT combines them into a single report. This is faster and more complete than searching individual county court systems one at a time.
Sex Offender Registry for Leelanau County
Michigan's Public Sex Offender Registry (PSOR) is free and covers all counties statewide. It's maintained by the Michigan State Police under MCL 28.721. Search for Leelanau County registrants at mspsor.com or use the search form at mspsor.com/Home/Search. Filter by county or zip code to see registrants in specific areas of the Leelanau Peninsula. Registrants must keep their information current with local law enforcement.
OTIS Offender Tracking in Leelanau County
The Michigan Department of Corrections runs OTIS, the Offender Tracking Information System. It covers anyone currently in state prison or under DOC supervision, as well as some historical records. For anyone from Leelanau County who was sentenced to state prison, OTIS is where to look.
Search free at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2/otis2.html. No fee or account is required. OTIS is separate from the county jail, it covers the state prison and DOC supervision populations.
FOIA Requests for Leelanau County Records
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231) lets anyone request public records from Leelanau County government agencies. The agency must respond within 5 business days. For sheriff's office records, arrest logs, incident reports, booking data, submit a written FOIA request to the Suttons Bay office. Describe what you want, include the subject's name, and note the approximate date if you know it.
For Michigan State Police records from the northwest Michigan region, use the MSP FOIA portal at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia. Copying and research fees may apply to both county and state requests.
Clean Slate Expungement for Leelanau County Cases
Michigan's Clean Slate law (MCL 780.621g) allows many people with criminal records to petition for expungement. Some convictions are automatically set aside after a waiting period. Others require filing a petition with the court where the case was heard.
For Leelanau County cases, felony petitions go to the 13th Circuit Court and misdemeanor petitions go to the 86th District Court. Both are accessible through the Traverse City area court system. A set-aside removes the conviction from ICHAT public results and most background check databases. Full statute text is at legislature.mi.gov.