Hillsdale County Recent Arrests

Hillsdale County recent arrests are handled by the sheriff's office in the city of Hillsdale, near the southern border of Michigan. The county sits in the south-central part of the Lower Peninsula, close to Ohio and Indiana. Arrest records come from the sheriff's deputies and local police departments. The 1st Circuit Court and 3B District Court process criminal cases. You can search for recent arrests through state databases like ICHAT and OTIS, or contact the sheriff for local records. This page covers the tools and methods for finding Hillsdale County arrest records.

Hillsdale County Sheriff and Arrest Records

The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office is at 165 W. Fayette Street in Hillsdale. Call (517) 437-7317 for questions about recent arrests or to check on someone in custody. The sheriff runs the county jail and processes all bookings for the area. Arrests from both the sheriff's patrol and local police departments go through the same jail.

When someone gets booked into the Hillsdale County Jail, a record is created with their name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and the arresting officer. Under MCL § 28.242, this data must be reported to the state within 72 hours of booking. Hillsdale County does not have a public online inmate lookup. You need to call the sheriff's office to check who is in the jail. For written arrest reports, file a FOIA request. MCL § 15.231 gives you the right to access government records. Submit your request in writing. The office has five business days to respond.

Hillsdale County has a mix of rural patrol and small-town policing. The sheriff covers a wide area while the city of Hillsdale has its own police force. Both agencies book into the same county jail. Drug cases, OWI arrests, and domestic calls make up a lot of the booking activity here. The Michigan State Police also have jurisdiction and may make arrests in the county.

Hillsdale County Criminal Court Records

The 1st Circuit Court handles felony cases in Hillsdale County. It is one of the oldest circuit courts in the state. The courthouse is at 29 N. Howell Street in Hillsdale. Call (517) 437-4323 for the clerk. Felony trials, sentencing, and appeals happen here. Court records are public under MCL § 600.1420. Search for cases on the MiCOURT portal for free.

The 3B District Court handles misdemeanors, arraignments, and preliminary hearings. Misdemeanor arrests in Hillsdale County stay in district court. Felonies get bound over to circuit court. Both courts are part of the Michigan Courts system. You can find forms, filing info, and schedules on the state website.

The VINELink website at vinelink.com is shown below.

VINELink lets you register for free alerts when someone in the Hillsdale County Jail or a state facility has a custody status change.

Search Hillsdale County Arrests Online

ICHAT is the main statewide criminal history tool. The Michigan State Police run it. Searches cost $10 and require a name and date of birth. ICHAT covers felony and serious misdemeanor convictions from all 83 Michigan counties including Hillsdale. Pending cases and traffic offenses are excluded.

OTIS is free. The Michigan Department of Corrections runs this tool. It tracks people in state prison, on parole, or on probation. If someone arrested in Hillsdale County ended up under MDOC supervision, OTIS shows their current status. It also lists recently discharged offenders. No account is needed to search.

VINELink provides free custody status alerts. You can track someone held at the Hillsdale County Jail or a state prison. Register with your phone number or email. You get notified when someone is released, transferred, or escapes.

Clearing Hillsdale County Arrest Records

Under MCL § 780.621, Michigan's Clean Slate law allows many people to expunge old convictions. Two felonies can be set aside after 10 years. Four misdemeanors qualify after seven years. Some offenses get automatic expungement. Others require filing Form MC 227 with the 1st Circuit Court. The fee is $50 with waivers for financial hardship.

Not all crimes qualify. Assaultive felonies, sex offenses, and offenses with sentences of 10 years or more are excluded. Michigan Legal Help has free tools to check eligibility. The full statute text is on the Michigan Legislature website. MCL § 28.243 requires that arrest records without convictions be destroyed after a set time. MCL § 445.1883 stops commercial mugshot removal schemes. Once expunged, Hillsdale County arrest records are removed from ICHAT and sealed locally.

Hillsdale County FOIA and Record Requests

To get a copy of an arrest report from Hillsdale County, file a FOIA request with the arresting agency. Sheriff arrests go to 165 W. Fayette Street. City police arrests go to the Hillsdale City Police Department. Be specific about names, dates, and which records you need. The agency has five business days to respond. Standard copies cost $0.10 to $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost more. Fee waivers may apply if you receive public assistance.

The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry is a separate database for checking registered offenders in the Hillsdale area. Run by the Michigan State Police, it lets you search by name, address, or zip code. The registry shows photos, addresses, and offense details for all registered sex offenders in the county.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hillsdale County and each maintains separate arrest records.