Washtenaw County Residents Directory

Washtenaw County sits in southeast Michigan and is home to roughly 370,000 people. Ann Arbor, the county seat, is the largest city in the area. This residents directory page covers the public records you can search for people who live in Washtenaw County or once did. You will find links to the county clerk, circuit court, sheriff, and register of deeds. Property records, court case files, and voter data are all part of the public record here. Use the search tool below or browse the local resources on this page to look up someone in the Washtenaw County residents directory.

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Washtenaw County Court Records Search

The 22nd Judicial Circuit Court handles all major case types in Washtenaw County. It sits at 101 E Huron Street in Ann Arbor, MI 48104. The phone number is (734) 222-3270. Civil suits, criminal cases, and domestic matters all go through this court. You can search for case files by name or case number on the court site. Results show the parties, filing date, charges, and case status. Under MCL 15.233, most court records are open to the public and can be viewed or copied.

District courts also serve parts of Washtenaw County. The 14A District Court in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti handles traffic offenses, small claims, and misdemeanor cases. You can reach them at (734) 222-3600. The 14B District Court covers Chelsea and Dexter and can be reached at (734) 475-8606. Each court keeps its own records, so if you need files from a case heard in one of these courts, contact them directly or use the statewide MiCOURT search tool.

MiCOURT is free. No account is needed for a basic look up. It pulls case data from most courts in the state, and Washtenaw County courts are part of that system. You can search by party name or case number and get back the filing date, case type, judge, and next hearing date.

Washtenaw County Property Records

The Washtenaw County Register of Deeds keeps all land and property filings for the county. The office is at 200 N Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Call (734) 222-2260 for help. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can email the office at rodrecords@washtenaw.org if you have a question about a filing. The Register of Deeds website lets you search records online. Deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and land contracts are all on file. Copy fees run $1.00 per page. Certification costs $5.00 per document. These records are a useful part of the Washtenaw County residents directory because they show who owns what and when a transfer took place.

To search, go to the Register of Deeds site and click on the online search link. You can look up records by owner name, address, or parcel number. Document images are available for most filings. This is one of the best ways to trace property history for a person in the Washtenaw County residents directory.

Sheriff and Inmate Records in Washtenaw County

The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office is at 2201 Hogback Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48107. The main phone line is (734) 973-4880. The jail can be reached at (734) 973-4889. An online inmate search tool is available on the sheriff's site. You can look up current inmates by name or booking number.

The Washtenaw County residents directory screenshot below shows the sheriff's office page where you can start an inmate look up and find other public safety records for the county.

Washtenaw County residents directory sheriff office page

Keep in mind that the sheriff's inmate search only covers people held in the county jail right now. It does not show past bookings or state prison records. For those, use the OTIS offender search run by the Michigan Department of Corrections. OTIS is free and covers state prison inmates, parolees, and probationers.

Washtenaw Residents Directory and FOIA

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, found at MCL 15.231 through 15.246, gives anyone the right to request records from a public body. That includes the Washtenaw County government, the clerk's office, and any other county department. A public record under FOIA means any document that a county office prepares, owns, uses, or keeps. Emails, typed reports, hand-written notes, and digital files all count. The Washtenaw County residents directory relies on these records being open to the public.

To make a FOIA request in Washtenaw County, put it in writing. State what records you want as clearly as you can. Include your name, address, and a way to reach you. Under MCL 15.235, the county has five business days to give you an initial response. They can take up to ten more days with a written notice of delay. Fees for copies run between $0.10 and $1.00 per page. If you lack the funds to pay, a fee waiver exists under MCL 15.234.

Note: Some records are exempt from FOIA under MCL 15.243, which covers personal privacy and active law enforcement matters.

Washtenaw County Criminal History Search

The ICHAT system run by the Michigan State Police covers all 83 counties. It costs $10 per search. You need a full name and date of birth. ICHAT returns felony convictions and serious misdemeanors. It shows the person's name, aliases, arrest dates, charges, and the court where the case was heard. Sentencing details are included too.

ICHAT does not cover traffic cases, juvenile records, federal charges, or crimes from other states. It also skips local misdemeanors that carry less than 93 days. For Washtenaw County residents, this tool pulls data from cases filed in the 22nd Circuit Court and the district courts that serve the area. The sex offender registry is another free tool worth checking. It lets you search by name, address, or zip code and see photos, addresses, and offense details for registered offenders in Washtenaw County.

Voter Data in the Washtenaw County Residents Directory

The Michigan Voter Information Center lets you check if someone in Washtenaw County is registered to vote. Enter a first name, last name, date of birth, and zip code. The system confirms registration status, shows the date they registered, and lists their precinct. The Qualified Voter File, a database of roughly 7.3 to 7.9 million voter records statewide, holds names, home addresses, birth years, registration dates, and voting history. Full birth dates and phone numbers stay private under MCL 168.509(q). You can get the full QVF file through a FOIA request to the Michigan Department of State for $23.