Wayne County Bench Warrants
Wayne County bench warrants are issued by both Circuit and District Courts across this large metro area. The county is home to the 3rd Circuit Court and the 36th District Court, one of the busiest courts in the nation. If you need to search for a bench warrant in Wayne County, there are several tools and offices you can use. Court records are kept at each court that handled the case. The Wayne County Sheriff also keeps warrant data and can confirm if a warrant is still active. This page covers how to look up bench warrant records in Wayne County, what resources are out there, and how to get help.
Wayne County Warrant Facts
Wayne County Bench Warrant Court System
Wayne County has a complex court system. The 3rd Circuit Court handles felony cases, civil matters over $25,000, and family law. It sits at two main spots in Detroit. The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center at 2 Woodward Avenue holds the civil and family domestic divisions. The Frank Murphy Hall of Justice at 1441 St. Antoine handles the criminal division. If a bench warrant ties to a felony case, it will come from the Circuit Court. You can reach the main court line at (313) 224-6262. The criminal records room has its own number at (313) 224-2502.
District courts handle the bulk of Wayne County bench warrants. There are more than 19 district courts in the county. The 36th District Court in Detroit is the largest. It has 28 judges and 6 magistrates with about 300 staff. It covers all of Detroit and processes a huge number of cases each year. According to a 2020 Vera Institute study, 70% of Wayne County's open bench warrants came from the 36th District Court alone. Other district courts serve cities like Livonia, Dearborn, Westland, and many more.
Each district court runs its own records. A bench warrant from the 18th District Court in Westland is not stored in the same system as one from the 35th District Court in Plymouth. You need to know which court issued the warrant to search for it.
Search Wayne County Bench Warrants Online
The 3rd Circuit Court uses the Odyssey Public Access (OPA) system for online case searches. You can look up criminal cases by name, case number, attorney, or date. The results show case type, charges, court actions, and judicial officer. Warrant issuance may appear in the case actions. But OPA has limits. It does not show documents filed by parties. The data is unofficial. Name searches can be tricky because of aliases and common names. The court makes clear that OPA should not be used for background checks.
The 36th District Court runs its own Case Inquiry System. It is free. Cases from 1990 to now are in the system. You can search by name to get a case number, then pull up the court schedule and register of actions. Like OPA, it shows case history but not real-time warrant status. Document images are not part of the system. Five public access terminals sit on the first and second floors of the court building at 421 Madison Street, Detroit.
The statewide MiCOURT Case Search also covers Wayne County courts. Pick Wayne County and the court type, then search by name or case number. It pulls up docket entries that may note bench warrants. Updates can take 24 to 48 hours, so it may not catch the most recent activity.
The 3rd Circuit Court website gives a look at how Wayne County manages its case records through Odyssey Public Access.
This screenshot shows the Wayne County court system's online portal where residents can begin looking up case records and bench warrant information.
Note: Wayne County does not maintain a single public database listing all active bench warrants across its many courts.
Wayne County Sheriff Warrant Search
The Wayne County Sheriff's Office runs a Warrant Enforcement Bureau. It is the go-to source for confirming if a bench warrant is still active. The bureau sits at 4747 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201. You can call the main line at (313) 224-2222 or the warrant division at (313) 224-0414. Staff can confirm if a warrant exists and tell you the type. They do not share detailed case info over the phone for safety reasons.
To check in person, bring a valid photo ID. Give them the full legal name and date of birth of the person you are asking about. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Wayne County does not post active warrants on a public website. The sheriff handles bench warrants from all courts in the county, so this is often the simplest place to check.
Bench Warrant Resolution in Wayne County
The 36th District Court offers an Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) portal for bench warrant cases. You can access it from a phone, tablet, or computer. The system lets you search for your warrant by name and start the resolution process without going to court first. This cuts down on the risk of getting picked up before you can deal with the issue.
If you want to handle things in person, the 36th District Court is at 421 Madison Street, Detroit. Call (313) 965-2200 for the main line. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The court also takes record requests through its online form. Certified copies cost $10 each. Warrants, fingerprint cards, and forensic evaluations are not available for public viewing or certified copies. Under Local Administrative Order 2016-01, the court sets its own rules for records access.
Other district courts in Wayne County have their own processes. The 16th District Court in Livonia can be reached at (734) 466-2500. The 19th District Court in Dearborn is at (313) 943-2060. The 18th District Court in Westland takes calls at (734) 595-8720. Each handles bench warrants for its own area.
Note: Only cash is accepted at some Wayne County courts when a bench warrant is active, so call the court first to check payment rules.
What Wayne County Bench Warrants Include
A bench warrant in Wayne County contains the name, date of birth, and address of the person. It lists the case number, the court that issued it, and the judge who signed it. The warrant states the reason it was issued. Most often that is failure to appear. It could also be a probation violation or a broken court order. The charges on the case are listed along with the statute numbers. Bond amount and bond type show up too.
Wayne County bench warrants do not expire. They stay active until the person shows up in court, gets arrested, or a judge recalls the warrant. Under Michigan law, specifically MCL 780.654, warrants must contain certain details and clear instructions for law enforcement. Once issued, the warrant goes into the LEIN database. Every police officer in Michigan can see it during a routine stop. A traffic stop in any part of the state can lead to an arrest on a Wayne County bench warrant.
Wayne County had 362,499 open bench warrants as of 2018. That is a staggering number. Most were for failure to appear at a court date. The county has worked to bring that number down through outreach programs and online tools. Still, the volume of open warrants means many people may not even know they have one.
Wayne County Court Record Fees
Getting copies of bench warrant records in Wayne County costs a set fee. Standard copies are $1.50 per page. Certified copies run $10 per page plus $1 for each added page. Authentication and exemplification carry extra charges. The Wayne County Clerk Records Division is in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Room LL-61, at 2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit. Phone is (313) 224-5530. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
For mail requests, send a completed form with a copy of your ID and a money order for payment. Mail it to the Records Division at the same address. Online payments use pay location code 6223 through GovPayNow. Email the receipt to wcrecordroom@waynecountymi.gov. Wayne County also works with VitalChek for credit card orders, though extra fees apply there. Files from 2010 to present can be viewed in the records room. Files before 2010 must be ordered from the archives and are ready the next business day after 2:00 PM. They hold files for 5 calendar days before sending them back.
Cities in Wayne County
Wayne County includes several large cities, each served by its own district court for bench warrant matters. Detroit is by far the largest, covered by the 36th District Court. Other cities with their own pages include:
Nearby Counties
If you need to search for bench warrants in counties that border Wayne, check these pages: