ICHAT

The criminal history record is compiled in accordance with Michigan Compiled Law 28.241. - 28.246. The record includes personal descriptors regarding the person and information on felony and misdemeanor arrests, charges and convictions. The record is compiled from information provided by Michigan law enforcement, prosecutors, courts and prisons. Michigan law enforcement agencies are required to provide fingerprints and arrest information when a person is charged with an offense punishable by over 93 days, which includes all felony and the serious misdemeanor offenses.

Check with the local court regarding the case for which you have knowledge. If you need additional information regarding a case on the record, you will need to contact the police, prosecutor or court noted on the record. The recorded information provided is all that the Criminal Justice Information Center has available.

The first portion of the record will provide all the reported personal descriptors regarding the subject of record (i.e., maiden name, height, weight, eye color, hair color). There is a chronological list of cases for which the subject was fingerprinted and case information provided. Each case is divided into three segments: Arrest Segment - arrest date, law enforcement agency, police agency case number, and the most serious arrest charge. Charge Segment - prosecuting agency and a description of the most serious charge authorized for prosecution. Judicial Segment - court date, name of court, court file number, description of either all charges in the case or only the convicted charge and the sentence resulting from conviction.

The ICHAT system is programmed so that all user requests go through the shopping cart, whether the request is for the general public, government agencies, non-profit charitable organizations, or for-profit companies. Non-profit charitable organizations and government agencies registered with an agency code are not charged for their requested searches of employees and volunteers.

The phrase "warrant requested" means that the arresting agency requested a charge warrant from the prosecutor, not that the person does or does not have an outstanding court warrant.

Contact the arresting agency to get a "release no prosecution" and fax it to (517)241-0866.

Include the following in your request: Required Information - First name, last name, and date of birth. Optional - Middle initial, race, sex, alias or nickname, and/or maiden or previous name.

The response will provide all personal descriptors on file and a list of cases for which the subject has been arrested, charged and/or convicted. The search does not include a search of any other state or national criminal record system; nor is a warrant search included; nor does the search include information on driving records. You will need to contact Michigan Secretary of State for driving records.

If there is an error on the criminal record in the judicial segment the person must get a copy of the disposition from the court and send both a copy of the record in error and the court form to the Criminal Justice Information Center. If there is other data wrong, the person can call or write the Criminal Justice Information Center to advise of the discrepancy. The Criminal Justice Information Center will contact the reporting agency to verify the correct information and correct the record.

This can be verified through fingerprint comparison. Fingerprint forms are available at the local law enforcement agency. The agency will fingerprint the person on a non-criminal card (RI-8). You will mail the fingerprints along with the record and a letter requesting that the Criminal Justice Information Center verify the person and the record subject are not the same.

Yes, common names, aliases, reporting/entry errors or the defendant's use of names other than his/her own could result in a response for the name searched. Allow the person a chance to refute the information and proceed as necessary. A fingerprint search is the most accurate, as fingerprint patterns are unique to each person.

You will receive a separate response for each person searched. The personal descriptors that were provided for the search will be printed on the response. There will be a "no record meeting dissemination criteria" statement provided when no record is located. If the search did locate a criminal history record, the record provided is considered a possible match and the decisions affected by the record should be reserved until the subject of the search has an opportunity to review the information.

At this time only three main credit or debit cards are accepted. Those are Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. If you don't have one of those types of cards or are unable to pay the $10 per ICHAT search, you can reach out to our Record Resource Section/ Freedom of Information Unit at MSPRecords@Michigan.gov.