Branch County Public Records / Branch County Arrest Records

Branch County Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Branch County

Arrest records in Branch County, Michigan, are generally considered public records under state law. The Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL § 15.231 et seq., establishes the public's right to inspect and obtain copies of public records held by government agencies, including law enforcement records. Under this framework, members of the public may inspect arrest records maintained by the Branch County Sheriff's Office, the Coldwater Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies, subject to specific exemptions.

It is important to distinguish between an arrest record and a conviction record. An arrest record documents the act of being taken into custody by law enforcement and does not indicate guilt or a criminal conviction. A conviction record, by contrast, reflects a formal finding of guilt by a court of law. Under Michigan law, individuals who are arrested but not convicted retain certain rights regarding the use and dissemination of those records. Certain categories of arrest records may be withheld from public disclosure if their release would interfere with an ongoing investigation, endanger a person's safety, or fall within another recognized FOIA exemption under MCL § 15.243.

Branch County Sheriff's Office 14 and 1/2 West Chicago Street, Coldwater, MI 49036 (517) 279-4321 Branch County Sheriff's Office

What's in Branch County Arrest Records

Arrest records maintained by Branch County law enforcement agencies typically contain a standardized set of data fields compiled at the time of booking and throughout the custody process.

Arrestee Identifying Information:

Full legal name and any known aliases
Date of birth and age at time of arrest
Physical descriptors including height, weight, hair color, and eye color
Home address at time of arrest
Race and gender as recorded by the arresting agency

Arrest Details:

Date, time, and location of the arrest
Name and badge number of the arresting officer
Arresting agency (e.g., Branch County Sheriff's Office, Coldwater Police Department)
Circumstances and narrative summary of the arrest

Charge Information:

Specific criminal charges filed, including statute references
Classification of each charge (felony, misdemeanor, or civil infraction)
Case or incident report number

Warrant Information (if applicable):

Warrant number and issuing court
Date the warrant was issued
Jurisdiction of the originating warrant

Booking Information:

Date and time of booking into the Branch County Jail
Booking number assigned by the facility
Photograph (mugshot) taken at intake

Bond/Bail Information:

Bond type (personal recognizance, cash bond, surety bond)
Bond amount set by the court or magistrate
Current bond status

Court Information:

Assigned court and case number
Scheduled arraignment or hearing dates
Presiding judge or magistrate

Custody Status:

Current custody status (held, released, transferred)
Release date and conditions of release, if applicable

Additional Information May Include:

Prior arrest history as referenced in the booking record
Fingerprint records submitted to the Michigan State Police
Detainer or hold information from other jurisdictions

How To Look Up Arrest Records in Branch County in 2026

Members of the public seeking arrest records in Branch County may access them through several official channels. The following steps outline the standard process currently in use.

Submit a FOIA Request to the Arresting Agency: Individuals may submit a written FOIA request to the Branch County Sheriff's Office or the applicable municipal police department. Requests must reasonably describe the record sought and may be submitted in person, by mail, or via the agency's designated online portal. Agencies are required to respond within five business days under MCL § 15.235.
Visit the Branch County Clerk's Office: Court-related arrest and case records may be accessed through the Branch County Clerk's Office, which maintains records for the 15th Circuit Court and the Branch County Probate Court.
Contact the Branch County Jail: For current booking and custody status information, members of the public may contact the Branch County Jail directly.
Request Records by Mail: Written requests may be mailed to the relevant agency with a description of the record, the subject's full name, and the approximate date of arrest.
Pay Applicable Fees: Agencies may charge reasonable fees for search, duplication, and mailing of records as permitted under Michigan FOIA.

Branch County Clerk's Office 31 Division Street, Coldwater, MI 49036 (517) 279-4320 Branch County Clerk

Coldwater Police Department 55 West Pearl Street, Coldwater, MI 49036 (517) 279-9561 Coldwater Police Department

How To Find Branch County Arrest Records Online

Several official online platforms currently provide access to arrest and court records associated with Branch County.

MiCOURT Case Search: The Michigan judiciary operates an online portal through which members of the public may search for court case information, including criminal cases originating from arrests in Branch County. The Michigan court case lookup tool allows users to search by name, case number, or date of birth. Note that some courts display criminal conviction information only when sentencing occurred within a defined period.
Michigan State Police ICHAT: The Michigan State Police Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) provides public access to Michigan criminal history records, including felony and certain misdemeanor convictions. This service is available at the Michigan State Police ICHAT portal.
Branch County Sheriff's Office Website: The Sheriff's Office website may publish current inmate rosters and recent arrest logs. Members of the public are encouraged to check the official agency website for available online resources.
Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Search: For individuals who have been sentenced to state custody, the Michigan offender tracking system provides information on current and former state prisoners. This resource does not cover individuals held in county jails or those sentenced to jail only.

How To Search Branch County Arrest Records for Free?

Several no-cost methods are currently available for accessing Branch County arrest records without incurring fees.

MiCOURT Online Case Search: The Michigan court case search system is available to the public at no charge and provides case-level information for criminal proceedings in Branch County courts.
In-Person Inspection at the Clerk's Office: Under Michigan FOIA, members of the public have the right to inspect public records in person at no cost. Fees apply only when copies are requested. Individuals may visit the Branch County Clerk's Office during regular business hours to review records without charge.
Michigan State Police ICHAT (Limited Free Search): ICHAT provides a fee-based full background check; however, basic name searches may yield publicly available conviction data at no cost in certain circumstances.
Branch County Sheriff's Office Inmate Roster: The Sheriff's Office may publish a current inmate roster on its official website, which is accessible to the public free of charge.
MDOC Offender Search: The Michigan Department of Corrections offender tracking tool is available online at no cost for searching state-sentenced individuals.

How To Delete Arrest Records in Branch County

Michigan law provides two primary legal mechanisms for limiting public access to arrest records: expungement (legal erasure from public view) and sealing (restricting access to authorized parties). These are distinct processes with different eligibility criteria and legal effects.

Expungement under the Michigan Clean Slate Act, MCL § 780.621, allows eligible individuals to petition the court to set aside certain convictions and arrest records. Once granted, the record is removed from public databases, though law enforcement agencies retain access for specific purposes. Expungement is available for many misdemeanor and felony convictions, subject to waiting periods and offense-type restrictions.

Sealing restricts public access to a record without fully erasing it. Sealed records remain accessible to courts, law enforcement, and certain licensing agencies.

Cases in which records may be removed or restricted include:

Arrests that did not result in charges being filed
Charges that were dismissed or resulted in acquittal
Convictions that meet the eligibility criteria under the Clean Slate Act
Juvenile records that qualify for automatic sealing under Michigan law

Steps to pursue expungement in Branch County:

Determine eligibility based on offense type, conviction date, and waiting period requirements under MCL § 780.621.
Obtain certified copies of the relevant court records from the Branch County Clerk's Office.
Complete the Application to Set Aside Conviction (form MC 227), available through the Michigan courts system.
File the application with the sentencing court and serve copies on the Michigan Attorney General, the prosecuting attorney, and the arresting agency.
Attend the scheduled expungement hearing before a Branch County Circuit Court judge.

15th Circuit Court – Branch County 31 Division Street, Coldwater, MI 49036 (517) 279-4320 15th Circuit Court

What Happens After Arrest in Branch County?

The criminal justice process in Branch County follows a structured sequence from the point of arrest through final case disposition.

Arrest and Booking: Following an arrest, the individual is transported to the Branch County Jail, where booking procedures are completed. This includes recording personal information, photographing, fingerprinting, and entering charges into the system.
Arraignment: Within a constitutionally required timeframe, the arrested individual appears before a district court judge or magistrate for arraignment. At this stage, formal charges are read, and bond is set.
Preliminary Examination (Felony Cases): For felony charges, a preliminary examination is held in the Branch County District Court to determine whether probable cause exists to bind the case over to the Circuit Court.
Circuit or District Court Proceedings: Depending on the severity of the charges, the case proceeds in either the 15th Circuit Court (felonies) or the Branch County District Court (misdemeanors). Pre-trial motions, plea negotiations, and trial proceedings occur at this stage.
Sentencing: Upon conviction, the court imposes a sentence, which may include incarceration, probation, fines, or community service.
Post-Conviction: Following sentencing, individuals may pursue appeals, sentence modifications, or expungement as permitted by law.

Branch County District Court 31 Division Street, Coldwater, MI 49036 (517) 279-4320 Branch County District Court

How Long Are Arrest Records Kept in Branch County?

Arrest records in Branch County are retained in accordance with Michigan's records retention requirements. The Michigan Records Management Services and the Michigan State Police establish retention schedules applicable to law enforcement agencies statewide.

Under current law, law enforcement agencies are generally required to retain arrest records for a minimum period that varies by record type and outcome:

Arrest records resulting in conviction are typically retained permanently or for extended periods, as they form part of the individual's criminal history maintained by the Michigan State Police.
Arrest records not resulting in conviction may be subject to shorter retention periods, though agencies often retain them for investigative and accountability purposes.
Booking records and jail logs maintained by the Branch County Jail are subject to the retention schedules established by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.
Different agencies have different requirements: Municipal police departments, the Sheriff's Office, and the courts each maintain separate retention schedules. Court records are governed by the Michigan Trial Court Records Management Standards issued by the State Court Administrative Office.

Records retention serves the dual purpose of preserving evidence for potential future proceedings and maintaining governmental accountability to the public.

How to Find Mugshots in Branch County

What Mugshots Are A mugshot is a standardized photograph taken by law enforcement at the time of booking. It typically includes a front-facing and profile image of the arrested individual, along with identifying information such as name, booking date, and charges.

Where Mugshots Are Maintained Mugshots are maintained by the Branch County Sheriff's Office as part of the official booking record. The Michigan State Police also retain booking photographs as part of an individual's criminal history record.

Finding Mugshots Members of the public may request mugshots through a formal FOIA request submitted to the Branch County Sheriff's Office or the applicable arresting agency. Requests must identify the subject by name and approximate date of arrest.

Can They Be Found Online The Branch County Sheriff's Office may publish current inmate photographs on its official website as part of an inmate roster. Third-party websites may also aggregate and republish mugshots; however, these sources are not official and may contain outdated or inaccurate information.

Obtaining Mugshots Officially To obtain an official copy of a mugshot, individuals must submit a written FOIA request to the Branch County Sheriff's Office. A per-page or per-image fee may apply in accordance with the agency's published fee schedule.

Restrictions on Mugshot Access Mugshots associated with juvenile arrests are not available to the public. Additionally, if an arrest record has been expunged pursuant to MCL § 780.621, the associated mugshot is also removed from public access. Agencies may withhold mugshots if their release would compromise an ongoing investigation or endanger a witness or victim.