Washtenaw Traffic Court Records

How to Search Washtenaw County Traffic Court Records

Most Washtenaw traffic records sit in the 14A District Court for the parts of the county outside Ann Arbor city and Ypsilanti Township. The 14A online court record resources page at washtenaw.org/4556 links case lookup, online traffic review, online payment, and dockets. The MiCOURT D14A route is the state-side search tool.

If your ticket was issued in Ann Arbor city limits, the case is likely in the 15th District Court. If it was issued in Ypsilanti Township, the case is likely in the 14B District Court. Check the citation for the court name; it appears on most Michigan ticket forms.

Which Courts Handle Traffic Cases in Washtenaw County

Three district courts handle most Washtenaw traffic work. Each one has its own docket and its own pay route.

• 14A District Court - Four service locations (Pittsfield, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, Saline) cover the county outside Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Township.
• 15th District Court - City of Ann Arbor traffic cases.
• 14B District Court - Ypsilanti Township traffic cases.

Felony driving offenses (such as some DUI cases, repeat OWI, and vehicular felonies) start in district court and move to the 22nd Circuit Court after bindover. The 22nd Circuit Court page covers that flow.

Types of Traffic Cases on Record

Washtenaw traffic records cover everything from a parking ticket to a felony OWI. Each case type follows a different track.

• Civil infractions: speed, lane use, equipment issues, seatbelts, and many other minor moving violations.
• Misdemeanor traffic: driving while suspended, no insurance, and some operating-while-impaired charges.
• Felony traffic: high-BAC repeat OWI, OWI causing serious injury or death, and other felony driving offenses.
• Local ordinance traffic: city or township parking and local-rule cases.
• Photo enforcement: red-light or speed cameras where Michigan and local rules allow them.

Civil infractions follow the rules in MCL 600.8701. Misdemeanor and felony traffic cases follow the criminal track in district and circuit court.

What Washtenaw Traffic Court Records Show

A Washtenaw traffic record shows the citation, the court case, and the disposition. The fields below are the common ones across 14A, 15th, and 14B traffic dockets.

Searching by Citation Number vs Name

Citation lookup is the fastest route when you have the ticket in hand. Use the citation number printed on the ticket. Name lookup works without the citation but takes a bit longer to narrow common names. Date of birth helps split same-name results.

Paying or Contesting a Washtenaw Traffic Ticket

You usually have two main paths after a Washtenaw traffic ticket. Pay the ticket and accept the responsible finding, or contest the ticket and ask for a court hearing. Some tickets allow a request for a formal hearing with the officer present; some allow an informal hearing with a magistrate.

1. Read the ticket. It tells you the court, the response date, and the fine.
2. Open the 14A online traffic review tool or the matching court's pay portal.
3. Pay online, by mail, or at the counter to accept a responsible finding.
4. To contest, request an informal or formal hearing by the response date on the ticket.
5. At an informal hearing, present your side to a magistrate without the police officer present.
6. At a formal hearing, the officer attends and both sides can call witnesses.
7. Take any appeal route the court lays out if you do not agree with the finding.

Public Access Laws for Traffic Court Records

Traffic court records are public under Michigan Court Rule 8.119. The judiciary is excluded from Michigan FOIA by MCL 15.232(d)(v). So a Washtenaw traffic record request runs through court rules, not FOIA. The 14A District Court cites this same rule on its FOIA page.

Police reports tied to a traffic stop are not court records. They are agency records under FOIA. Use the Washtenaw public records page for the FOIA process at the county level.

Court Traffic Records vs State Driver Records

The court traffic record and the state driver record are different files. They live in different places and follow different rules. The table below sets out the splits.

CDL and Commercial Driver Records

Commercial driver license rules add another layer. A CDL holder can lose the license for an offense that would only cost points for a regular driver. Some violations in a personal vehicle still affect the CDL.

If you hold a CDL and pick up a ticket in Washtenaw County, talk to counsel before paying. A "responsible" finding on a CDL-impacting violation can have major employment effects. The matching court can explain the court file side; CDL effects sit with the Michigan Department of State.

DUI / DWI Cases

Michigan uses "operating while intoxicated" (OWI) as the main DUI/DWI charge. OWI cases start in district court for arraignment. First and second OWI offenses are misdemeanors. Third-offense OWI is a felony and routes through the 22nd Circuit after bindover. High-BAC, OWI causing injury, and OWI causing death have their own elevated charges.

For the criminal court flow tied to a DUI arrest, see the Washtenaw arrest records page. The 14A Sobriety Court is a problem-solving court for eligible substance-related misdemeanors.

Deferred Adjudication and Defensive Driving

Michigan allows several deferred outcomes for traffic and criminal cases. A "deferred" outcome means the case is held in abeyance while the defendant meets conditions. If the conditions are met, the court may dismiss the case or enter a reduced finding. The exact path depends on the charge and the court.

Defensive driving and Basic Driver Improvement Courses (BDIC) are state programs that can reduce or remove points in some cases. Eligibility rules sit with the Michigan Department of State. The court itself does not run the BDIC program but may note completion in the case file.

The Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA) is another route for some young defendants. HYTA can keep a conviction off the public record if the defendant completes the program. Eligibility is narrow; counsel can review whether a Washtenaw case qualifies.

Sealing or Setting Aside Traffic Records

Most civil infractions in Michigan cannot be sealed in the usual sense. They are public on the court docket and stay there. Misdemeanor traffic convictions follow the general Michigan set-aside law at MCL 780.621. Some offenses are excluded from set-aside relief.

The Prosecutor's Conviction Integrity & Expungement Unit at washtenaw.org/3315 can help with set-aside questions. The state driver record is held separately by the Michigan Department of State and is not removed by a court set-aside in many cases. Counsel can map out which parts of a Washtenaw traffic history can be cleaned up.

Fees for Traffic Record Copies

Traffic record copy fees in Washtenaw follow the Trial Court fee schedule and the SCAO rules. Civil infraction fines are set by Michigan statute or by local ordinance for local-rule cases.

Related Washtenaw Searches

For the criminal court flow tied to a DUI or other felony traffic charge, see the Washtenaw arrest records page. For the broader court record routes, see the court records page. For docket detail, see the court dockets page. The 14A District Court page covers the court that handles most Washtenaw traffic work.