Wexford County Booking Releases

Wexford County booking releases are handled by the Wexford County Sheriff's Office in Cadillac, in northwest Lower Michigan. When someone is arrested and brought to the county jail, a booking record is created with their name, charges, and custody status. These records are public under Michigan law. This page covers how to find active inmate records, use state search tools, and submit a records request to the Sheriff's Office.

Wexford County Sheriff's Office

The Wexford County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and maintains all booking release records for the county. Cadillac is the county seat, and the jail is located there. When anyone is arrested in Wexford County by any law enforcement agency, they are brought to this facility for processing. The booking record is created at intake and is generally available to the public.

The county website at wexfordcounty.org provides contact details for the Sheriff's Office and other departments. The screenshot below shows the county site, which is a useful first stop for finding current office hours, direct phone numbers, and links to any online inmate tools the county offers.

Use the county site to confirm the current FOIA Coordinator contact details before submitting a written request. Contact information can change, and going directly to the source saves time.

What Wexford County Booking Records Contain

A booking record in Wexford County documents what happened at the time of arrest and intake. It is a public record, not a conviction. The record shows the state of things when the person arrived at the jail, not what happened later in court. Cases can end in dismissal, acquittal, or reduced charges after the booking takes place.

Wexford County booking releases typically contain the person's full name, date of birth, the date and time they were booked, the arresting agency, each charge listed at booking, bond or bail amount, and current custody status. Some records also include a scheduled release date or housing location in the facility.

If you want to know how a case ended, you need court records, not the booking release. The booking record stays in the system as-is, separate from any court outcome. You would need to contact the Wexford County Circuit Court or District Court clerk for case disposition information.

Searching Wexford County Inmate Records Online

VINELink is available for free at vinelink.com. It covers most Michigan county jails and lets you look up inmates by name. The service runs 24 hours a day. For Wexford County, select Michigan and then Wexford County from the list. You will see current inmates and their custody status if the county participates in the VINELink network.

VINELink also lets you register for automatic notifications. If the status of someone in custody changes, you get an alert. This is useful for family members, legal professionals, and anyone who needs to track changes quickly. Registration is free and available in English and Spanish.

For state-level records, Michigan Department of Corrections runs the OTIS database at mdocweb.state.mi.us. OTIS covers prisoners and parolees under MDOC supervision. It does not include Wexford County jail inmates. If someone was sentenced to state prison following an arrest in Wexford County, OTIS would show their current status, facility, and release dates. The MDOC main website is at michigan.gov/corrections.

Note: OTIS and VINELink cover different populations. Check both if you are not sure where in the system someone is located.

FOIA Requests for Wexford County Booking Records

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act is codified at MCL 15.231. It gives any person the right to request public records from government agencies. Wexford County booking records, arrest reports, and jail rosters kept by the Sheriff's Office are covered by this law. You do not need to live in Michigan or be a party to a case to submit a request.

Submit your request in writing to the FOIA Coordinator at the Wexford County Sheriff's Office. Describe what you need clearly enough for the agency to locate the records. Include the name of the person you are asking about, a date range or approximate booking date, and the type of document you need. Email, mail, fax, and in-person delivery are all valid ways to submit.

The agency must respond within 5 business days. They can extend the deadline by up to 10 more business days with written notice if the request involves a lot of records or requires consultation with another office. Fees can be charged for copying, labor, and mailing. If estimated costs top $50, they can request a deposit. People receiving public assistance or with demonstrated financial hardship may qualify for a fee waiver by filing an Affidavit of Indigency.

Criminal History and ICHAT for Wexford County

The Michigan State Police maintains the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) at michigan.gov/msp/services/ichat. It covers felony convictions and serious misdemeanors from all 83 Michigan counties. Wexford County convictions are included. You need a full name and date of birth to run a search. There is a fee per search paid online.

ICHAT does not show arrests without conviction, county jail bookings, juvenile records, or traffic violations that did not rise to the level of a serious misdemeanor. It shows convictions only. This is a different dataset from booking releases. If you need to know whether someone has a conviction record, use ICHAT. If you need to know their current jail status, use VINELink or contact the Sheriff's Office directly.

Understanding the difference between these tools saves time. Each serves a different purpose. Using the right one for the right task gets you results faster.

Wexford County Courts and Booking Cases

Arrests in Wexford County lead to cases in the 84th District Court or the 28th Circuit Court, depending on the offense. Misdemeanors go to district court. Felonies proceed to circuit court after a probable cause hearing. Court records are stored with the court clerk and are separate from the jail booking records, though they involve the same people and arrests.

The Wexford County Clerk's office handles circuit court record requests. For in-person access, bring the person's name and case number if you have it. Certified copies of court documents cost more than plain copies. Case status, docket entries, and judgments are available through the clerk's office in Cadillac.

Communities in Wexford County

Wexford County includes the city of Cadillac (the county seat) along with communities like Manton, Buckley, Mesick, and several townships. None of these communities meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All arrests within the county that result in jail bookings go through the Wexford County Sheriff's Office jail in Cadillac.

Nearby Counties

Wexford County is in northwest Lower Michigan and borders several neighboring counties. Each runs its own Sheriff's Office and maintains its own booking records.