View Washtenaw County Traffic Records

How to Search Washtenaw County Traffic Court Records

Most Washtenaw County traffic cases are district court records, not circuit court files. A ticket is filed with the court named on the citation, and that court controls where the record lives. Michigan Courts ePAY is the statewide search for payable tickets, and it reaches every Washtenaw district court. The tool covers the 14A District Court locations in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, and Saline, the 14B District Court in Ypsilanti Township, and the 15th District Court in Ann Arbor.

Gather a few details before you begin. The last name on the ticket is almost always required, and a ticket or case number, a date of birth, a driver license number, or a license plate will narrow the search. For a broader case history beyond a single payable ticket, the statewide MiCOURT case search returns register-of-actions data across Michigan trial courts.

The Michigan Courts ePAY ticket search screen lets a driver pick the county and court, then run the lookup. Open it directly at the Michigan Courts ePAY ticket search.

That single portal is the fastest way to confirm a Washtenaw County traffic citation before deciding whether to pay it or fight it. A short sequence keeps the lookup clean.

1. Read the ticket and identify the court, whether it is 14A, 14B, or the 15th District.
2. Open Michigan Courts ePAY, then choose Washtenaw County and the matching court from the dropdowns.
3. Search by last name plus ticket number, by last name plus date of birth, by driver license, or by plate.
4. Review the violation, the hearing date, and any responsibility finding on the record.
5. Pay the ticket if it is payable, or follow the ticket instructions to contest it in court.

Which Courts Handle Traffic Cases in Washtenaw County

Washtenaw County has three separate district court systems, and each one keeps its own traffic files. The county-operated 14A District Court runs four locations. The 14B District Court sits in Ypsilanti Township, and the 15th Judicial District Court serves Ann Arbor from the Ann Arbor Justice Center. The court printed on the citation decides where a driver searches, pays, or asks for a certified copy.

Because venue is split, the downtown county courthouse is often the wrong place for a traffic ticket. Ann Arbor citations usually route to the 15th District. Ypsilanti Township cases go to 14B. County and outlying areas served by 14A route to the Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, or Saline location.

Types of Traffic Cases on Record

Michigan district courts handle traffic civil infractions, misdemeanor traffic charges, and related municipal violations. Most everyday tickets are civil infractions, which do not carry jail time but do add points and costs. More serious driving conduct can be charged as a misdemeanor and follow a criminal track. The record type shapes how a driver responds and what the file will eventually show.

• Moving violations - speeding, disobeying a signal, and similar civil infractions that add points to the driver record.
• Non-moving violations - equipment, registration, and paperwork infractions handled by the district court.
• Municipal civil infractions - local ordinance matters, common on the 14B and 15th District dockets.
• Misdemeanor traffic - charges such as driving on a suspended license that carry possible jail exposure.
• OWI and felony driving - alcohol or drug driving offenses that can move to criminal circuit jurisdiction.

What Washtenaw County Traffic Court Records Show

A traffic court record is the district court file for the ticket, and it reads as a case history rather than a driver history. It usually opens with the ticket or case number, the issuing court, and the alleged violation. From there it tracks hearings, any plea or responsibility finding, the fines and costs, and the final disposition. Warrant or default events also appear when a driver misses a required step.

The field inventory below reflects the data Washtenaw district courts and Michigan Courts ePAY carry for a traffic case. Public case documents are generally not posted online, so images of the underlying paperwork come from the court records channel rather than the search screen.

Paying or Contesting a Washtenaw County Traffic Ticket

Once a driver confirms the record, the ticket points to two paths: resolve it or challenge it. Paying a civil infraction is usually treated as admitting responsibility, which adds points and reports the outcome to the state. Contesting means asking for an informal or formal hearing instead of paying. A driver who plans to fight the ticket should not pay it, because payment can be recorded as a responsibility finding.

The 15th District Court accepts online payment for civil infractions, traffic or moving violations, and misdemeanor assessments after sentencing, routing users to Michigan Courts ePAY. Its 15th District online payments page explains which balances can be paid on the web.

That online channel is the quickest route for an Ann Arbor ticket, though each district court sets its own accepted methods. The steps below keep a payment or a challenge on track.

1. Confirm the ticket, the balance, and the deadline through Michigan Courts ePAY or the issuing court.
2. Decide whether to admit responsibility and pay, or to request a hearing and contest.
3. To pay, use the court's accepted channel: online, mail, in person, or a drop box.
4. To contest, follow the ticket and court instructions and do not pay before the hearing.
5. If a deadline was missed, contact the court quickly to avoid a warrant and added fees.

Searching by Ticket Number or Driver Name

Michigan Courts ePAY offers several ways into a traffic case, and the right one depends on what a driver has in hand. A ticket number paired with a last name pulls a single case fast. When the ticket is lost, a last name plus date of birth, a driver license number, or a license plate can still surface the record. Each search mode has its own required fields and its own Search button.

Note: A name-only search can return several matches, so a ticket number or date of birth narrows results to the correct Washtenaw County traffic case.

Public Access Laws for Washtenaw County Traffic Records

Michigan court records, including traffic files, are governed by court rule rather than by the general Freedom of Information Act alone. Court records are public unless a statute, court rule, or local administrative order restricts them. Michigan Court Rule 8.119 sets how clerks maintain and release court records, and MCR 1.109 adds redaction rules for protected personal identifying information. A driver can confirm a case online, then request certified copies from the court that holds the file.

Court Traffic Records vs State Driver Records

The court traffic record and the state driver record are two different files, and confusing them causes most traffic-record mistakes. The district court file is the case record for a specific ticket, showing the violation, hearing, plea, and disposition. The Michigan Secretary of State keeps the driver record, which reflects license status, reported convictions, points, and suspensions. One does not replace the other, so points questions and license questions go to the state, while docket and payment questions stay with the court.

To correct a court error, contact the district court that entered it. To correct a driver record error, work through the Secretary of State, since courts report convictions to the state.

Washtenaw County District Court Payment Channels

Payment methods differ by court, so the accepted channel depends on which district issued the ticket. The 14A District Court takes cash in person at any 14A location, and it accepts checks or money orders by mail or in person. The 14B District Court in Ypsilanti Township offers the widest set of options, and the 15th District Court leans on its online payment portal for eligible balances.

The 14B traffic citation page lists payment by mail to 7200 S Huron River Drive, in person by cash, money order, or Visa and MasterCard, an after-hours drop box outside the Court and Civic Center, and online payment. Those choices appear on the 14B District Court traffic citation page.

Confirming the court's accepted method first prevents a rejected payment and a possible missed deadline. The 14A District Court traffic details sit on the county's 14A traffic information page for drivers routed to Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, or Saline.

CDL and Commercial Driver Records

Commercial driver license holders face stricter traffic rules than most drivers, and a Washtenaw County ticket can carry heavier consequences for them. Michigan and federal rules limit how a CDL holder can resolve certain violations, and convictions reported to the state can affect commercial driving privileges. A CDL driver should treat a district court traffic case carefully and confirm both the court disposition and the state driver record. When the response options on a ticket are unclear, the issuing court is the right place to ask.

DUI and OWI Cases in Washtenaw County

Operating while intoxicated is not an ordinary traffic ticket, and it does not stay on the civil infraction track. OWI and other serious driving offenses are charged criminally, start in district court, and can move to circuit court jurisdiction as felonies. The 15th District Court handles traffic and criminal misdemeanors along with felony matters before bindover.

The 15th District Court also warns that failure to appear results in an arrest warrant and a $60 warrant fee, which makes prompt attention important. Its traffic and criminal division page explains that notice.

Because these cases follow the criminal process, the full charge history and sentencing live elsewhere. For a complete picture, see the Washtenaw County criminal court records for pleas, disposition, and sentencing details.

Sealing or Expunging Washtenaw County Traffic Records

Michigan's Clean Slate law allows eligible convictions to be set aside, which removes them from ordinary public criminal-history access. A set-aside application is filed in the court where the conviction was entered, so a Washtenaw applicant may file in 14A, 14B, the 15th District, or the 22nd Circuit Court depending on the case. Traffic civil infractions are handled differently from criminal convictions, and eligibility depends on the offense and waiting periods.

A person seeking relief should obtain the certified record of conviction, confirm the statute and disposition, and check eligibility before filing. Unpaid restitution can affect automatic set-aside treatment under Michigan law. Note: A set-aside may remove a record from public access without erasing it from every internal government system.

Fees for Washtenaw County Traffic Record Copies

Confirming a traffic case online is free, but paper copies from the court carry set fees. The Washtenaw County Trial Court charges a standard copy rate, with higher amounts for certified and exemplified documents. These fees apply to court file copies rather than to a state driver record, which is ordered separately from the Secretary of State. Requests for court copies go through the Trial Court Records Department, described on the Clerk of the Court page.

To request a copy, provide the case number, the party names, the specific document and its date on the register of actions, and whether certification is needed.