The Washtenaw County, Michigan Jail Inmate Roster is a public resource that allows you to find out who is currently in custody at the county jail. WashtenawCourt.us helps locate publicly available information about current and recently released inmates. Additionally, data can be obtained through the official Washtenaw County website, by calling the jail, or visiting it in person. Searching the roster allows you to check the custody status of a specific individual, view the charges filed, and the booking date. The roster is maintained by the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, it is regularly updated and hosted on county resources.
Search Current Inmates in Washtenaw Jail
There are several ways to find information about an inmate in the Washtenaw County Jail.
Online Search
- Go to WashtenawCourt.us to find publicly available court information related to inmates.
- Use Washtenaw County's online resources — they offer a search function by party name and case schedule viewing.
- To check court cases, use MiCOURT Case Search — a statewide portal for searching court cases in Michigan.
- If the person has been transferred to a state facility, search through OTIS (Offender Tracking Information System). This tool does not display county jail inmates — only those convicted in the state correctional system.
To search, you need to know the person's full legal name and surname. The booking number, if known, speeds up the search. Minors are not displayed in the public roster.
By Phone
Call the jail directly. The operator can confirm if a specific person is in custody if you provide their full name and date of birth.
In-Person Visit
Visit the jail lobby during business hours. The visitor information window allows you to inquire about an inmate's status.
Washtenaw County Jail (Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office)
For court-related inquiries regarding cases in the 22nd Circuit Court of Washtenaw County, contact:
Find Washtenaw Jail Booking Records Online
A booking record is created at the moment a detained person undergoes the booking process at the jail. It is the first official document recording a person's custody.
During booking, the following information is generated:
- Unique booking number
- Date and time of admission
- Charges filed
- Arresting agency (city police, sheriff's patrol, state police, etc.)
- Basic identification details of the detainee
Access to booking records in Washtenaw County can be obtained in several ways. The current jail roster is the quickest option for checking those currently in custody. If information on past bookings or more detailed records is needed, submit a public records request. Michigan has a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) — through the Michigan State Police FOIA request portal or directly to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office.
To check criminal history at the state level, use the ICHAT — Internet Criminal History Access Tool, maintained by the Michigan State Police. This is a paid service that shows public criminal history from the state database.
Search the Washtenaw Jail Roster by Last Name or Booking Number
The inmate roster supports two main search methods.
Search by Last Name
Enter the last name in the search field. Optionally, add the first name to narrow down the results. A few tips:
- Check spelling — one letter can completely change the result.
- If the last name is common (e.g., Smith or Johnson), be sure to include the first name.
- Try a shortened version of the name if the full one yields no results: "Rob" instead of "Robert."
- Some systems support partial last name entry — enter the first few letters and view the list.
Search by Booking Number
If you know the booking number, enter it directly. This is the most accurate method — it will yield a single record without confusion with namesakes.
If the Search Yields No Results
The absence of results does not always mean the person was not detained. Possible reasons:
- The person has already been released — the roster only displays current inmates.
- Booking is not yet completed — several hours may pass between the actual arrest and the appearance of the record in the system.
- The name is recorded differently than you expect (transliteration error, maiden name, alias).
- The person has been transferred to a state facility — then search through OTIS.
If no option works, call the jail at (734) 971-8400 and ask the operator directly.
Jail Roster Updates and Search Limitations in Washtenaw
The Washtenaw County inmate roster is updated periodically throughout the day. The exact frequency depends on the internal processes of the Sheriff's Office — typically, new records appear within a few hours after the booking process is completed.
There are several limitations to be aware of:
- Delay between arrest and publication. The booking process includes photographing, fingerprinting, medical examination. Until it is completed, the record will not appear in the roster.
- Disappearance of records after release. Once a person is released (on bail, by court decision, after serving a term), their record is removed from the current roster. This is not an archive — it is a snapshot of current custody.
- Data entry errors. The last name may be recorded with an error during booking, complicating the search.
- Minors and certain case categories are not displayed in the public roster at all.
For historical records or archival data on past bookings, submit a FOIA request directly to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office. To check court cases related to incarceration, use the Michigan Supreme Court case search portal, where records from the Washtenaw Circuit Court, Washtenaw Probate Court, and other county judicial divisions are available.