How to File an Ingham County Public Records Request
A Michigan FOIA request to Ingham County does not have to use a county form. Any writing that describes the record and identifies the requester counts under MCL 15.233. A clear, focused request moves faster than a broad one. The steps below match the FOIA statute and standard Ingham County practice.
- Pick the right county office. Ingham County is not one record desk. The County Clerk holds vital records, marriage licenses, business filings, and county board minutes. The Clerk of the Circuit Court holds 30th Judicial Circuit Court case files. The Sheriff holds jail and patrol files. Probate holds estate files. The 55th District Court holds district case files.
- Write the request in plain words. Under MCL 15.233, the request must describe the record well enough that the county can find it. Name dates, case numbers, report numbers, parties, or policy titles. Vague "all records about X" requests get delayed or denied.
- Address it to the FOIA Coordinator. Each Ingham County public body has a FOIA Coordinator under MCL 15.236. Send the request by mail, email, or hand delivery and keep proof. The 5-business-day clock starts when the public body gets the request.
- State the format you want. Paper copies, electronic copies, certified copies, or in-person inspection. MCL 15.233 lets a requester inspect during business hours or get copies. Format choice can affect the fee.
- Ask for a fee waiver if it applies. Indigent requesters and some nonprofits can ask for a fee reduction under MCL 15.234. Say so in the request and supply proof.
- Wait for the response. The county must respond within 5 business days under MCL 15.235. It may grant, deny, grant in part, or extend for 10 more business days with written notice.
- Pay the itemized fee. Pay only the amount on the itemized fee notice. The county releases records once payment clears. Check that pages match the description.
- Appeal a denial. Appeal to the head of the public body within 180 days, or sue in Ingham County Circuit Court under MCL 15.240. Keep the denial letter.
Court case files are a separate track. To pull a Circuit Court file, use the Clerk of the Circuit Court page or the court records portal rather than the county FOIA route. Probate case files run through Probate Court records.
The Michigan FOIA Framework
Michigan's open records law is the Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.231 through 15.246. Five core sections drive most Ingham County FOIA work.
Source: MCL 15.231 - Michigan FOIA public policy.
MCL 15.231 sets the tone. The legislature declares that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding government affairs and official acts. That broad goal is narrowed by definitions, fee rules, deadlines, and exemptions in the rest of the act.
Source: MCL 15.232 - Michigan FOIA definitions.
MCL 15.232 defines "public body," "public record," and "writing." Ingham County, its departments, and its boards are public bodies. A public record is a writing prepared, owned, used, possessed, or kept by the public body in an official function. Emails, contracts, body-cam footage, and meeting minutes can all be public records.
Source: MCL 15.233 - right to inspect and copy public records.
MCL 15.233 is the inspection and copying rule. A person has a right to inspect, copy, or receive copies of a public record during regular business hours. The request must be in writing and describe the record. Fees are governed by MCL 15.234 and timing by MCL 15.235.
What the Ingham County Clerk Holds
The Ingham County Clerk is the most common starting point for non-court public records. The same elected official also serves as Clerk of the Circuit Court, but the County Clerk side is a separate non-court track. Each record below has its own request workflow and fee.
- Vital records. Certified Ingham County births, deaths, and historic marriages. Birth records require eligibility under MCL 333.2882.
- Marriage licenses. Application intake, 3-day waiting period, issuance. Fee is $20 for Ingham County residents.
- Business filings. Assumed name (DBA) certificates, co-partnership filings, and weekly business filing reports.
- Concealed pistol license (CPL). Application intake. CPL records are largely confidential.
- Notary commissions. Notary bonds and oaths for Ingham County notaries.
- Elections. Ballot proposals, candidate filings, election canvasses.
- Campaign finance reports. County and local candidates and committees.
- County board minutes. Ingham County Board of Commissioners and committee packets.
- Public notices. Statutory notices required to be filed with the Clerk.
- Genealogy research. Older marriage and vital indexes for family-history use.
- Military discharge (DD-214). Veterans may record DD-214 forms. Access restricted under MCL 35.781.
For a full list of office services, see the Ingham County Clerk page. For Circuit Court case records, the Clerk of the Circuit Court office is the right desk.
Court Records vs Administrative Records
Michigan splits public-records access into two tracks. The split is the single most common reason a FOIA request gets bounced from one Ingham County office to another.
The first track is FOIA, MCL 15.231 to 15.246. It covers public bodies: county departments, the Sheriff, the County Clerk's non-court side, and the Board of Commissioners. Denials are appealed under MCL 15.240.
The second track is MCR 8.119, which governs court records management and access. Case files, registers of action, and orders held by the 30th Judicial Circuit Court, the Ingham County Probate Court, and the 55th District Court are court records under MCR 8.119, not FOIA records. Access is opened through the clerk that holds the file. Sealed cases, PPO matters under MCR 3.705, juvenile matters, and adoption files have their own limits inside the court-rule track.
A FOIA letter to the Circuit Court for a divorce file is the wrong tool. The right tool is a request to the Clerk of the Circuit Court under MCR 8.119. A FOIA letter to the Sheriff for an incident report is the right tool.
FOIA Fees and Itemization
MCL 15.234 caps and itemizes what Ingham County can charge. The county may bill for labor (search, review, redaction), copying, mailing, and required media. Labor must be billed at the hourly wage of the lowest-paid capable employee, plus fringe up to 50%. The first $20 of labor is waived for an indigent requester or registered nonprofit on request. A 50% deposit can be required when the estimated fee tops $50.
Source: MCL 15.234 - Michigan FOIA fees.
The table below summarizes the FOIA fee categories under MCL 15.234. Exact dollar amounts vary by office, wage rates, and format. Ingham County departments publish their own FOIA procedures and fee schedules.
| Fee Item | Statutory Rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Labor - search, retrieval, examination, separation | Hourly wage of lowest-paid capable employee; fringes up to 50% | Charged in 15-minute increments under most county FOIA policies. |
| Labor - redaction of exempt material | Same hourly cap as above | Applies when staff must remove exempt content under MCL 15.243. |
| Paper copies - letter or legal size | Actual cost not to exceed 10 cents per page | Statutory cap under MCL 15.234. |
| Non-standard copies | Actual incremental cost | For oversized prints, CDs, USB drives, or other media. |
| Mailing | Actual cost of least-expensive postage | No labor charge to fold and stuff envelopes. |
| Deposit | Up to 50% of estimated fee when total exceeds $50 | Refunded against final bill or returned if no records released. |
| Indigent / nonprofit waiver | First $20 of fee waived on request | Affidavit of indigency or nonprofit status required; one waiver per calendar year per requester. |
| Itemized fee notice | Required for every fee charged | Must list each component and let the requester verify the calculation. |
Response Timelines and Extensions
The clock under MCL 15.235 is short. Ingham County must respond within 5 business days. The response can grant, deny, grant in part, or extend by up to 10 more business days. An extension must be in writing and explain why. Failure to respond is treated as a denial under MCL 15.235(3).
Source: MCL 15.235 - Michigan FOIA response procedure.
If the county grants with a fee, it must send a written, itemized fee estimate. The release clock restarts when the requester pays the deposit or the full fee. Records are delivered by mail, email, secure download, or in-person inspection. A denial letter must cite the specific exemption and explain how to appeal.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Not every county file is open. Michigan has a long list of confidentiality statutes that override FOIA and MCR 8.119. The categories below show up most often in Ingham County FOIA work. A FOIA denial that cites one of these statutes is hard to overturn without a court order.
- Juvenile court records. MCL 712A.28 restricts juvenile case and social files. Access is usually limited to the court, parties, counsel, named agencies, and persons with court authorization.
- Adoption records. MCL 710.67 makes adoption files confidential. Access requires statutory authorization or a court order.
- Mental health records. MCL 330.1748 protects treatment records under the Mental Health Code.
- Sealed cases. MCR 8.119 and case-specific orders restrict access. The docket may show only a case-sealed notation.
- Set-aside / expungement. MCL 780.621 and MCL 780.623 remove qualifying convictions from public view. Limited official access continues for courts and law enforcement.
- PPO files. Personal protection order case information is not online under MCR 3.705.
- Victim information. Suppressed on the Ingham court search portal.
- Personal identifiers. SSNs and financial account numbers are redacted under court rule.
- FOIA exemptions. MCL 15.243 lists more than two dozen exemptions, including privacy, attorney-client material, ongoing investigations, and security plans.
Appeals and Denials
MCL 15.240 sets two appeal paths. First, a written appeal to the head of the public body within 180 days of the denial. The head has 10 business days to act, with a possible 10-business-day extension, and can affirm, reverse, or split the request. Second, a lawsuit in Ingham County Circuit Court. A FOIA lawsuit can be filed without going through the internal appeal first.
If the court finds the denial was wrong, it can order release and award reasonable attorney fees and costs. If the denial was arbitrary and capricious, the court must also award $1,000 in punitive damages under MCL 15.240. Keep the denial letter, note the date received, and track the 180-day window. A denial that does not cite a specific exemption or describe the appeal route is itself a procedural defect under MCL 15.235.
Request Form Field Inventory
Ingham County FOIA Coordinators do not require a county form. A letter or email supplying the items below is enough under MCL 15.233.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Requester Name | Full legal name of the person or organization making the request. Required so the county can communicate and bill. |
| Contact Information | Mailing address, email, and phone. Email is fastest for fee notices and electronic releases. |
| Record Description | Plain-language description specific enough to let staff find the record. Use case numbers, report numbers, dates, parties, and policy titles when known. |
| Date Range | Start and end dates. A focused date range cuts labor fees under MCL 15.234. |
| Format Preference | Paper copies, electronic copies (PDF / native file), CD / USB, or in-person inspection. Electronic delivery usually costs less. |
| Fee Waiver Request | Optional. State indigent status, nonprofit registration, or first-$20 waiver request under MCL 15.234. |
| Certified Copy (Y/N) | Mark Yes for files needed for court, agency, or out-of-state use. Certification adds a per-document fee. |
| Signature and Date | Sign the request and date it. Electronic signature is fine on email submissions. |
Send the completed request to the FOIA Coordinator for the right Ingham County office. Keep a dated copy of the request and any delivery receipt.