Hillsdale County Released Inmates
Released inmates records in Hillsdale County are held by the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office. Located in Michigan's southern tier along the Ohio and Indiana borders, this county has about 45,000 residents and a jail with roughly 90 beds. The sheriff office handles all booking and release operations for the county jail. You can search for released inmates from Hillsdale County by contacting the sheriff or by using state tools like OTIS for prison records. VINELink also covers Hillsdale County if you want real-time custody alerts. This page covers the ways to find released inmates with ties to Hillsdale County.
Hillsdale County Overview
Hillsdale County Sheriff and Jail Records
The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail. The jail has about 90 beds and serves the whole county. Hillsdale is a rural county. Most of the population lives in small towns and the city of Hillsdale itself. The jail sees a mix of local arrests and holds for the courts.
The sheriff office is at 165 E. Fayette Street in Hillsdale. You can call (517) 437-7317 to ask about someone's custody status. Staff will check if the person is still in the jail or has been released. Phone calls are the fastest route. If you need a written copy of a booking or release record, you have to file a FOIA request. Walk-in visits are also an option during regular business hours, but calling first makes sense to avoid a wasted trip.
Hillsdale County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit Court. This is actually the oldest circuit court designation in the state. The 2B District Court handles misdemeanor cases and preliminary exams. If you are tracking an arrest through the court system to find out when someone was released, these are the courts to check.
| Office | Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 165 E. Fayette Street, Hillsdale, MI 49242 |
| Phone | (517) 437-7317 |
| County Seat | Hillsdale |
Find Hillsdale County Released Inmates
Looking for released inmates from Hillsdale County takes different steps depending on where the person was held. Jail records stay with the sheriff. Prison records are in the state system.
For county jail information, call the Hillsdale County Sheriff at (517) 437-7317. Give them the person's name and anything else you know. They can check the jail management system and tell you if someone was booked, if they bonded out, or when they were released. A phone call gives you a verbal answer on the spot. If you need documentation, submit a FOIA request in writing. Mail it to 165 E. Fayette Street, Hillsdale, MI 49242. The office has five business days to respond, with a possible ten-day extension.
OTIS from the Michigan Department of Corrections handles state prison records. It is free. Search by name or MDOC number. OTIS lists current inmates, parolees, probationers, and discharged offenders within the last three years. County jail stays do not show up in OTIS. Only people who went through state prison are in there.
The VINELink system tracks custody status across all of Michigan. You can look someone up by name and register for notifications. When the person gets released or their status changes, you get a call, text, or email. This covers both Hillsdale County Jail and state prison facilities.
The Michigan State Police criminal history page below explains how ICHAT works for background checks that cover all Michigan counties including Hillsdale.
ICHAT costs $10 per search and returns arrest and conviction data from every Michigan jurisdiction.
Note: Hillsdale County borders Ohio and Indiana, so some arrests near the border may fall under a different state's jurisdiction.
Hillsdale County Released Inmates FOIA Process
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act under MCL 15.231 gives you the right to request records from the Hillsdale County Sheriff. This covers booking logs, release dates, arrest reports, and other jail records. Put it in writing. Be specific. Include the person's name, dates, and your contact info.
The standard response time is five business days. Extensions of up to ten additional days are allowed for complicated requests. Copy fees run about $0.10 per page. Labor costs may be charged for time-consuming searches at the rate of the lowest-paid employee who can handle the task. Most Hillsdale County released inmates records requests are straightforward and cost just a few dollars.
Under MCL 791.230a, medical and mental health records for inmates are not subject to FOIA. Basic booking data, charges, bond amounts, and release dates are public.
State Resources for Hillsdale County Searches
Beyond the local sheriff, state databases extend your reach. The Michigan Department of Corrections maintains OTIS. The ICHAT tool from the Michigan State Police provides criminal history checks for $10 each. ICHAT captures arrests, charges, and convictions from all Michigan counties. It fills gaps that OTIS does not cover because OTIS only has state prison data.
MiCOURT lets you search court records by name or case number. Hillsdale County uses the 1st Circuit Court for felonies and the 2B District Court for misdemeanors. These court records connect an arrest to the legal outcome. Sentencing info, probation terms, and release conditions may all be in the court file.
For very old records, the Michigan State Archives has prison records from 1839 through 1987. Call (517) 373-1408 or visit them in Lansing at 702 W. Kalamazoo St.
The Michigan Sex Offender Registry tracks registered offenders under MCL 28.721. Search by name, zip code, or county to find out if a released inmate in the Hillsdale County area is on the registry.
Nearby Counties
Hillsdale County is in Michigan's southern border region. These neighboring counties handle their own released inmates records.