The Grand Traverse jail keeps an official inmate inquiry search that finds people by name, inmate ID or booking number. If it is slow to load, the backup is a call to the front desk at the number above with the person's name and birthdate, or a free custody check on VINELink. The county's Corrections Division page describes the jail's services.

The Traverse City jail lodges people arrested by Sheriff's deputies, Traverse City Police and state troopers from Post 75. Corrections officers there also run court security: they act as bailiffs for every county courtroom, carry out state transports to the Department of Corrections, and pick up people arrested on local warrants or court orders.

Yes. Every person admitted to the Traverse City facility gets three free five-minute calls, whether or not money is on the account, so they can tell family where they are or reach a lawyer. After that, calls are paid; see our jail phone guide for prepaid accounts and blocking.

A records clerk at the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office, 231-995-5000, can say whether deputies or city officers hold a warrant under a given name.

86th District Court cases on MiCOURT list charges and dates, never whether a warrant is active.

Through a lawyer, a planned surrender can be arranged at the county jail. Monday walk-in magistrate hours, 2:30 to 4:00 p.m., are another chance to ask the clerk to reset the hearing. The 86th District Court clerk in the Hall of Justice, 280 Washington Street, answers 231-922-4580; Circuit Court records in Suite 206 are at 231-922-4710.

The 86th District Court magistrate or judge decides bond for most new arrests. The jail desk can give the figure and the payment methods it takes. Our bail guide walks through interim bonds, 10% deposits and surety bonds.

Custody records from the Traverse City lockup feed into VINELink. Create a free registration there and choose a call, text or email when that person's status changes.

New criminal charges in Traverse City begin at the 86th District Court inside the Griffin Hall of Justice. Felonies that are bound over move up to the 13th Circuit Court, administration 231-922-4701. More on our Grand Traverse court page.

Local cases appear in the 86th District Court search and the 13th Circuit search. The District Court has said it is temporarily holding back criminal cases from its public site while records are reconciled, so call the District Court clerk if an entry seems missing.

• All visits at this jail are by video; there are no contact visits.
• A free 30-minute onsite video visit is offered once a week at the lobby kiosks, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except holidays.
• Remote video visits from a phone or computer last up to 20 minutes and can be booked from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Visitors must be approved first.

Steps are in our visitation guide.

The Traverse City jail accepts only pre-stamped white U.S. Postal Service postcards with a handwritten or typed return address, plus clearly marked legal mail. Letters, photos, drawings, stickers, stamps, labels, magazines and books are sent back. Address cards to the person's name at Grand Traverse County Jail, 320 Washington Street, Traverse City, MI 49684. Tips are in our mail guide.

Deposits to an inmate's commissary account can be made with cash or card at the lobby kiosk at any hour, online, by phone, or by money order mailed to the jail; fees apply, and part of a deposit may go toward money the person already owes the jail. See our money guide and commissary page. Care packages can be ordered too, and messaging is covered in our messaging guide.

Central Records at the Sheriff's Office, 231-995-5005, handles booking photo and record requests. Photos from an immigration booking go through ICE's FOIA office. People booked federally do not have their photos handed to the press or public, unless the U.S. Marshals Service releases one during a manhunt for a fugitive.

Yes. At arraignment in the 86th District Court, 231-922-4580, an indigent defendant may request that the judge or magistrate appoint defense counsel.

The county Prosecuting Attorney, 324 Court Street, Traverse City, 231-922-4600, charges cases in both the District and Circuit Courts.

This county belongs to the Western District of Michigan, so federal criminal matters land in Grand Rapids before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division, 110 Michigan Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, 616-456-2381. The U.S. Marshals office there, 616-456-2438, keeps custody of federal defendants. Search the BOP inmate locator once someone is sentenced.

If ICE lodges a detainer (Form I-247A) with the Traverse City jail, it is asking corrections officers to hold off on release for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)), giving agents time to pick them up. People already transferred to ICE can be found on the ICE detainee locator; Michigan cases run through the ICE Detroit Field Office, 985 Michigan Avenue, Suite 207, Detroit, MI 48226, 313-771-6601.

Jail officers handle the transport to the Michigan Department of Corrections after a prison sentence. From then on, use the state OTIS lookup and our Michigan prisons directory.

Minors arrested here are not booked into the adult jail; juvenile offenses go to the Family Division of the 13th Circuit Court, 231-922-4640.

Yes, the jail lets family and friends order approved care packages online for someone in the jail, and pre-stamped postcards can be bought by inmates on the commissary menu.

The Traverse City jail describes its mission as safe, humane custody with programs that build skills for reentry. Ask jail staff which classes are available.

Yes. Calls from the jail can be blocked by phoning the phone provider's customer service from the number you want blocked; the jail's phone page lists that number, and our phone guide explains the process.

The Sheriff's Office takes tips through its Detective Bureau, 231-995-5002, or through the non-emergency line, 231-922-4550.

Neighboring county jails each keep their own custody lists, so call the one where the arrest happened.

• Leelanau County Jail, 8525 E. Government Center Drive, Suttons Bay, MI 49682, 231-256-8661
• Benzie County Jail, 505 S. Michigan Avenue, Beulah, MI 49617, 231-882-0052
• Antrim County Jail, 207 E. Cayuga Street, Bellaire, MI 49615, 231-533-8627
• Wexford County Jail, 1015 Lincoln Street, Cadillac, MI 49601, 231-779-9217

The 86th District Court also hears Antrim and Leelanau cases, so a Traverse City court date can belong to someone held in one of those jails.

• Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office, 851 Woodmere Avenue, Traverse City, MI 49686, 231-995-5000.
• Traverse City Police Department, same building on Woodmere, 231-995-5150.
• Michigan State Police Post 75, 231-938-0714.

Non-emergency dispatch: 231-922-4550. Emergencies: 911.