Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and September 30, 2026.
Berrien County, Michigan, has about 153,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). An OWI arrest in Berrien County starts two cases, a criminal case in the District Court and a license case before the Secretary of State, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Berrien County public records, Berrien County arrest records, Berrien County warrants, Berrien County inmate search, Berrien County criminal records, Michigan arrest records and Michigan inmate search.
The OWI Law in Michigan
Drunk driving is charged as OWI in Michigan, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
Driving in Michigan is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect OWI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Secretary of State, separately from the criminal case.
For charging and sentencing, Michigan counts prior offenses within 7 years for a second offense; a third is a felony with no time limit.
Who Makes OWI Arrests in Berrien County
The Berrien County Sheriff's Office and the agencies that report for Niles, Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, St. Joseph (township), Buchanan, Bridgman and nine more cities make the OWI arrests in Berrien County.
The FBI's agency list also places one more agency in Berrien County: the Berrien County State Police (state police); the Berrien County State Police makes the arrests on the state highways.
Together, the 18 agencies in Berrien County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 3,464 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Berrien County does not break OWI out.
Booking After an OWI Arrest in Berrien County
A driver arrested for OWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Berrien County Sheriff's Office, held about 340 people on an average day in 2022 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a custody page SearchSystems verified at berriencountymi.gov/558/Inmate-Search, phone 269-983-7141. The Berrien County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
An OWI charge from Berrien County is brought by the Prosecuting Attorney in the District Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at berriencountymi.gov, phone 269-983-7111.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.michigan.gov/search/?searchQuery=criminal+berrien+county.
Statewide, MiCOURT Case Search is the Michigan courts' statewide case search; not every court has joined.
The License Case
An OWI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by the Secretary of State. The driving record, kept by the Michigan Secretary of State, carries the result of both.
The Records an OWI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.
- The court file: from the District Court, kept by the County Clerk.
- The driving record: from the Michigan Secretary of State.
More on each: Berrien County arrest records, Berrien County police reports and Berrien County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the OWI limit in Michigan?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is an OWI case from Berrien County heard?
In the District Court, brought by the Prosecuting Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.michigan.gov.
Where is a person arrested for OWI in Berrien County held?
At the county jail, run by the Berrien County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after an OWI arrest in Michigan?
The Secretary of State, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does an OWI count as a prior in Michigan?
7 years for a second offense; a third is a felony with no time limit.
Is this the official Berrien County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.