Over ten million residents are served by the Michigan court system, which claims to be "One Court of Justice". Judicial power in the state of Michigan is divided into a court of appeals, a Supreme Court, circuit court and probate court. There are also courts of limited jurisdiction established by a two-thirds vote by members of legislature, which are elected to serve in each house.

Searching Michigan Court Records

Michigan court records are made public in order to provide access to them freely. However, the number of court records available under various case categories can make it difficult to find the court records that you need.

It is crucial that you understand the way the Michigan trial system is structured and the way the state's court records are stored. The Michigan trial court system consists of district courts, circuit courts, probate courts, the court of claims and municipal courts. The circuit courts have general jurisdiction over all case types and hear cases that go beyond other courts, while the district courts, probate courts and municipal courts all have limited jurisdiction of specific cases.

The circuit courts in Michigan hear civil cases that are valued over $25,000. These courts also hear criminal cases, including juvenile delinquency and felony cases. Each circuit court has a family division that handles domestic relation cases, in addition to a friend of the court that is responsible for cases involving minors.

The district courts in the state of Michigan have jurisdiction over preliminary felony hearings, traffic violations and misdemeanors. In addition, the district courts also hear civil cases that are valued under $25,000.

Matters of guardianship, wills, estate and trust cases are handled by the probate courts. Some jurisdiction in the state of Michigan is shared by the municipal courts, district courts as well as the court of claims, such as matters that go beyond the scope of the municipal courts and cases involving more than $1,000.

In order to track down the Michigan records that you seek successfully, it is important to acquire as many details regarding the case as possible before you begin your search. You will need to know the date of the case, the location of the courthouse where the case was heard and the name of the parties involved, if possible. In addition, a docket number, case number or date of birth for those involved in the case would also be helpful in your search. It is possible to find Michigan records if you do not have all of this information, however, the more details you have the easier your search will be.

Keep in mind that Michigan court records for the trial courts, the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court are all overseen by the Michigan State Court Administration. You will need to go through this office to obtain Michigan court records by contacting the clerk of the appropriate court. Each court clerk has the responsibility of keeping the court records in accordance with the Michigan Supreme Court.

You should be able to find telephone numbers and addresses for all of the Michigan courts by visiting the official Michigan state website.

• Michigan State Court Districts

• Michigan State Legislature