Grand Traverse County, Michigan Court Records
Grand Traverse County court records are official documents created, filed, or received during judicial proceedings at the Grand Traverse County Court. Court records contain filings, motions, judgments, orders, dockets, evidence, warrant information, and everything typically involved in civil, criminal, family, and probate cases. There are two custodians of court records in Grand Traverse County, as the county falls under the jurisdiction of the 13th Circuit Court and the 86th District Court in Michigan. The record custodians are the Grand Traverse County Clerk of Court and the Circuit Court Clerk.
Court records may intersect with other public records during the course of the case proceedings or as the court carries out its judicial duties. Criminal court records, for example, contain or reference arrest records, which the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office oversees. Grand Traverse divorce decrees and other vital records, which are maintained by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, are issued by the court and are recorded with other court records.
Are Grand Traverse County Court Records Public?
Yes, under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq., court records in Grand Traverse County are generally classified as public records. The law explains that documents created or received by government agencies such as courthouses during the course of carrying out their functions are public records, and it authorizes these records to be open for public inspection or copying unless otherwise restricted by law.
Public records are important to provide citizens with transparency into government functions and give insights into their records. The Michigan Court Rules also back public access to records in the state by emphasizing that court documents are made accessible and are only restricted for privacy or confidentiality purposes.
Examples of court records that are restricted from public access include juvenile proceedings and case files, adoption records, sealed case files, expunged case files, and mental health and other health information in court records. Court records are available in person at the courthouse or online if indexed.
What Information is Available in Grand Traverse County Court Records?
Information contained or recorded in a public Grand Traverse County Court record typically includes the following:
- Case number
- Names of parties involved in the case (lawyer, plaintiff, defendant, judge)
- Charges or claims with corresponding statute
- Court order or judgment
- Hearing dates and court dockets
- Sentencing information
- Decrees
- Evidence
- Warrant information
- Appeals
- Motions
Grand Traverse County Court Records Search
For convenience, distance, and other reasons, individuals who want to perform a Grand Traverse County Court Records Search have different options for locating a record, including online, in person, by mail, or by phone. IDs are not needed for online or mail searches, but a valid government-issued ID is required to complete an in-person search at the courthouse.
Online Access
The county provides remote access to digital indexes through the Grand Traverse Online Records Portal. Civil and criminal records from April 26, 1859, to the present are recorded here and can be retrieved online. The district court's 86th District Court Case Index portal also offers online access to civil and criminal court documents while excluding family law and juvenile case records. Michigan State also has the MiCOURT portal, which provides online access to court records of all Michigan courts, including Grand Traverse County court records. To perform an online search, individuals need to have details of the case, such as the name or case number, to complete a search.
In-Person Access
Individuals can visit the Grand Traverse County Courthouse in person to look up court records in person. They can use the Hall of Justice public research terminals to search by themselves or get assistance from administrative staff on the ground at the courthouse. Staff assistance can cover getting certified copies, making record copies, docket searches, or archive searches. It is free to look up a court record, but fees may apply for administrative time to copy or certify the record.
Mail and Phone Requests
A record request can also be made by completing and submitting a written mail request to the Grand Traverse County Clerk of Court. Mail requests take 7 to 10 business days to process, but the court is mandated to respond to the record request per the Michigan FOIA. Fees apply for making mail requests and are payable by money order or cashier's check, made out to "Grand Traverse County Clerk of Court."
Inquiries and specific record searches can be made to court staff directly by email or phone at the contact information below.
Email: courtrecords@gtcountymi.gov
Phone inquiries: (231) 922-4700
Fees for Court Records in Grand Traverse County
Individuals can inspect public records for free, especially using the public access terminals available at the courthouse or free lookup tools available online. For in-person record requests at the courthouse, fees may apply to cover administrative staff's effort in processing the request. This fee includes search time and per-page cost for copying the record. Additional fees apply for getting the court record certified. It costs $0.50 per page (digital and paper) to photocopy documents at the courthouse. A certified copy of court records costs $10 per document, with an additional $1 per page. The Grand Traverse Court Clerk publishes a fee schedule that has the updated administrative and copying fee per court record published.
Grand Traverse County Courthouse Locations
The courthouses in Grand Traverse County, their on-site address, and contact information are as follows:
Grand Traverse County Courthouse
Circuit Court (13th Circuit)
328 Washington Street,
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: (231) 922-4700
Robert P. Griffin Hall of Justice
District Court (86th District)
280 Washington Street,
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: (231) 922-4580
Grand Traverse County Probate Court
280 Washington Street,
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: (231) 922-6862
Criminal Records Access in Grand Traverse County
Criminal records in Grand Traverse County are handled differently depending on the level of information needed. State criminal history checks are maintained by Michigan State Police (MSP) through the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT); county courts do not handle federal case files. Local court records are maintained by the Grand Traverse County Circuit and District Courts.
Grand Traverse County Probate Records
Probate records are county records about wills, estate administration, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorship records. The Grand Traverse County Probate Court maintains and disseminates probate records in the county. To access these records, individuals can contact the probate court in person, by mail, or by email. Probate records are typically available, unless the document is legally classified as sensitive, such as adoption records. Sensitive records are restricted from unauthorized access.
Grand Traverse County Family Court Records
The Circuit Court (Family Division) handles family law cases in Grand Traverse County. These include divorce records, custody records, paternity, name changes, personal protection orders, child support, or adoption cases. Divorce records are typically classified as public documents, except adoption records, which are sealed by law. Family court records are available online using the MiCOURT system or in person at the courthouse. For certified copies of family court records, individuals can send a written request to the clerk of court along with applicable fees payable by money order.
Federal Court Records in Grand Traverse County
Federal court records in Grand Traverse County are case records from proceedings filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, which Grand Traverse County falls under. Federal court records include filings for bankruptcy and federal civil and criminal cases. Federal cases are accessible through the national case management system PACER. It costs $0.10 for each page of record retrieved, with the document cap stopping at $3.00 (equal to 30 pages) per document.
