Kent County Court Records
The Michigan Court Rule 1.109 defines court records as information created by the court or filed with the court in compliance with Michigan Court Rules and Local Court Rules. The Kent County Clerk of the Court is the custodian of the records for all Kent County Circuit Court cases. These records are considered a part of Kent County Public Records, and they are vital because:
- They can be used as evidence in future legal proceedings
- They provide an accurate record of what transpires during a court proceeding. This is vital in cases where there are disputes over what was discussed in court and the evidence provided.
- They ensure court proceedings are conducted fairly and impartially. This helps judges and lawyers refer to court records to ensure that everyone involved in a case follows proper legal procedures.
Are Court Records Public in Kent County?
Yes. The Michigan Freedom of Information Act allows the dissemination of court records to the public. Therefore, individuals can view or obtain copies of court records from any Kent County Courthouse. However, certain court records may be redacted from Kent County public records. Examples of such records are:
- Adoption records
- Juvenile Guardianships
- Mental illness records
- Juvenile and Child Protective Proceedings
- Records subject to attorney-client privilege
- Records that would disclose a person's social security number
- Records relating to a civil action where the requesting party and the public body are parties.
What Do Kent County Court Records Contain?
A typical Kent County court record contains essential information about a case. This information is available because they are public records, and they grant people access to how a court case was handled. Here is what a requester will find in a Kent County court record:
- Case details (case numbers, type, ID, status, entitlement, Nature of case)
- Party information (Names of case parties, party type/number,
- File date
- Year of birth
- Attorney's name
- Court's name and location
- Judge's name
- Answer and service dates
- Next hearing date, hearing type, and hearing officer
- Event details (date, party/count, description, clerk, and attorney)
- Charges (count, current and original charge, offense date, officer/agency or petitioner, charge level, arraignment, disposition, and sentencing date, notice, and disposition)
Where to Conduct a Kent County Case Lookup
All courts in Michigan, including Kent County, generate court records when cases are filed with the court. Interested persons can conduct a Kent Couty case lookup at the following record custodian offices:
How to Conduct a Kent County Case Records Search
Kent County court records are public and may be inspected online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the 17th Circuit Court Clerk's office. Online requesters can either use the Kent County FOIA Portal or the 17th Circuit Court Name Search tool to conduct a case records search. Individuals can also retrieve information about a specific case over the phone at (616) 632-5480. In-person requests can be made from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday at the Kent County Courthouse. The requester must be willing to provide certain information about the case, like party name or case number, to process the search. The Courthouse is located at:
Kent County Courthouse
180 Ottawa Avenue NW, Suite 2400
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Fax: (616) 632-5458
Record seekers interested in retrieving probate records can use the Probate Court Record Search tool to conduct their search. The search criteria are by case number or name. Note that this portal does not provide records on minor guardianship cases. The Kent County 63rd District Court has a MiCOURT Case Search tool that can be used to conduct case records. Requesters must search for a court by court name, description, or county. Afterward, they can conduct a case records search by name or case number.
Kent County Civil Court Case Records
A civil court record is a document or other information related to a civil case maintained by a Kent County court. The Kent County Circuit Court handles civil cases involving a breach of contract claims of negligence and other damages where fault can be determined, and damages proved. Civil court case records are open to public inspection and can be retrieved online, by phone, or in person. Interested persons can use the 17th Circuit Court Name Search to conduct a civil case search online for free. The portal provides records of civil cases as far back as 1987. Therefore, reducing the search results by selecting the file year range is advisable. A civil case search requires a first name and last name or business name. Individuals requesting civil case records by phone or in person must provide a party name or case number to enhance their search.
The Kent County 63rd District Court also has a Civil Department where all civil cases are handled. The Department comprises General Civil, Small Claims, and Landlord-Tenant cases. Records of these cases are available to the public through the MiCOURT Case Search tool. Individuals can also search for civil records via the public access terminal in the Department's lobby. The record costs $1 per page.
Kent County Criminal Court Case Records
A criminal record is an official document that contains information on criminal and traffic convictions. The Kent County 63rd District Court has a Criminal Division where all criminal cases are handled. Records of these cases can be found online through the MiCOURT Case Search tool. The portal only reveals cases for criminal case information for convictions whose sentencing occurred within the last seven years. The search parameters are by name or case number. Alternatively, individuals can use the 17th Circuit Court Name Search tool to conduct a criminal court case search. The portal provides records of criminal cases that go as far back as 2017. To conduct a criminal case search, the requester must provide a first name, last name or business name, and year of birth. Individuals can also request criminal case records by phone or in person at the Kent County 63rd District Court Criminal Division or 17th Circuit Court. The requester must provide a name or case number to facilitate the search.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Individuals can get court records online for free from the Kent County 63rd District Court and the 17th Circuit Court. Here is how to get court records for free:
- Go to the Kent County official website
- Click on "Online Services" and click the "View All Online Services" link
- Scroll down and click the "17th Circuit Court Name Search" or "63rd District Court Case Search" link
- For the "17th Circuit Court Name Search" portal, conduct the search by name based on the case type
- For the "63rd District Court Case Search" portal, click the Continue button to agree to the terms of service. Search For Court by Court Name, Description, or County. Then, search by name or case number.
Courts in Kent County
Below are the addresses of all the courts in Kent County:
17th Circuit Court
180 Ottawa Avenue NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616) 632-5220
Fax: (616) 632-5130
59th District Court (Grandville)
3161 Wilson Avenue SW
Grandville, MI 49418
Phone: (616) 538-9660
59th District Court (Walker)
4343 Remembrance Road NW
Walker, MI 49534
Phone: (616) 453-5765
61st District Court (Grand Rapids)
180 Ottawa NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616) 632-5700
62-A District Court (Wyoming)
2650 DeHoop Avenue SW
Wyoming, MI 49509
Phone: (616) 530-7385
62-B District Court (Kentwood)
4740 Walma Avenue SE
Kentwood, MI 49512
Phone: (616) 698-9310
63rd District Court
1950 East Beltline NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Phone: (616) 632-7770
Fax: (616) 363-6124
Juvenile Detention Center
1501 Cedar Street NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-1390
Phone: (616) 632-5750
Fax: (616) 632-5758
