Macomb County Court Records
Michigan Court Rules (MCR 1.109 and MCR 8.119) define a court record as any recorded information created or filed with the court because of a legal proceeding. In Macomb County, court records may be created via any means and maintained in any medium authorized by these court rules and in compliance with other law provisions.
The usefulness of court records outlasts each case, and the judgments issued and recorded by the courts may influence other sentences in the future. These records are also essential in teaching the public about the administration of justice. Thus, they are considered part of Macomb County Public Records and disseminated to interested and eligible members of the public on request.
Consequently, courts in Michigan, including those in Macomb County, implement a records management program to manage these records' creation, maintenance, and disposal. The records management program comprises court administrators, registers of probate, clerks of the court, and friends of the court (Michigan Court Administration Reference Guide, Section 4-01).
Court clerks (known as "court registers" in probate courts) are responsible for preserving court records in Macomb County, per Michigan Court Rules MCR 8.119 (c) and Michigan Court Administration Reference Guide, Sections 4-01 to 4-03.
Are Court Records Public in Macomb County?
Yes, court records are publicly available in Macomb County, Michigan. However, records created or filed with the judicial branch are not subject to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, as the judiciary is not defined as a "public body" under MCL 15.232(h)(iv). The Michigan Court Rules govern public access to court records.
Still, like the FOIA, court rules establish some exemptions to public inspection or copying of records. Examples of court records restricted from public access include crime victim addresses and telephone numbers, mediation records, adoption files, jury questionnaires, infectious disease testing results, grand jury information, drug court participation records, waivers of parental consent for abortions, and wills filed for safekeeping.
What Do Macomb County Court Records Contain?
Generally, what a person might find in a court record depends mainly on the type of case and the presiding court. Below are some examples:
- Data produced for transmitting, accessing, reproducing, or maintaining court records
- Orders and judgments
- Stenotapes
- Docket entries (hearing dates, case outcomes, a list of filed documents)
- Trial and hearing transcripts, including transcripts of witness testimonies and attorney arguments
- Minutes
- Exhibits
- Audio and video recordings (analog or digital)
- Names of case parties and attorneys of record
Where to Conduct a Macomb County Case Lookup
Interested persons may look up Macomb County court cases as follows:
- Using online case access systems, such as the MiCOURT Case Search and the Macomb County CourtView portal.
- Sending a written request by mail to the clerk of the court that handled the case.
- Visiting the presiding courthouse during business hours
How to Conduct a Macomb County Case Records Search
Online Case Records Search
- The MiCOURT Case Search portal: An approach for finding Macomb County case records generated in the county's district courts is to access MiCOURT, Michigan's statewide public cases access portal.
Users can begin a search on MiCOURT by selecting the relevant county (i.e., Macomb) and court. There are eight district courts in Macomb County, including the 37th District Court at Warren, 38th District Court at Eastpointe, 40th District Court at St. Clair Shores, 41A District Court at Sterling Heights, 41B District Court in Clinton Township, 42-1 District Court in Romeo, 42-2 District Court in New Baltimore, and the D41A District Court in Shelby Township. Selecting a court lets the users search case records held by the court.
After choosing the county and court, the researcher will be redirected to a search page, where search parameters like a name or case number can be used to find case matches. Additional search filters are also provided, such as the case type (civil, criminal/traffic/civil infractions, or probate), case status (pending, adjudicated or disposed, or closed), file date, and offense date.
Note: Sealed or confidential case records/information are not displayed in the search results, nor are digital images of filed court documents provided.
- CourtView: To find case records in the 16th Judicial Circuit Court and Macomb County Probate Court, one may access the CourtView portal on the circuit court's website. The system can be searched with a first and last name, company name, or case number.
In-Person Case Records Search
Macomb County has a circuit and probate court, as well as district and municipal courts. The best way to know how to find court records in person is to contact a clerk's office. For example, the [Macomb County Clerk's Office]([http://(586) 469-5120 clerksoffice@macombgov.org](mailto:http://(586) 469-5120 clerksoffice@macombgov.org)) maintains case records from the local circuit court. The office can be reached at (586) 469-5120 or clerksoffice@macombgov.org.
Generally, individuals can request case records searches from the Macomb County Clerk's Office online, during business hours, or by mail/fax. Mail/fax requests must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and the clerk's office Circuit Court Documents Order Form (see other clerk forms). The form can be submitted online, faxed to the Clerk File Room at (586) 469-5365, emailed to fileroom@macombgov.org, or mailed to the following address:
Macomb County Clerk's Office
Attn: File Room
40 North Main Street
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
The process for searching and retrieving district court case records through a court clerk's office is similar. One may contact, visit, or write to the court clerk's office. Online request forms may be available on a district court's website. If not, one may contact the relevant court clerk's office.
Note: Each case records request to the Macomb County Clerk's Office, or any other court clerk's office, is a request for copies of case records, except the requester is visiting the courthouse to review records at a public counter. For this reason, a requester will need to pay for the necessary costs for reproduction.
The cost to request copies from the Macomb County Clerk's Office is $2 per page (for regular copies) and $10 plus $2 per page (for certified copies). Meanwhile, certified copies cost $10 plus $1 per page, and regular copies cost $1 per page in the district courts.
Macomb County Civil Court Case Records
Civil court case records contain the official accounts of civil proceedings held in a civil court. In Macomb County, the circuit, probate, and district courts (see jurisdiction) hear a wide variety of civil cases.
To find Macomb County civil court case records, one may utilize the above search methods, including online case access portals and visiting the courthouse where a case was filed to inspect or copy records.
Macomb County Criminal Court Case Records.
Criminal court case records bear information about criminal offenses (misdemeanors and felonies) prosecuted within a specific jurisdiction. Examples include assault, homicide, manslaughter, kidnapping, and robbery.
Macomb County criminal court case records can be requested from the clerk's office in the courthouse where charges were filed. Individuals can also use online public access portals the courts provide to obtain these records. Notably, some criminal case records cannot be accessed remotely by the public. For instance, MiCOURT only displays criminal case information for convictions in which sentencing occurred within the last seven years.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Macomb County court records can be retrieved online through the MiCOURT and CourtView case management systems, as detailed earlier. Users can view case information for free, but printable copies of the documents filed in cases are unavailable.
Courts in Macomb County, Michigan
The courts in Macomb County and their addresses are listed below.
Macomb County Circuit Court (16th Judicial Circuit)
40 North Main Street
Mt Clemens, MI 48043
Phone: (586) 469-7171
Macomb County Probate Court
5th Floor of Circuit Court Building
40 North Main Street
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
Wills & Estates: (586) 469-5290
Mental Division: (586) 469-5320
37th District Court
8300 Common Road
Warren, MI 48093
Phone: (586) 574-4900
Fax: (586) 574-4932
38th District Court – Eastpointe
16101 Nine Mile
Eastpointe, MI 48021
Phone: (586) 445-5020
40th District Court – St. Clair Shores
27701 Jefferson Avenue
St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
Phone: (586) 445-5280
41A District Court - Sterling Heights
40111 Dodge Park Road
Sterling Heights, MI 48313
Phone: (586) 446-2500 (General)
(586) 446-2535 (Civil)
(586) 446-2550 (Criminal)
(586) 446-2565 (Probation)
(586) 446-2575 (Traffic)
41B District Court
22380 Starks Drive
Clinton Township, MI 48036
Phone: (586) 469-9300
42nd District Court Division I Romeo
14713 33 Mile Road
Romeo, MI 48065
Phone: (586) 752-9679
42-2 District Court - New Baltimore
35071 23 Mile Road
New Baltimore, MI 48047
Phone: (586) 725-9500
Grosse Pointe Woods Municipal Court - Shores Division
795 Lakeshore
Grosse Pointe Shores, MI 48236
Phone: (313) 881-5503
Fax: (313) 640-1661
