How to Search Macomb County Court Records
Macomb County offers more than one official route for looking up a case. The county CourtView system, also called eServices, is the central public lookup for both the 16th Judicial Circuit Court and the Macomb County Probate Court. The data comes from the courts' own computerized files and is treated as public information. The court still warns that online data is not the certified record, so users should confirm anything important against the official file.
Have your search terms ready before you start. A case number gives the fastest, cleanest result. When you do not have one, a party name works, and an attorney bar number can pull an attorney's caseload. The official portal that runs the case search is shown on the county eServices page, which loads the live CourtView case search application. That tool is where most Macomb County court record searches begin.
The portal returns Circuit and Probate cases, while district court matters usually run through a separate statewide system. Follow these steps to work the county lookup.
- Open the Clerk court-records page or the 16th Circuit Court page and choose the CourtView or Case Lookup link.
- Accept that CourtView is a public access tool, not the official certified record.
- Use the Case Search route, which supports case number, attorney, and party searches.
- Search by the strongest identifier you hold: case number first, bar number for an attorney search, or name fields when the case number is unknown.
- Order copies, certified documents, docket entries, or a name-search result letter from the Clerk's file room when the free lookup is not enough.
District court cases follow a different path. The statewide MiCOURT Case Search serves participating courts, and the county Nearby Courts page routes each city and township case to its own district court. Note: nonpublic district court records are not available online and can be viewed only by the defendant, in person at the court.
The Macomb County Judicial System
Michigan runs a three-tier court system, and Macomb County fits inside it. At the top sits the Michigan Supreme Court, followed by the Michigan Court of Appeals, and then the trial courts that do the day-to-day work. The State of Michigan judicial branch overview describes this same split into trial courts, an appeals court, and a court of last resort. For a broad view of how the branch is organized, the state publishes a plain-language judicial branch overview that maps each level.
Three trial courts matter for Macomb County records. The 16th Judicial Circuit Court is the trial court of broadest power. It hears civil cases over $25,000, domestic relations, felony criminal cases, some serious misdemeanors, equitable relief, and appeals from district courts and agencies. The Probate Court handles estates, guardianships, and mental-health matters. District courts cover limited-jurisdiction work close to home.
A case can move up through the system. The path runs like this:
Case flow: District Court › Circuit Court › Michigan Court of Appeals › Michigan Supreme Court
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court | Broadest trial jurisdiction | Felonies, civil over $25,000, divorce, family, appeals from district |
| District Court | Limited jurisdiction, local | Misdemeanors, felony preliminaries, traffic, landlord-tenant, small claims |
| Probate Court | Estates and protective | Wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health |
| Michigan Court of Appeals | Intermediate appeals | Appeals from circuit and other trial courts |
Macomb County Trial Courts Compared
Readers often mix up which Macomb County court holds their record. The distinction is not small. A felony file lives in Circuit Court, a speeding ticket lives in a district court, and a will contest lives in Probate Court. Michigan Courts describes Circuit Court as the trial court with the broadest powers in the state, and it lists Circuit, Probate, and District as the main trial venues. The state's own trial courts overview lays out how these levels divide the work.
The table below sets the three Macomb County trial courts side by side. Use it to decide where a record should sit before you begin a search.
| Feature | Circuit Court | District Court | Probate Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil limit | Over $25,000 | Up to $25,000 | Estate and trust value |
| Criminal reach | Felonies, serious misdemeanors | Misdemeanors, felony preliminaries | Mental-health commitment |
| Family work | Divorce, custody, support | Landlord-tenant | Guardianship, conservatorship |
| Case lookup | CourtView | MiCOURT or local court | CourtView |
Circuit and Probate share the CourtView portal, which keeps two of the three lookups in one place. District courts stand apart because each numbered court runs its own site and payment tools. A bench warrant or traffic ticket usually follows the city or township district court, not the county Circuit Court.
District courts give Macomb County residents a local venue for everyday cases. Ten district-court destinations serve cities and townships across the county, and each holds its own records. The county's official Nearby Courts list is the cleanest starting point, since it links each court to the community it covers. A ticket, misdemeanor, or small-claims case follows the court tied to where the event happened.
The 37th District Court sits in Warren and Center Line. The 41-B District Court serves Clinton Township, Harrison Township, and Mount Clemens at 22380 Starks Drive. The 42-1 District Court in Romeo covers the county's northern communities, including Washington Township, Armada, Richmond, Ray, and Bruce. Other district courts serve Eastpointe, Roseville, Fraser, St. Clair Shores, Shelby Township, Sterling Heights, and New Baltimore.
These district courts handle a familiar mix of matters:
- Criminal misdemeanors and felony preliminary examinations
- Traffic civil infractions, parking, and misdemeanor traffic
- Landlord-tenant disputes and general civil claims
- Small claims up to $7,000
Types of Court Records Available in Macomb County
The Macomb County court system produces many kinds of records, and each one lives with a particular court. Circuit Court files hold felonies, big civil disputes, and divorce judgments. District courts hold misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and small claims. Probate Court keeps estates and guardianships. The 16th Judicial Circuit Court page describes this jurisdiction in detail, and the court's own Circuit Court homepage links to case lookup, forms, and department directories.
Charges follow a distinct path in Macomb County. The Prosecutor's Warrant Division reviews investigations from 23 police agencies and decides whether charges should issue. Once charges are authorized, the court case file begins tracking the case. Common record categories include the following.
- Criminal records - felony and serious misdemeanor cases with charges, pleas, and sentences.
- Civil records - money claims, business cases, and judgments filed in Circuit Court.
- Family and divorce records - divorce, custody, parenting time, and Friend of the Court files.
- Probate records - wills, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships.
- Traffic records - citations, infractions, and misdemeanor traffic heard in district court.
What Macomb County Court Records Show
A Macomb County court record is more than a name and a charge. Each file carries a set of standard fields that tell the case story from opening to close. The Clerk puts filed documents on the computer system daily, so an active file grows as the case moves. The table below breaks down the fields you are most likely to see in a public case record.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Segmented Circuit Court identifier used to pull the file. |
| Filing Date | Date the case opened or a document was received. |
| Parties | Plaintiff and defendant, or petitioner and respondent. |
| Charges / Cause | Criminal charge description or the civil claim raised. |
| Disposition | Final outcome of the charge or case. |
| Sentence / Judgment | Punishment, conditions, or the written court decision. |
Records also hold the judge, the register of actions, hearing dates, and financial fields. Court Finance tracks fines, costs, restitution, bond funds, and payment plans. Some data never appears in public view. Social Security numbers, financial account data, minor identifying details, and sealed matters are withheld or redacted by rule.
CourtView Search Fields for Macomb County Records
Knowing the search fields before you open the portal saves time. CourtView draws from computerized records maintained by the 16th Judicial Circuit Court and the Macomb County Probate Court, and it is deemed public information. The county spells out these access rules and data limits on its CourtView information page, which is worth a read before you rely on any result. The court makes no warranty about accuracy, so verify important details against the official file.
The fields below come from the live application and the Clerk's order form. They show what you can enter and which entries the app marks as required.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Search | Tab / route | Optional | Main case-search route in eServices. |
| First Name | Text | Required for name search | App label appears as "First Name". |
| Last Name | Text | Required for name search | App label appears as "Last Name". |
| Date of Birth | Date / text | Optional | Narrows name matches where allowed. |
| Bar Number | Text | Attorney search | Used to pull an attorney caseload. |
| Case Number | Text | Optional if searching by case | Clerk form shows a segmented format. |
Note: the statewide MiCOURT portal uses similar fields but adds a court selector, since you must pick the participating district court before you search.
Public Access Laws for Macomb County Court Records
Michigan treats court records as open, within limits set by rule and statute. The Freedom of Information Act states the guiding principle that people are entitled to information about the workings of government. Court records themselves are governed by the Michigan Court Rules rather than by a records request in most cases. For a Macomb County case file, the court-maintained lookup and the Clerk's copy channels come first. The Freedom of Information Act path fits sheriff and county agency records that are not court case files.
Key Statutes:
MCL 15.231 - declares that Michigan residents are entitled to information about the official acts of public bodies.
MCL 15.235 - sets the response procedure for a Freedom of Information Act request to a public body.
MCR 8.119 - governs how courts maintain records and grant public access unless a record is restricted.
MCR 1.109 - defines a court record broadly as information created by or filed with a court.
MCL 780.621 - lets eligible convictions be set aside and made nonpublic once statutory conditions are met.
These rules balance openness against privacy. A record is public only to the extent the court rule, a statute, or a court order allows. Sealed, juvenile, adoption, and mental-health files fall outside ordinary public view.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Not every Macomb County court record is open to the public. Several categories are closed by statute or court rule, and access often depends on party status. Juvenile files, handled by the Juvenile Division, cover delinquency, abuse and neglect, adoption, and guardianships, and they are not ordinary public records. Adoption and mental-health proceedings carry similar limits. The 37th District Court states plainly that nonpublic records are unavailable through the online portal and can be viewed only by the defendant, in person at the court.
Michigan also lets people clear eligible convictions. Under the state set-aside law, a granted application makes a conviction nonpublic, though law enforcement may keep authorized access. An applicant files the SCAO form and must meet a waiting period tied to the offense. The court cannot hold the hearing until it receives the Michigan State Police report the statute requires. Redacted data such as Social Security numbers, victim addresses, and minor names stay hidden even in otherwise public files.
Specialty Courts in Macomb County
Macomb County runs several problem-solving dockets through its Specialty Court Services Department. These programs steer eligible people toward treatment and supervision instead of a standard sentence. The department oversees Adult Drug Court, DWI and Sobriety Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, Veterans' Treatment Court, the Swift and Sure Sanctions Program, and a Business Court docket. The office sits at 40 North Main Street, 6th Floor, in Mount Clemens, and applications go to a shared treatment-court email.
Two programs show the range. Adult Drug Court began in 2003, runs with one judge, and serves about 50 participants at a time. The DWI and Sobriety Treatment Court targets repeat drinking-and-driving offenders and works to end the cycle of alcohol abuse. Mental Health Court and Veterans' Treatment Court add structured, therapeutic tracks for participants who qualify. Note: incomplete treatment-court applications are not processed, and sentencing is usually set several weeks out to allow review.
Macomb County Sheriff and Jail
The Macomb County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and the public inmate lookup. The office and jail are not at the courthouse. They sit at 43565 Elizabeth Road in Mount Clemens, a separate stop from the Main Street court complex. The Sheriff's Office uses the JailTracker roster for its inmate search, and its locate-inmate page carries a scam warning: the office will never call to demand money, gift cards, or bitcoin.
Bond posting follows its own rules. During court hours, most bonds are posted at the court, while the Sheriff's Office handles certain payments after hours. For the full custody roster, booking fields, and visitation rules, the Macomb County inmate records page carries the detail, and the warrant records page explains how charges and warrants appear once a case begins.
Macomb County Sheriff's Office and Jail
43565 Elizabeth Road
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
586-469-5151
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Court Records
Family and estate records span two Macomb County offices. Marriage licenses and certified marriage copies come from the Clerk / Register of Deeds, while divorce judgments are Circuit Court domestic-relations files. Probate matters belong to the separate Probate Court. The Macomb County Probate Court page links its case lookup and lists an in-person deadline of 3:00 p.m. for emergency filings. The full picture of each record type lives on the dedicated pages.
A Macomb applicant can search a marriage or divorce case in the county lookup, then order a certified copy. For step-by-step help, the marriage and divorce records page covers licenses, fees, and copies, and the probate records page covers estates and guardianships. A few probate terms show up often in these files.
- Testator
- A person who makes a will.
- Executor
- The person named to carry out a will and settle the estate.
- Conservator
- A person appointed to manage another adult's finances.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will, so state law divides the estate.
Macomb County Courthouses and Offices
The Macomb County court center clusters in downtown Mount Clemens, but it is not a single door. Circuit Court, the Clerk's Court Section, Court Finance, Case Management, and the law library all use 40 North Main Street. Family and juvenile functions sit nearby at 10 North Main, and Vital Records with the Register of Deeds work from 120 North Main. The Clerk's own Clerk / Register of Deeds page names Anthony G. Forlini and lists the offices and hours.
Knowing which counter to visit matters. A Circuit Court filing, a certified marriage copy, and an inmate search can each point to a different address. The cards below list the main records stops.
Register of Deeds and Vital Records
120 N Main Street
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
586-469-5120
Macomb County Court Records Fees
Ordering copies from Macomb County comes with a published fee schedule. The Clerk's file room charges by the page, and certified work adds a flat certification fee. You can order online, by fax, by mail, or in person at the Circuit Court Building. The Clerk's court records page explains the filing and copy channels, including an expedited option for urgent requests.
The most common charges appear below. A certified copy is often needed when a record must be filed with another agency.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Regular pleading copy per page | $2 |
| Certified copy | $10 plus $2 per page |
| Certification fee | $10 |
| Name search per name | $2 |
| Register of Actions printout per page | $2 |
| Expedited file room order | $30 |
Filing fees are separate from copy fees. A fax-filed civil, domestic, or appeals case carries a $175 filing fee, a motion costs $20, and a jury demand runs $85. Note: a self-addressed stamped envelope should be included if you want stamped copies mailed back to you.
How to Interpret Macomb County Court Records
Court files use terms that can trip up a first-time reader. A charge is not a conviction, and a filing is not a final outcome. The disposition tells you how a charge ended, while the sentence spells out the punishment. Criminal captions read as the People of the State of Michigan versus the defendant, and civil captions name a plaintiff and a defendant. The register of actions is simply the chronological list of everything filed in the case.
A short glossary clears up the words that appear most often in a Macomb County file.
- Plaintiff
- The party who starts a civil lawsuit.
- Bindover
- The transfer of a felony case from district court to circuit court.
- Arraignment
- The first court appearance where charges and bond are addressed.
- Disposition
- The final outcome of a charge or case.
- Set aside
- The Michigan term for clearing a conviction from public view.
Online court data is a starting point, not the last word. The Clerk puts filed documents on the computer system daily, so there can be a lag between an event and its posting. The county states that CourtView data must be independently verified against official court records, and it notes that the Clerk does not maintain the public access site. When a detail must be exact, order a certified copy or call the Clerk's Court Section.
Note: Confirm any case detail with the originating court office before relying on it for a legal, financial, or background decision.
History of Macomb County Courts
Macomb County's court story starts early. The forerunner of the Circuit Court held its first session on July 13, 1818, in the log home of Christian Clemens, the same figure whose name marks Mount Clemens today. That early bench grew into the modern three-court structure of Circuit, Probate, and District courts. The Circuit Court's about-the-courts page ties this history to public education, grouping it with directions, parking, and school visits.
The system keeps evolving. Adult Drug Court launched in 2003, and the Macomb County Office of Public Defender was created in 2020 to manage the county's indigent criminal defense system. The Clerk's office has recently pushed online tools such as Fraud Notify and a Virtual Clerk's Office. Each change adds a new way to reach the same Macomb County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I search Macomb County Circuit Court cases?
Use the county CourtView system, also called eServices. It pulls public case information straight from the computerized files of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court and the Probate Court. Search by case number for the fastest result, or by party name when you do not have the number. Remember that the online record is not certified, so confirm anything important against the official court file.
How do I look up a district court traffic ticket?
District court cases are not in CourtView. Start with the county Nearby Courts list to find the district court tied to the city or township, then use the statewide MiCOURT Case Search or that court's own payment tool. A ticket usually follows the community where it was issued, not the county Circuit Court in Mount Clemens.
Are Macomb County court records public?
Most are. Michigan court rules make records open unless a rule, statute, or court order restricts them. Sealed cases, juvenile files, adoption matters, and mental-health proceedings are closed or limited. Personal data such as Social Security numbers and minor identifiers is redacted. For sheriff and county agency records that are not court files, the Freedom of Information Act path applies.
How much does a certified copy cost?
The Clerk charges a $10 certification fee plus $2 per page for a certified copy of a Circuit Court document. A plain copy runs $2 per page, and a name search costs $2 per name. You can order online, by fax, by mail, or in person at the Circuit Court Building, with an expedited option available for $30.
How do I find someone in the Macomb County Jail?
Use the Sheriff's Office JailTracker roster, reached through the county locate-inmate page. It shows current county custody, not state prison inmates, who appear in the separate MDOC OTIS system. Watch for scams: the Sheriff's Office will never call to demand money, gift cards, or bitcoin to release or help an inmate.
Can I clear an old conviction in Macomb County?
Michigan lets you apply to set aside eligible convictions, which makes them nonpublic. You file the SCAO application and must meet a waiting period based on the offense. The court cannot hold a hearing until it receives the required Michigan State Police report. If granted, public access to the case is restricted, though authorized law-enforcement access may remain.