Antrim County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Antrim County in 2026
AntrimRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to court records filed in Antrim County, Michigan. Members of the public seeking court records may find case-level data that includes party names, case numbers, filing dates, hearing schedules, docket entries, and case dispositions, subject to applicable access restrictions under Michigan law. Record categories that may be available through official and third-party sources include:
- Civil court filings and judgments
- Criminal case records and dispositions
- Probate court filings and orders
- Family court records, where not restricted
- Traffic and ordinance violation records
- Small claims court filings
- District and circuit court docket entries
Court records in Antrim County may be searched through five primary methods:
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Clerk of Court or Court Records Office — The Antrim County Clerk's office maintains official case files for circuit court matters. Members of the public may submit requests in person or in writing, providing the case number, party name, or approximate filing date to assist staff in locating the record.
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Courthouse Public Access Terminals — Public terminals located within the courthouse allow on-site inspection of case index data and, in some instances, document images. No fee is assessed for viewing records at these terminals, though copies carry a per-page charge.
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Online Court Search — The Antrim County online services portal provides access to 13th Circuit Court civil and criminal case records, as well as 86th District Court cases, through the county's official website.
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State-Level Judicial Search Tools — The MiCOURT Case Search system, administered by the Michigan Supreme Court and the State Court Administrative Office, allows statewide case index searches across participating Michigan courts.
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Written or Mail Requests — Members of the public who cannot appear in person may submit written requests to the appropriate clerk's office. Requests should include the full name of a party, the approximate filing year, and the case type. Fees for copies and certified documents apply.
Antrim County Clerk's Office 203 E. Cayuga Street Bellaire, MI 49615 Phone: (231) 533-6353 Antrim County Clerk
Are Court Records Public In Antrim County
Court records in Antrim County are public under current Michigan law, subject to specific statutory and court-rule exceptions. Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, MCL § 15.231 et seq., establishes the general right of public access to government records, including records maintained by court clerks in their administrative capacity. Additionally, Michigan Court Rule MCR 8.119 governs the maintenance, access, and disclosure of trial court records statewide.
Records that are public under current law include:
- Case docket entries and index information
- Party names and case numbers
- Hearing dates and courtroom assignments
- Filed pleadings, motions, and orders in civil and criminal matters
- Final judgments, sentencing entries, and probate orders
- Traffic and ordinance case dispositions
Records that may be confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted include:
- Juvenile delinquency and child protective proceedings
- Adoption records and related filings
- Mental health commitment proceedings
- Records sealed by court order
- Expunged criminal records under MCL § 780.621
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth in certain filings
- Certain domestic violence and personal protection order records
A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While the physical case file may be inspected at the clerk's office during business hours, not all documents available for in-person review are reproduced in online systems. The Records Management framework administered by the State Court Administrative Office identifies which record types carry restricted or limited access, and courts are required to apply those classifications consistently.
What Are Court Records in Antrim County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with a legal proceeding. In practical terms, a court record encompasses everything generated from the moment a case is initiated through its final disposition and any subsequent appellate proceedings.
A docket entry is a chronological log of actions taken in a case, while a full case file includes the underlying documents — complaints, motions, exhibits, orders, and judgments — that correspond to those entries. The docket serves as the index; the case file contains the substance.
Civil court records document disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, covering matters such as contract claims, property disputes, and tort actions. Criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the state against an individual accused of a criminal offense, from arraignment through sentencing or acquittal.
Filed pleadings are the initial documents that frame the legal dispute, while final judgments represent the court's conclusive resolution of the matter. Both are part of the official record, though access to specific pleadings may be restricted in certain case types.
Public filings are accessible to any member of the public under applicable law. Sealed or restricted filings have been removed from public access by court order or by operation of statute, and their existence may or may not be disclosed on the public docket.
Trial court records are maintained by the clerk of the trial court — in Antrim County, the 13th Circuit Court and the 86th District Court. Appellate records are maintained by the Michigan Court of Appeals or the Michigan Supreme Court, depending on the level of review.
Court records are created when a party files an initiating document, updated as the case progresses through hearings and motions, and finalized upon entry of judgment or dismissal. The clerk of court is responsible for maintaining the official record throughout this process.
What's Included in an Antrim County Court Record?
A court record in Antrim County may include the following information, depending on case type and applicable public-access rules:
- Case identification: case number, court name and division, filing date
- Party information: names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and counsel of record
- Case classification: case type, statutory basis, and current status
- Docket entries: a chronological log of all filings, hearings, and court actions
- Hearing information: scheduled and completed hearing dates, courtroom assignments, and continuances
- Filed documents: complaints, petitions, answers, motions, responses, notices, stipulations, and similar pleadings
- Court orders and judgments: interim orders, final judgments, decrees, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
- Outcome information: dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, acquittals, and case dispositions
- Administrative and financial data: filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information, where publicly shown
Records that are excluded or restricted from public access include sealed filings, expunged matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, protected personal identifiers, and certain exhibits that contain confidential information. The Cases, Opinions & Orders portal maintained by the Michigan Supreme Court notes that it provides information as a public service and that access is subject to the terms and conditions governing use of the system.
Types of Courts in Antrim County
Antrim County is served by two trial courts operating within the Michigan unified court system: the 13th Circuit Court and the 86th District Court. Each court maintains its own official records through its respective clerk's office.
13th Circuit Court exercises general jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil matters involving amounts exceeding $25,000, family division cases (including divorce, custody, and child protective proceedings), and probate matters. The circuit court also hears appeals from the district court. The Antrim County Clerk serves as the clerk of the circuit court.
86th District Court exercises limited jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal cases, civil claims up to $25,000, landlord-tenant disputes, small claims matters (up to $7,000), and traffic and ordinance violations. The district court maintains its own clerk's office for record requests.
Antrim County Courthouse — 13th Circuit Court 203 E. Cayuga Street Bellaire, MI 49615 Phone: (231) 533-6353 Antrim County Online Services
86th District Court 203 E. Cayuga Street Bellaire, MI 49615 Phone: (231) 533-6681 Antrim County Online Services
What Types of Cases Do Antrim County Courts Hear
The 13th Circuit Court hears felony criminal prosecutions, civil actions exceeding the district court's jurisdictional threshold, divorce and family law proceedings, juvenile delinquency and child protective matters through its family division, and probate proceedings including estates, guardianships, and conservatorships. The 86th District Court handles misdemeanor and ordinance violations, civil claims within its jurisdictional limit, landlord-tenant summary proceedings, small claims actions, and all traffic matters originating in the county. Appeals from the 86th District Court are heard by the 13th Circuit Court, and appeals from the circuit court proceed to the Michigan Court of Appeals.
How to Search Antrim County Court Records for Free?
Several methods for searching Antrim County court records carry no cost to the requestor, while others involve fees for copies or certified documents.
| Method | Cost |
|---|---|
| In-person inspection at clerk's office | Free |
| Public access terminals at courthouse | Free |
| Online case index search (MiCOURT) | Free |
| Antrim County online case search portal | Free |
| Paper copies (per page) | $1.00 per page (standard) |
| Certified copies | $10.00 per document (standard) |
| ICHAT criminal history search | $10.00 per subject |
Members of the public may inspect case index information and, where available, document images at no charge through the MiCOURT Case Search system or through the courthouse public terminals. The Antrim County online services portal provides free access to 13th Circuit Court civil and criminal case records and 86th District Court case data.
Statewide criminal history records maintained by the Michigan State Police are accessible through the ICHAT system, which carries a $10.00 fee per subject searched. ICHAT searches public criminal history record information maintained by the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center and does not substitute for a certified court record.
Fees for copies and certified documents are governed by MCL § 600.1988, which establishes the clerk's authority to assess charges for reproduction of court records.
How Long Does Antrim County Keep Court Records?
Retention periods for court records in Antrim County are governed by the records retention and disposal schedule established by the State Court Administrative Office under the authority of the Michigan Supreme Court. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.
Under current judicial records management policy:
- Felony criminal case files are retained permanently or for extended periods given the severity of the underlying offense and the potential for post-conviction proceedings.
- Misdemeanor and civil case files are subject to retention schedules that vary by case type, with many retained for a minimum of several years following final disposition.
- Probate records, including estate files and guardianship proceedings, are retained for extended periods due to their ongoing legal significance.
- Docket books and minute records are retained permanently as the official chronological record of court proceedings.
- Judgment records are retained permanently in many jurisdictions given their continuing legal effect.
- Traffic and ordinance records carry shorter retention periods, subject to the applicable schedule.
Paper files may be destroyed following imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the retention period has been satisfied and proper authorization obtained. Destruction of a record is distinct from sealing or expungement: a sealed record continues to exist but is restricted from public access, while an expunged record is ordered removed from public view under MCL § 780.621. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, or county archives rather than in electronic systems. The Records Management framework published by the State Court Administrative Office provides the authoritative schedule for trial court record retention statewide.
How To Find a Court Docket in Antrim County
A court docket is the official chronological log of all actions taken in a case, distinct from the full case file. The docket records each filing, hearing, order, and status change as it occurs, serving as the index to the underlying documents. A full case file contains the actual documents — complaints, motions, orders — while the docket records that those documents were filed and when.
Dockets for Antrim County cases may be accessed through the following channels:
- MiCOURT Case Search: The MiCOURT Case Search system provides docket-level information for cases in participating Michigan courts. Users may search by party name or case number to retrieve docket entries, hearing dates, and case status.
- Antrim County Online Services Portal: The county's online services portal provides direct access to 13th Circuit Court civil and criminal case dockets and 86th District Court case information.
- Courthouse Public Terminals: On-site terminals at the Antrim County Courthouse allow members of the public to search the case index and view docket entries without charge.
- Clerk's Office Request: Members of the public may request docket information in person at the clerk's office by providing the case number or party name.
A docket entry reflects the date of a filing or court action, a brief description of the event, and, in some systems, a link to the associated document image. Dockets do not include sealed entries, confidential attachments, or exhibits that have been restricted from public access. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse. The Cases, Opinions & Orders resource maintained by the Michigan Supreme Court provides an additional avenue for locating case and docket information across the Michigan court system.