Kent County Circuit Court Case Search

Kent County’s Circuit Court, through designated record custodians, creates and maintains information on all court activities in the courthouse. Note that this information is mostly accessible to public members. The public may conduct searches for court records to find information about court events, for legal research, and to determine if the court was impartial.

Designated record custodians may deny public access to information that is sealed or restricted. The state law or the court may seal or restrict court records if they contain information whose disclosure is not in the public interest.

What kinds of cases have been heard in Kent Circuit Court?

Kent County’s circuit court has general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. However, it will only handle cases that are beyond the jurisdiction of lower courts. Examples of cases under the court’s jurisdiction are:

• Criminal cases: felony and juvenile cases.
• Civil cases: general civil (unlimited), complex commercial, real estate title and boundary, administrative agency appeals, and protection or restraining orders.
• Family law cases (domestic relations and juvenile): domestic violence protection orders, paternity, divorce, child custody, child visitation, juvenile delinquency, adoption, child neglect and abuse, and termination of parental rights.
• Probate cases: name changes.

Note: Kent County’s circuit court does not have specialized divisions or departments for handling different case types. The court hears all cases in the same location.

Kent County Circuit Court

Kent County’s 17th Circuit Court is the county's highest trial court. Its jurisdiction covers all civil and criminal cases. However, the court will only oversee cases that carry certain penalty levels or higher financial thresholds. For instance, it hears civil cases in which the disputed amount is $25,000 or more. The court also enjoys exclusive authority over all family law cases.

In Kent County, residents use the circuit court to resolve important disputes, get justice, and document life events like divorce. Residents may find the circuit courthouse at this location:

Circuit Courts in Kent County
17th Circuit Court
Kent County Courthouse
180 Ottawa Avenue Northwest
#2400
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616) 632-5480
Fax: (616) 632-5458

Kent County Case Lookup

Interested parties can look up Kent County case files and related information through these options:

Online searches and requests for court records

The MiCourt platform maintains statewide access to all court documents generated within the county. To find Kent County court records on the platforms, inquirers must follow these steps:

1. Visit the MiCourt platform.
2. Scroll down or use the search box to find the courthouse that handled the case.
3. Next, choose a preferred search option and provide the required information.
4. Click on "Search" to view court documents.

In contrast, the county’s 17th Circuit Court hosts an online searchable database for civil and criminal cases tried in the courthouse. To view records, interested parties must input relevant data under the appropriate case type section.

Note: The online database only provides access to criminal convictions in which the sentencing occurred in the last seven years.

Inquirers can make online requests for Kent court records via the county’s FOIA request platform. The county clerk’s office will process the request and deliver it to the inquirer’s mail or email address. Note that you must create an account to access the option.

Walk-in requests for Kent County court records

Inquirers can request copies of Kent County court records by visiting the county clerk’s office at this address:

Kent County Courthouse
2nd floor
180 Ottawa Avenue Northwest
Suite 2400
Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

The clerk oversees the recordkeeping of court cases filed in the county’s courts. To request court documents in person, inquirers must submit a request to the county clerk’s office during weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The in-person request must include these details:

• The requester’s name, phone number, and address.
• Full names of the case parties.
• Case number
• Filing date range.

Mail-in requests for court records in Kent County

Inquirers can submit mail requests for certified or non-certified copies of Kent court records through these steps:
You may fill out one of these online request forms:

• Form for divorce judgments or orders
• Form for probate case records
• FOIA request platform (covers requests for all case-type records)

Required fees are different and may depend on the case type. For instance, certified court records cost $2 per order plus 2.5% of the total amount, which is the processing fee. Upon receiving the online request, the clerk’s office will retrieve the requested document and mail it to the inquirer.

Kent Circuit Court Case Search by Name

Name-based searches require the use of the names of the concerned parties to locate documents. The Kent County Clerk of Courts allows name-based searches for circuit court records. Inquirers may use online or offline options to name-search records. You can name-search court records online via these steps:

1. Visit the Clerk of Court’s searchable platform.
2. Input the case party’s name in the case type section for the record.
3. Click on "Search" to generate the search result.

Alternatively, you can name-search court records in person by visiting the clerk’s office at:

Kent County Courthouse
2nd floor
180 Ottawa Avenue Northwest
Suite 2400
Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Name-based inquiries are not accurate options for locating court documents in Kent County, Michigan. To get accurate search results, inquirers must provide the correct spelling and include additional details like birth date and filing date.

Kent Circuit Court Docket Search

Court dockets contain summaries of events that transpired in a case proceeding. The records typically contain information on case parties, attorneys, filings, motions, orders, and upcoming court hearing dates.

Public members can look up circuit court docket information through online searches and requests or walk-ins to the clerk’s office. For online searches, inquirers must type the case party name into the specific case type section on the online database. You can also use the FOIA online request form to inquire about court docket information. The court clerk will review the request and send the requested file via the provided address.

An alternative option is to visit the court clerk’s office during business hours at:

Kent County Courthouse
2nd floor
180 Ottawa Avenue Northwest
Suite 2400
Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

In Kent County, court docket searches are necessary for the following reasons:

• To find information about court dates
• To track the progress of a case proceeding.
• To identify important documents used in a court case.
• To monitor case activity in pending cases.

Lookup Kent County Circuit Court Online

The Kent County Clerk of the Court hosts an online database for civil and criminal cases heard in the courthouse. Inquirers must provide relevant search data to view the records. In contrast, third-party search platforms like Michigancourtrecords.us offer online access to Kent County circuit court records. Such platforms are mainly easy to navigate and do not restrict out-of-state users from accessing them. However, these sites operate independently of government agencies and cannot, therefore, guarantee accurate, updated, or complete information.

Supreme Court vs. Circuit Court

In Kent County, the 17th Circuit Court differs from the Supreme Court in terms of jurisdiction and functions. The Michigan Supreme Court is regarded as "the court of last resort" since it has the final authority on all matters concerning state laws. It also hears appeals from the Court of Appeals and reviews orders or judgments made by the lower courts. However, the Circuit Court is the highest trial-level court, and its jurisdiction applies to cases handled within Kent County.