Lenawee County Court Records

In Lenawee County, court records refer to all official files on court case proceedings, judicial actions, and activities. The records play a significant role in legal issues since they contain accurate data on court events. This means they can serve as evidence or precedents in future legal cases.

Court records in Lenawee County differ based on their content, creation process, and format. For instance, civil court cases may include affidavits, orders of notice, complaints, contracts, and testimonies. In contrast, lien court documents include filing details, the debtor's information, and judgment lien certificates.

Michigan court records, including those generated in Lenawee County, are court documents that may include pleadings, court dockets, motions, jury records, case files, sheriff’s information, and judgments.

Are Court Records Public in Lenawee County?

Lenawee County court records mostly contain public information. Under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, all persons, excluding inmates, may request, inspect, and get copies of Lenawee County public records. The state law also empowers custodian agencies to provide court documents upon requests from public members.

Under the state’s FOIA, certain records are restricted from the general public's view. The restricted records contain information whose disclosure will invade a person’s personal privacy. Case in point, these records are exempt from public view:

• Court documents that contain information on victims of sexual misconduct or crimes.
• Information that is subject to client-attorney privilege
• Court documents containing medical information which may violate the subject’s privacy
• Court information that is exempt due to a court order or state or federal statute.

Lenawee County Court Records Search

Lenawee County court records searches are inquiries for finding pending or completed court cases in the county. Persons or entities conducting court records searches must determine the agency holding the records.

In Lenawee County, state and local agencies maintain various options for accessing court records. For instance, the 2A District Court allows in-person access to court documents, while the state-level MiCourt portal enables online access to the records.

Irrespective of the preferred request option, record seekers must provide information about the requested document. The search information may include the case party’s name, case number, filing or court conviction date, and citation number.

Lenawee County Court Records Search by Name

In Lenawee County, record seekers can name-search court records through local and state agencies. The MiCourt case search portal allows users to find court records by name. But, to use this option, record seekers must choose the “Name Search” option.

Record seekers can also find court cases by name at the courthouse that handled the case. Nevertheless, you may need to include additional search details to get precise search results. The courthouse may also charge fees for searching and copying the requested court document.

Lenawee County Courts

Lenawee County’s court system comprises a district court, a circuit court, and a probate court. The courts may have sole or shared jurisdiction over court case types like civil, criminal, juvenile, domestic relations, and probate cases. Lenawee County courts’ location and contact information are provided below:

39th Circuit Court - Lenawee
Rex B. Martin Judicial Building
425 North Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 264-4597

2A District Court - Lenawee
Rex B. Martin Judicial Building,
425 North Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 264-4675

Lenawee County Probate Court
Rex B. Martin Judicial Building
425 North Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: 9517) 264-4614 (Estate)
Phone: (517) 264-4622 (Family, Juvenile)

Lenawee County District Court Records

Lenawee County District Court has limited jurisdiction over civil and civil court cases. The court also maintains records of cases tried at the courthouse. Thus, record seekers can obtain the records by contacting the 2A District Court at this address:

Rex B. Martin Judicial Building
425 North Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 264-4675

Before visiting the courthouse, record seekers may call to determine the record's availability and the applicable fees. Note that the court will only attend to in-person requests during working hours.

In contrast, online versions of the records are available on the MiCourt platform. Record seekers must click the drop-down menu to find and select “2A District - Lenawee”. Next, they must select the preferred search option to find the records.

Lenawee County Criminal Records

Also referred to as rap sheets, Lenawee County criminal records contain an individual's criminal conviction information. The records are under the purview of local and state law enforcement agencies. For instance, the Michigan State Police allows statewide name- or fingerprint-based checks for criminal records. The Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office also offers access to criminal records generated within the county.

To conduct name-based checks, record seekers must use the MSP’s iChat search portal. Note that it costs $10 to perform a search on the portal. In contrast, requesters must use these steps for fingerprint-based checks:

1. In-state requesters must get fingerprinted at their local law enforcement agency. The requester must be fingerprinted on a RI-008 card. Out-of-state requesters must use the FD-258 card.

Note: Law enforcement agencies provide fingerprinting services during specific hours of operation. The Lenawee County Sheriff’s office conducts fingerprinting on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

1. Create a cover letter containing the reasons for the fingerprint checks and include your mailing address
2. Attach a $30 processing fee in the form of a check or money order made payable to the State of Michigan
3. Send the documents via mail to:

Michigan State Police CJIC
P.O. Box 30266
Lansing, Michigan, 48909-7766

In contrast, the county sheriff's Record Division provides access to criminal records via these options:

• Online request using the FOIA request form
• Phone calls to (517) 263-0524 - 2031 during normal business hours.
• Mail-in request to:

405 North Winter Street
Adrian, MI 49221

Lenawee County arrest records are also accessible through the Sheriff’s Record Division. Record seekers must follow the aforementioned process to obtain arrest records in Lenawee County.

Lenawee County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Individuals or entities can look up Lenawee County criminal court cases at the courthouse that handled them. The circuit court hears felony cases, while the district court handles misdemeanors, traffic, or ordinance violation cases. Thus, interested parties must make an in-person request at the courthouse that oversaw the case.

The Michigan iCourt platform is an alternative method for accessing criminal case records in Lenawee County. To obtain records via this option, record seekers must visit the portal, select the court name, and fill in the required case information.

Get Lenawee County Civil Court Records

Lenawee civil court records provide information on court cases that involve disputes and claims. The county’s circuit and district courts share jurisdiction over civil court cases. They also maintain and enable access to civil court cases in their custody.

Persons or entities seeking to get these records must make a request in person at the court’s location. Furthermore, they must provide case information to help the courts in their search for the documents.

An alternative option to get civil court records is to use the state’s iChat platform. The platform contains all civil court cases documented in the county. To use the portal, record seekers only need to select the court name and input the required search details.

Lenawee County Family Court Records

In Lenawee County, family court records provide data on domestic- and juvenile-type cases. Family court cases may include divorce, termination of parental rights, child custody and adoption, and juvenile delinquency. That being said, the county’s circuit and probate courts hear family court cases.

Persons or entities interested in getting these records must make an in-person request at the courts’ locations. Note that the courts may require proof of identification before releasing family court records. This is because the cases contain confidential data which are only accessible to legally eligible persons.

Record seekers may also find some family court records on the state’s iChat search portal. However, the portal does not include family law cases like adoption, juvenile guardianships, and juvenile and child protective proceedings.

Lenawee County Marriage and Divorce Records

Lenawee County marriage and divorce records are accessible through local or state-level agencies. At the local level, the Lenawee County clerk’s office maintains marriage records, while the circuit clerk’s office keeps divorce records. In contrast, the Michigan Vital Records Department maintains all marriage or divorce records at the state level. Note that the record custodians do not limit or restrict access to marriage or divorce records.

How do I obtain Lenawee County marriage records?

At the county level, you may send an in-person or mail request to the county clerk’s office. For requests made in person, you must visit the clerk’s office at:

Lenawee County Clerk - Vital Records
113 West Front Street
Adrian, MI

To get the records via mail-in requests, requesters must send a completed request form and the applicable fees to the clerk’s office. A copy of Lenawee's marriage records costs $12, while additional copies are $6 each. The fee must be in the form of a money order or checks made payable to the Lenawee County Clerk.

At the state level, you can request the records in person or via mail to the Vital Records Department at:

Vital Records Requests
P.O. Box 30721
Lansing, MI 48909

The request must include the following documents and fees:

• A completed application for Lenawee County marriage records
• There is a $34 processing fee per one-year search. For mail-in requests, the fee must be a money order or check made payable to the State of Michigan.

How do I obtain divorce records in Lenawee County?

To get divorce records, the requester must make an in-person request to the county circuit court’s office at:

39th Circuit Court, Lenawee
Rex B. Martin Judicial Building
425 North Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 264-4597

On the other hand, you can obtain Lenawee County divorce records from the state’s vital records department. Record seekers must send a completed request form and a $34 search fee to the agencies at:

Vital Records Requests
P.O. Box 30721
Lansing, MI 48909

For mail-based payments, use a money order or check made payable to the State of Michigan.

Lenawee Birth and Death Records

The Lenawee County Clerk’s Office keeps birth and death records. Record seekers can either obtain the records in person or send a mail request to the agency at:

39th Circuit Court - Lenawee
Rex B. Martin Judicial Building
425 North Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 264-4597

The mail request must include the following:

• An application for Lenawee County birth or death records
• A $16 fee for the first copy and $6 per additional copy ordered at the same time. For a mail-based request, make the money order or check payable to the Lenawee County Clerk.

Michigan’s Vital Records Department also allows in-person or mail-based orders for birth or death records. However, only eligible requesters can obtain birth records from the agency that are less than 100 years old. To obtain the records in person or via mail, record seekers must send a completed birth or death record request form and the applicable fees to the agency at:

Vital Records Requests
P.O. Box 30721
Lansing, MI 48909

Note: It costs $34 per one-year search for the records. Additional searches per year are $12.

Lenawee County vital records, such as birth and death certificates, are necessary legal documents for protecting your rights to identity and property.

Lenawee County Probate Court Records

Lenawee County probate court oversees probate cases on wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. Record seekers can obtain copies of these documents in person at:

Lenawee County Probate Court
Rex B. Martin Judicial Building
425 North Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 264-4614 (Estate)
Phone: (517) 264-4622 (Family, Juvenile)

Note that the court attends to in-person requests during hours of operation. Record seekers must provide enough information about the document being requested.

Lenawee County Property Records

In Lenawee County, property records contain data on property taxes, valuations, deeds, mortgages, owner’s information, parcel ID, and titles. The county treasurer’s office maintains all property-related tax information, while the assessor’s office keeps property assessment data. To obtain property records in Lenawee County, record seekers must make an in-person request at the following agencies:

Lenawee County Treasurer’s Office,
301 North Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 264-4554
Fax: (517) 264-4556

Lewanee County Assessor’s Office
301 North Main Street
Old Courthouse
1st Floor
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 264-4522
Fax: (517) 264-4529

The agencies partnered with a third-party website to provide online access to property records in the county.

Lenawee County Court Records Online

Government-owned sites are primarily responsible for providing access to online court records in Lenawee County. Record seekers can also obtain Lenawee court records from third-party resources like michigancourtrecords.us. The sites have a user-friendly interface and do not restrict out-of-state requesters from accessing the records. Users can also view and directly download court documents from the sites. Despite the perks of using third-party sites, users should note that these sites may contain inaccurate or incomplete data.