Manistee County Court Records

Manistee County court records are permanent accounts of legal actions, claims, or proceedings held within the county. They include different categories of documentary materials produced/submitted during civil and criminal proceedings, such as motions, transcripts, summonses, subpoenas, opinions, pleadings, and judgments, as well as specific information about the cases, including party names, case titles, case types, hearing dates, and the assigned judges/magistrates.

Local court clerks' offices preserve the Manistee court records to ensure the legal system remains accountable and transparent to the public. However, these records have other practical applications, including helping parties enforce judgments, conduct background checks, perform legal research, and initiate appeals.

Are Court Records Public in Manistee County?

Yes. Rule 8.119 of the Michigan Court Rules grants broad access to documentary materials maintained by the courts in Michigan. Accordingly, any member of the public may request to examine or copy a Manistee County court record, except if the record is exempt from general review by state statute, case law, court rule, or order.

The Michigan Access Security Matrix and Nonpublic and Limited-Access Court Records manual outlines several confidential court records, including:

• Sealed court records
• Grand jury records
• Juror qualification questionnaires
• Mediation reports
• Search warrant affidavits
• Firearms records

Notwithstanding, an exempt record, although barred to the general public, may be accessible to legally authorized persons, such as the record's subject, attorney of record, and government bodies.

Manistee County Court Records Search

To look up Manistee court records, an individual can generally

• Access Records Through Court Clerk Offices: This may involve visiting the courthouse where a case was filed to request inspection or navigating the Michigan judiciary's MiCourt Case Search portal.
• Access Records Through Third-Party Providers: Many private aggregator databases facilitate court records searches across different U.S. jurisdictions, including Manistee County.

Manistee County Courts

The judicial system in Manistee County consists of three trial courts: circuit, district, and probate. All courts have the authority to receive and resolve legal disputes or claims, provided a case falls under their jurisdiction. Still, the circuit court has the broadest powers, adjudicating various civil and criminal cases.

The Manistee County courts hear cases in the same courthouse; their contact numbers are listed below:

19th Circuit Court - Manistee County
Manistee County Courthouse
415 Third Street
Manistee, MI 49660
Phone: (231) 723-6664
Fax: (231) 723-1645

85th District Court - Manistee County
Manistee County Courthouse
415 Third Street
Manistee, MI 49660
Phone: (231) 723-5010
Fax: (231) 723-1491

Probate Court - Manistee County
Manistee County Courthouse
415 Third Street
Manistee, MI 49660
Phone: (231) 723-3261
Fax: (231) 398-3558

Manistee County Criminal and Civil Records

"Manistee County criminal records" refer to all documents created and maintained by criminal justice agencies in relation to a person's activity within the county's criminal justice system. These records include criminal court case documents kept by the clerk's offices, inmate files preserved by detention and correctional institutions, and arrest records held by law enforcement departments.

To obtain Manistee County criminal court records, which detail the events and outcomes of criminal cases, a person may stop by the local courthouse during regular business hours. At the courthouse, a request for inspection or duplication can be submitted to the clerk's office. The requester will need to know at least a case party's name or the unique number associated with the case (i.e., the case number). They are also responsible for any copy fees originating from their request.

Another access option that individuals can explore is the MiCourt Case Search portal, which offers remote access to court records from all Michigan counties. The portal is searchable by case participant name or case number, and users can view/print case summaries and events for free.

However, for Manistee County arrest records, a request should be made to the police agency that made an arrest. Manistee County criminal records, including arrests, may also be accessible through the Michigan State Police (MSP). The MSP operates an Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT), which is useful for conducting name-based background checks to find a person's Manistee arrest records and other reported criminal information in Michigan. However, such Manistee criminal records are only accessible after registering on the portal and paying the MSP's search fee.

The local courts primarily maintain the Manistee County civil records, which include records from divorce and other family law cases, probate actions, personal injury suits, landlord-tenant disputes, and other non-criminal proceedings. People can access civil records using the same process specified for criminal court records.

Manistee County Marriage Records

The local county clerk's office maintains the Manistee County marriage records. These records prove that a marital union occurred and are disseminated to anyone who fills out the clerk's Marriage Record Request Form or composes a request letter containing the party names at the time of marriage and the marriage date. The form or letter can be submitted to the clerk's office in person, via mail, or by emailing clerk@manisteecountymi.gov.

A Manistee County marriage certificate costs $15 for the first copy and $5 for each other copy purchased in the same order. Anyone requesting by email can pay online through the department's private vendor. Cash (not applicable for mail/email requests) or check/money order made payable to the Manistee County Clerk can be used for in-person or mail payments.

Manistee County Divorce Records

The circuit court in Manistee hears all divorce (marriage dissolution) cases and keeps the associated records. These records are accessible at the Manistee County Courthouse during business hours (copies cost a fee per page or document). Individuals can also access the MiCourt Case Search portal to view divorce case information.

Manistee County Birth Records

Birth records, like marriage and death records, are classified as Manistee County vital records and are accessible through the local county clerk's office. Being primary identification documents, these records are useful for verifying a person's parentage, age, and citizenship. However, they are not public records and can only be obtained by the subject of the record (registrant) or their parent/legal guardian.

Eligible individuals may complete and submit the clerk's Birth Record Request Form or a request letter containing:

• The registrant's birth name
• Birth date
• Mother's maiden name
• Father's name

Requesters must also include a copy of their current driver's license or state ID and pay the Manistee County birth certificate fee—$15 for the first copy and $5 for each other copy purchased simultaneously.

The clerk's office provides in-person, mail-in, and email access to Manistee County birth records.

Manistee County Death Records

A completed Death Record Request Form can be submitted to the Manistee County Clerk's Office to obtain a copy of a death record in Manistee. Alternatively, individuals can prepare a request letter containing the deceased's name and birth date and submit it to the clerk's office.

Submission channels include in person, email, or online. Each Manistee County death certificate costs $15 for the first copy plus $5 for each additional copy ordered simultaneously.

Death records are public information in Manistee County and can be used to settle decedents' estates, claim life insurance benefits, and research family lineages.

Manistee County Probate Court Records

The Manistee County probate court records are generated from cases heard by the county's probate court. These cases include estate administration, trust administration, conservatorships, guardianships, and involuntary mental health commitments. Records from Manistee probate cases are available at the probate courthouse or through the MiCourt Case Search portal.

Manistee County Property Records

Property records encompass documents pertaining to real property transactions and interests. They include deeds, easements, liens, and other instruments affecting the title to real estate. As part of the Manistee County public records, property documents are open to any interested person through county offices, mainly the Register of Deeds and the Equalization Department.

To obtain a property record from the Manistee Register of Deeds (the county's official recording department), individuals may stop by 415 Third Street, Manistee, or call (231) 723-2146 The Register's office also provides immediate access to records on its website via different databases. Generally, a search through the Register's office requires at least a grantor/grantee's name, instrument number, or recording date. Requesters will also need to pay any related search/copy fees.

Meanwhile, the Equalization Department provides an online Property Search tool, which anyone can access with a street address, property owner's name, or parcel ID to find property information.

Manistee County Court Records Online

Manistee County court records can be obtained from government repositories and third-party sources like Michigancourtrecords.us. The latter are a collection of third-party aggregator websites that amass public data from different repositories, including the courts. As such, besides court records, these databases may provide Manistee County criminal records, property data, sex offender information, bankruptcy details, and more.

Third-party aggregator sites are generally accessible with a person's first and last name. However, only limited information may be provided for free, with complete access locked behind a paywall. Furthermore, the records obtained from third-party sites may be outdated or incomplete, necessitating verification with official government sources.