Oakland County Court Records

County Court records refer to recorded case information, documents, and filings submitted or generated by the courts in a litigation. In Oakland County, Michigan, these records include briefs, motions/petitions, audio/video recordings, photographs, and case information like party name, case type, or case number.

The Oakland County Clerk and the Register of Deeds are Oakland County court record custodians. These documents are used for professional legal education, public education, and historical references. They may also be referenced to ascertain equity and fairness in the judicial system.

Are Court Records Public in Oakland County?

Yes. The Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Michigan Court Rules (MCR 8.119) authorize Oakland County residents and the general public to inspect and obtain copies of court records on request.

However, not all court records are publicly available. Per state laws, access to records containing sensitive or private information is on a need-to-know basis only. In other words, only authorized persons may obtain these records. For instance, records related to minors, adoption, sexual assault, and mental illness are off-limits to the public.

Oakland County Court Records Search

Inquirers seeking Oakland County court records may consider any of the following resources/custodians:

• The Legal Records Division of the County Clerk’s Office
• The courthouse where the record was generated
• Electronic search portals provided by the county court system (e.g., Court Explorer)
• Independent third-party record providers.

Oakland County Court Records Search by Name

A subject’s last name is the minimum requirement for performing a court records search by name. Providing the party’s first name or a business name may also expedite record retrieval. To perform a name-based record search, visit the court clerk’s office or send a mail. These options typically attract charges for copying and certifying copies of court records.

A faster, less expensive option for an Oakland County court records search by name is remote access options.

• Court Explorer: This search portal is maintained by the legal records division of the clerk’s office and allows interested persons to search and order circuit court records by inputting either a business name or an individual’s first and last name. There is a $1 per regular copy and $10 for certified copies of records ordered through this portal.
• Probate Access: This search service is free, view-only, and specific to court records generated by the Oakland County probate court.

Oakland County Courts

Oakland County’s court system comprises a Circuit Court, eleven District Courts, and one Probate County. The addresses and contact information of the courts in Oakland County are outlined below:

6th Circuit Court - Oakland
Oakland County Courthouse
1200 N Telegraph Road
Dept 413 Pontiac, MI 48341
Phone: (248) 858-0582

43rd District Court - Ferndale
305 East 9 Mile Road
Ferndale, MI 48220
Phone: (248) 547-8700
Fax: (248) 584-2599

43rd District Court - Hazel Park
Hazel Park City Hall
111 East 9 Mile Road
Hazel Park, MI 48030
Phone: (248) 547-3033
Fax: (248) 546-4088

43rd District Court - Madison Heights
200 West 13 Mile Road
Madison Heights, MI 48071
Phone: (248) 583-1800
Fax: (248) 583-7721

44th District Court - Royal Oak
400 East 11 Mile Road
Royal Oak, MI 48067
Phone: (248) 246-3600
Fax: (248) 246-3601

45th District Court - Oak Park
13600 Oak Park Boulevard
Oak Park, MI 48237
Phone: (248) 691-7440
Fax: (248) 691-7158

46th District Court - Southfield
26000 Evergreen Road
Southfield, MI 48076
Phone: (248) 796-5800

47th District Court - Farmington Hills
31605 West 11 Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48336
Phone: (248) 871-2900
Fax: (248) 871-2901

48th District Court - Bloomfield Hills
4280 Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
P.O. Box: 3200
Phone: (248) 647-1141
Fax: (248) 647-8955

50th District Court - Pontiac
Judge William J. Waterman Hall of Justice Building
70 North Saginaw Street
Pontiac, MI 48342
Phone: (248) 758-3800

51st District Court - Waterford
5100 Civic Center Drive
Waterford, MI 48329
Phone: (248) 674-4655
Fax: (248) 674-4476

52nd District Court - 1st Division
48150 Grand River Avenue
Novi, MI 48374
Phone: (248) 305-6080 (Civil)
Phone: (248) 305-6460 (Criminal)
Phone: (248) 305-6511 (Traffic).

52nd District Court - 2nd Division
5850 Lorac Clarkston, MI 48346
Phone: (248) 625-4880
Fax: (248) 625-5602

52nd District Court - 3rd Division
700 Barclay Circle
Rochester Hills, MI 48307
Phone: (248) 853-5553

52nd District Court - 4th Division
520 West Big Beaver Road
Troy, MI 48084
Phone: (248) 528-0400
Fax: (248) 528-3588

Oakland County Probate Court
Oakland County Courthouse
1200 North Telegraph Road
Dept 457 Pontiac, MI 48341
Phone: (248) 858-0260
Fax: (248) 452-2016

Oakland County Circuit Court Case Search

The Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Oakland County decides the judicial district's civil, criminal, family, and business cases. It also has jurisdiction to resolve appeals sent from the district and probate courts.

The Legal Records Division of the County Clerk’s Office maintains records of felony criminal cases, domestic and family law matters, and civil and business court cases. Interested persons may visit the E-Services center of the legal records division in the Clerk’s office to search circuit court records in person at:

Oakland County Clerk’s Office
1200 North Telegraph Road
Pontiac, MI 48341
Phone: (248) 858-0582

There is no cost attached to the viewing of circuit court records at the Clerk’s office but obtaining copies of such records costs $1 per page for plain copies and $10 for certified copies payable by cash or card. Packets sent for mail requests must include a self-addressed envelope as well as a money order or certified check. Send mail requests to:

Oakland County Clerk's Office
1200 North Telegraph Road
Dept. 413
Pontiac, MI 48341.

Alternatively, case searches may be done online through Court Explorer, the public access web tool for viewing case information generated by circuit courts. Court Explorer allows searchers to find circuit court cases by name or case number. There is also an advanced search option that allows users to search for cases by party type, case year, and case type code.

Oakland County District Court Records

Oakland County District Courts handle minor criminal charges, drunk driving cases, probation, traffic, and small claims civil cases. To access district court records, an individual may visit the courthouse presiding over the case to utilize the public case search terminals provided or query the clerk of court’s office in person during regular hours. It may also be possible to find a case search tool provided on the websites of most district courts in Oakland County.

The Michigan court case search tool (MiCourt) is another means by which Oakland County district court records can be retrieved. To use MiCourt:

• Go to the MiCourt search portal
• Select the appropriate “County” and “Court” and wait to be redirected to the search page
• Enter a name or case number
• Filter results by specifying additional parameters like case status, case type, and filing date.

Oakland County Criminal Records

Interested persons may obtain criminal records by doing a criminal record check on the Michigan Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT). This tool supports only name-based checks for third parties. Fingerprint-based checks are only accessible to authorized personnel of the criminal justice system.

Oakland County criminal records are official information about criminal cases such as felonies, misdemeanors, or infractions adjudicated in the county as well as criminal histories of offenders. These records typically contain details about a person’s arrest, arraignment, convictions, and sentences. The Michigan FOIA grants public access to some criminal records maintained by the law enforcement agencies in the County. Oakland County arrest records without a conviction, expunged records, criminal records of minors, and records related to ongoing investigations may not be accessed without court authorization.

Meanwhile, persons who wish to obtain information about persons in the county jail may contact the Records Unit of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. Criminal record check services are by appointment only, so call requesters must call the Sheriff’s Office ahead to schedule their visit. The Sheriff’s office charges $5 for criminal record checks. Requestors are required to provide a valid ID during their visit.

Oakland County Sheriff's Office
Records Unit
East side of the Main Jail
1201 North Telegraph Road
Pontiac, MI 48341
Phone: (248) 858-5011
Fax: (248) 858-1012
Email: ocsorecords@oakgov.com.

Oakland County Criminal Court Case Lookup

To perform an Oakland County criminal court case lookup:

• Go to the courthouse where the case was filed to use the public terminals provided
• Visit the Oakland County Clerk's Office in person or send mail requests
• Access online case management systems like Court Explorer or MiCourt depending on the court type.

Get Oakland County Civil Court Records

Oakland County civil court records are documents related to non-criminal legal disputes between individuals or organizations. Civil court cases typically include real estate disputes, personal injury lawsuits, family law cases, and small claims matters.

To get Oakland County civil court records, an interested individual may contact the clerk of the court where the case was decided or send their recod requests electronically. Civil court records may also be obtained online via Court Explorer or Mi Court search portals.

In any case, an inquirer must provide either a party name or case number to conduct a civil court record search. Other search criteria include filing date, case year, case disposition, and attorney name.

Oakland County Family Court Records

The Family Division of the Oakland County Circuit Court handles matters related to adoption, child support/custody, divorce, juvenile delinquency/traffic, child protective proceedings, and personal protection orders. Oakland County Family Court records are maintained by the County Clerk’s office hence interested persons can visit the clerk’s office in person to inspect them or make use of the online search portals provided by the clerk’s office. Most family court records such as juvenile records and domestic assault may not be accessible by members of the public, while others may require a court order mandating access to them.

Oakland County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of Marriage records in Oakland County is considered to be part of Oakland County Family Court records. These records are created and kept by the Family Division of the County Clerk's Office.

Persons who wish to inspect or obtain copies of Dissolution of Marriage Records may:

• Walk into the Clerk’s office during office hours.
• Use Court Explorer or other online case management systems approved by the Clerk’s office.

Oakland County Marriage and Divorce Records

Oakland County Marriage and Divorce records are maintained by the Vital Records Office and Legal Records Division of the County Clerk/Register of Deeds office respectively.

Divorce records are categorized under court records in Oakland County hence they may be accessed by any member of the public unless such record is sealed by law. To obtain Oakland County Divorce records, one may need to query the Legal Records Division in person, via mail, or online. Certified Divorce records cost $10 per copy.

The Vital Records office provides online access to Oakland County Marriage records. Inquirers may also make in-person requests for these records or request them via mail. The service fee for obtaining a marriage record is $15 for the first copy and $5 for subsequent copies.

For online requests, note that:

• The marriage date and couple's full names are required for searches
• Marriage records filed before 1942 are not available online
• The Genealogy Research Service can be used to search for the marriage date and names of parties before the marriage if unknown
• Credit cards are the only approved means of payment, and a service fee may apply to requesting records online.

For in-person requests, one may schedule an appointment or walk into the vital records office during business hours with a completed Marriage Request Form and appropriate fees. The fees can be paid through credit cards, cash, or money orders made payable to the Oakland County Clerk. Mail requests should include a filled-out Marriage Request form, payment, and a stamped self-addressed envelope.

Oakland County Birth and Death Records

Birth, Death, and Marriage records are commonly referred to as Oakland County Vital Records. The Vital Records office is responsible for preserving and issuing birth and death certificates that occur in Oakland County.

Oakland County birth records filed before 1935 can only be obtained in person or via mail, same as death records filed before 1942. Oakland County birth and death certificates cost $15 for the preliminary copy and $5 for additional copies. However, for birth certificates where the record subject is older than 65 years, the cost is $10 for the first copy and $5 for other copies.

Oakland County birth certificates are not public. Hence, they can only be requested by the record subject, parents, or a legal guardian/heir. Legal guardians/ heirs must provide the required documents needed to verify their identity to the vital records office. Eligible individuals can order a birth certificate from the vital records office in person, by mail, or online. In-person and mail, requesters will need to print and complete a Birth Records Request Form.

Death records and certificates in Oakland County are public records and can be inspected by anyone, provided they possess the name of the deceased and the date of death. In a case where the date of death is unknown, the Genealogy Research Service can be used to retrieve information about a death record. Oakland death records created before 1942 may not be available online and may be requested in person or via mail.

Oakland County Probate Court Records

Oakland County Probate court records are records generated from cases related to the distribution of a decedent’s estates (intestate or via a will), designation of guardians and conservators, and personal protective orders. The County Clerk’s office maintains Oakland Probate court records filed after 1971. Probate records filed before 1971 have been transferred to the Archives of Michigan.

Interested persons may submit requests in person or via mail to the clerk’s office at:

1200 North Telegraph Road
Dept 457
Pontiac, MI 48341
Phone: (248) 858-0260

The Oakland County probate court charges $1 for plain copies and $10 for certified copies of probate court records. A $10 fee applies to searches that exceed ten minutes.

Meanwhile, probate court cases can also be found on Court Explorer by case number only. In a situation where the probate case number is unknown, an individual can use MiCourt to retrieve the case number before commencing the search on Court Explorer.

Oakland County Property Records

Oakland County property records generated from 1964 to date are maintained by the Oakland County Clerk/ Register of Deeds Office and are available for public inspection and copying via in-person or online requests. Property-related information such as deeds, mortgages, liens, plats/maps, parcel identification numbers, and appraisals can be found in Oakland County property records. Property records can be reviewed and copies obtained by walk-in visits to the Clerk’s office located at:

Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
1200 North Telegraph Road
Building 12E
Pontiac, MI 48341
Phone: (248) 858-0581
Email: clerk@oakgov.com.

The Register of Deeds Office maintains Super Index, a search portal that provides public access to property records. The service fee is $6 for the initial document and $1 for additional documents. On Super Index, individuals can conduct basic searches using a grantor/grantee name or advanced property records searches.

Oakland County Court Records Online

Oakland County Court records are also available online via third-party websites like Michigancourtrecords.us. These independent aggregate sites are not affiliated with the government and offer a convenient, remote option for accessing these records. Searchers may access documents from anywhere, provided they have an internet-enabled device. These sites also offer extensive public records from different jurisdictions, making it easy to conduct a wide range of research using a name or case number. However, most sites are subscription-based or charge fees for detailed reports. In addition, most records available on third-party websites may be incomplete, inaccurate, or outdated.