How to Search Kent County Court Records
The main public tool is MiCOURT Case Search, the statewide portal run by the Michigan judiciary. MiCOURT shows public case data for the trial courts that take part. Not every court file sits in MiCOURT. Sealed cases, juvenile files, adoption matters, and old paper records still need a clerk visit or a written request. The Kent County Self-Help Resources page also links to a court records search and to Michigan Legal Help for forms.
Have the basics ready before you start. A full last name helps. A case number is even better. The case-number format depends on the court, and a district-court case may look like 26FY1076. Take a screenshot of the source-page introduction from Michigan Legal Help if you want to keep a record of what the system shows.
The image below comes from the Michigan court records index at Michigan Legal Help, which is the most-used statewide self-help hub.
Self-help pages walk users to the right court before they file or search. Use these steps for a Kent County records search:
- Pick the court. Use the 17th Circuit Court for felony, divorce, custody, big civil, and family cases. Use the 63rd District Court for traffic, small claims, landlord-tenant, civil infractions, and misdemeanors. Use Probate Court for estates, wills, and guardianship.
- Open MiCOURT Case Search and choose the court from the list.
- Pick search type. A case number gives the cleanest result. Party name works too.
- Add filters as the form allows. First name, date of birth, filing date, and case type all help cut noise.
- Review the result list for court, case number, parties, filing date, and status.
- For a certified copy or an old paper file, call the clerk for the right court. Online results show docket data, not signed orders.
Note: Cases from Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, or Grandville may sit in a city district court, not the 63rd District Court.
The Kent County Judicial System
Michigan runs as one court of justice. At the top is the Michigan Supreme Court. Below it sits the Michigan Court of Appeals. The trial courts in Kent County include the 17th Circuit Court, the 63rd District Court, the Kent County Probate Court, and several city district courts. Each court hears a different slice of work, but the records cross over often. A felony often starts in district court for arraignment and preliminary exam, then moves to circuit court after bindover.
The image below shows the public Michigan trial courts page that lists every trial-court division.
Source: Michigan trial courts overview.
This breakdown sits at the heart of every Kent County records search.
Case flow: Arrest › 63rd District Court arraignment › Preliminary exam › 17th Circuit Court bindover › Michigan Court of Appeals › Michigan Supreme Court
| Court | Kent County Role | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan Supreme Court | Top court for state appeals | Discretionary review of court of appeals rulings |
| Michigan Court of Appeals | Intermediate appellate court | Appeals from 17th Circuit and Probate Court |
| 17th Circuit Court | General trial court | Felony, divorce, custody, civil over $25,000, family, juvenile |
| 63rd District Court | Lower trial court for parts of Kent County | Misdemeanor, traffic, small claims, landlord-tenant, preliminary felony |
| Kent County Probate Court | Specialty trial court | Estates, wills, guardianship, conservatorship, mental health |
| City district courts (61st, 59-1, 59-2, 62-A, 62-B) | Local district courts | Misdemeanor and civil work inside city limits |
The 17th Circuit Court is the broad local trial court. The official page is kentcountymi.gov/Courts/17thcc. The 63rd District Court covers parts of Kent County not served by a city district court. Its official site is kentcountymi.gov/167/63rd-District-Court. The 63rd District Court lists judges Jeffrey J. O'Hara, Kirsten Holz, and Daniel J. O'Hara.
Kent County Courthouses
The downtown Grand Rapids courthouse is the home for the 17th Circuit Court, the Clerk of the Court, and the Probate Court counter. The 63rd District Court sits on East Beltline NE. The Sheriff's Office and the Kent County Correctional Facility share a campus on Ball Avenue NE. The image below comes from the official Kent County homepage, which acts as a department directory for every county court office.
Source: Kent County government homepage.
Use the address cards below before you drive. Hours and counter times can shift, so call ahead for hearings, jury duty, or last-minute filings.
Kent County Courthouse / 17th Circuit Court
180 Ottawa Avenue NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-632-5220
63rd District Court
1950 E Beltline Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
616-632-7770
Kent County Probate Court
180 Ottawa Avenue NW, Suite 2500
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-632-5440
Kent County Sheriff / Correctional Facility
701 / 703 Ball Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-632-6100
Types of Court Records Available in Kent County
Kent County court records come from each trial court and from the Clerk of the Court. The 17th Circuit Court holds the heavier civil and felony files. The 63rd District Court holds traffic, small claims, eviction, and misdemeanor records. The Probate Court holds estate, trust, and guardianship files. Vital records like marriage certificates come from the Kent County Clerk / Register of Deeds office, not the court clerks.
The image below shows the official Kent County 17th Circuit Court page, which is the starting point for most circuit-level record requests.
Source: 17th Circuit Court official page.
- Civil records. complaints, motions, orders, judgments, garnishments, and liens filed in the 17th Circuit or the 63rd District Court.
- Criminal records. felony, misdemeanor, bond, arraignment, preliminary examination, plea, sentence, and probation entries.
- Family records. divorce, custody, parenting time, child support, paternity, and personal protection orders.
- Probate records. wills, decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, trusts, and inventories.
- Traffic records. citation number, statute, court date, fine, and license consequence data.
- Juvenile records. restricted under MCL 712A.28 and not on public web search.
- Vital records. marriage, certified copies, and recorded land documents through the County Clerk / Register of Deeds.
What Kent County Court Records Show
A Kent County court record packs a lot into one file. Most public users care about who filed, when, what the case is, and how it ended. The clerk also tracks the hearings, the judge, the bond, and the money owed. Some fields stay public no matter the case. Other fields, like social security numbers and minor names, are blocked from the public view. The chart below shows the core fields a typical Kent County court record displays.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Court-issued ID. Format depends on the court. A 63rd District Court case can read like 26FY1076. |
| Court | The court that holds the file. 17th Circuit, 63rd District, Probate, or a city district court. |
| Filing Date | Date the first pleading hit the docket. |
| Parties | Plaintiff and defendant, or petitioner and respondent, or estate and fiduciary. |
| Charges / Cause | Statute cited or the civil claim. Felony charges show the MCL section, such as 750.413. |
| Disposition | How the case ended. Common values include pretrial, disposed, dismissed, plea, and judgment. |
| Sentence / Judgment | Fine, jail or prison term, probation, restitution, or money award. |
| Bond | Type and amount, with required-to-post and full-bond columns when both apply. |
Court staff cannot give legal advice. They can confirm what the file shows and how to ask for a certified copy. The Clerk of the Court page states that the law bars deputy clerks from advising any party on a legal issue.
Public Access Laws for Kent County Court Records
Two rule sets shape access. Michigan court files are run under Michigan Court Rule 8.119, the core record rule for trial courts. County and sheriff administrative files fall under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The two paths use different forms, different fees, and different appeal routes. Use FOIA for a sheriff policy or a county budget. Use the court clerk for a court file.
The image below shows the official Michigan FOIA policy page on the state legislature site.
Source: Michigan FOIA policy, MCL 15.231.
Key Statutes:
Michigan Compiled Laws § 15.231. sets the state policy that people are entitled to full and complete information about government affairs, subject to listed limits.
Michigan Compiled Laws § 15.233. gives the public the right to inspect or copy records held by a public body in Michigan.
Michigan Compiled Laws § 15.234. sets the fee rules for labor, copies, and mailing under a Michigan FOIA request.
Michigan Compiled Laws § 28.243. controls how Michigan State Police share criminal history record data.
Michigan Compiled Laws § 780.621. the main set-aside statute for qualifying Michigan convictions.
Court rule MCR 8.119 is published by the Michigan Supreme Court and applies in every Kent County trial court. It is the rule a clerk will cite when a record is denied for review.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Some Kent County court records are off limits to the public. Juvenile delinquency files and child protective files are restricted by MCL 712A.28. Adoption files are sealed by MCL 710.67. Mental-health and protected-person probate files have their own access limits. Set-aside cases under MCL 780.621 are hidden from public search after a court grants the set-aside, but they remain visible to courts, police, and some licensing bodies.
To view a sealed file, a party usually files a motion in the court that holds the record. The judge weighs the public interest and the privacy of the people in the file. The Clerk of the Court does not unseal a file without a court order.
Specialty Courts in Kent County
Kent County runs problem-solving programs tied to the trial courts and to Community Corrections. The Adult Treatment / Drug Court works with the 17th Circuit Court and the 63rd District Court on cases linked to substance use. Sobriety court handles repeat impaired-driving cases with frequent testing, treatment, and review hearings. Mental Health Court takes cases linked to a serious mental illness or a co-occurring disorder. A Veterans Treatment Court ties veteran defendants to VA care and community treatment.
Each program has a screening step that includes the prosecutor, the defense lawyer, and a treatment provider. Most programs run in phases, with sanctions for missed steps and incentives for steady progress. Graduation can change a sentence or trim a license penalty.
Kent County Sheriff and Jail Information
The Kent County Sheriff's Office runs the Kent County Correctional Facility at 703 Ball Avenue NE. The public booking search lives in the Web Jail Viewer at eisjailviewer.kentcountymi.gov. The tool needs a full last name. First name and a booking date range help cut the list. A jail detail page shows the booking number, mugshot, charges, district court case number, circuit court case number, bond type, required bond amount, fine amount, pay-or-stay status, and holds.
The Sheriff's Office news page also states that the Kent County Correctional Facility earned national accreditation through the American Corrections Association and is currently the only adult county jail in Michigan to hold that mark.
For the full roster details, see the Kent County inmate records page. For active warrants, see the warrant records page. Released state prisoners come up on the released inmates page through MDOC OTIS and BOP locators.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Records
Marriage licenses are issued by the County Clerk / Register of Deeds office at 300 Monroe Avenue NW. Divorce cases are filed in the 17th Circuit Court family docket and the case file sits with the Clerk of the Court. Probate cases stay in Probate Court. See the marriage and divorce records page and the probate records page for the full filing and copy steps.
- Testator
- A person who has made a valid will before death.
- Executor
- Person named in a will to manage and close an estate. Michigan often uses the term personal representative.
- Conservator
- Person appointed by Probate Court to manage the property of a minor or a protected adult.
- Guardian
- Person appointed to make personal decisions for a minor or a protected adult.
- Friend of the Court
- Michigan office that handles custody, parenting time, and support in family cases.
Kent County Court Records Fees
Fees vary by court and case type. The 63rd District Court charges a 3% processing fee on MiFILE credit-card filings, and that fee is not refunded if the filing gets rejected. The Probate Court charges $187 for the application or petition to open a deceased estate. Marriage licenses run $20 for an in-county wedding and $30 for a wedding with both applicants from out of state. Each clerk publishes a fee schedule on the official county pages.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Small Claims, claim up to $600 (63rd District) | $30 |
| Small Claims, $600.01-$1,750 | $50 |
| General Civil, $1,750.01-$10,000 | $75 |
| General Civil, $10,000.01-$25,000 | $160 |
| Landlord Tenant Eviction, no money judgment | $55 |
| Probate, application or petition for deceased estate | $187 |
| Marriage license, Kent County resident | $20 |
| Marriage license, out-of-state applicants | $30 |
The image below shows the official 63rd District Court filing-fee page used to source the civil fees above.
Source: 63rd District Court filing fees.
How to Interpret Kent County Court Records
Court records use a short list of words over and over. A complaint starts a civil case. An information is the felony charge filed in circuit court. An arraignment is the first hearing on the charges and bond. A probable-cause conference is the Michigan pre-exam step in district court. Bindover is the move from district to circuit court after the preliminary examination. Disposition is the case outcome. Dismissed with prejudice means the case cannot be refiled. Dismissed without prejudice means it can.
One key point: an arrest record and a conviction record are not the same. A booking entry shows that someone was taken into custody. It does not prove guilt. Charges can drop. A judge can grant a not-guilty verdict. Always read the disposition before drawing any conclusion from a docket. For deeper detail on docket entries, see the Kent County court dockets page.
Accuracy and Record Limitations
MiCOURT and the Web Jail Viewer rely on data the court or the jail sends. Updates can lag by hours or even days. A bond that was just posted may not show on the public detail page right away. The Web Jail Viewer detail page tells users to contact the jail facility direct if data looks wrong, and the hosting vendor states it does not control content from the agency.
Note: Always confirm a case status or a custody status with the court or the jail before you act on what an online record shows.
History of Kent County Courts
Kent County's seat is Grand Rapids, one of west Michigan's main legal hubs. The county sits in the same state court structure that has run Michigan since the modern reorganization of the trial courts. Old records may live on paper, on microfilm, or in clerk archives rather than the modern MiCOURT system. A search for an 1880 estate file or a 1920 divorce often starts with the Probate Court or the Clerk / Register of Deeds, not the public web tool used for active cases.
Recent shifts matter more for daily use. The 63rd District Court joined more than 50 Michigan courts on MiFILE in June 2025, which moved civil filings to the statewide e-file system. The county also opened a stand-alone Office of the Public Defender in 2024, with an Independence Council to protect that office from outside pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I search Kent County court records online?
Use MiCOURT Case Search for public Michigan court data. Pick the 17th Circuit Court for felony, divorce, and big civil work. Pick the 63rd District Court for traffic, small claims, landlord-tenant, and misdemeanors. Pick the Probate Court for estate and guardianship cases. For certified copies, call the clerk for the court that holds the file.
Is MiCOURT the same as the Kent County Clerk / Register search?
No. MiCOURT is the statewide case search. The Kent County Clerk / Register document search at AccessKent is for recorded clerk and land records, not court dockets. Use MiCOURT for the case file, then call or visit the clerk for any document not on the screen.
How do I find an inmate in Kent County jail?
Use the Web Jail Viewer booking search. The tool needs a full last name. First name and a booking date range can narrow the list. The detail page shows booking number, mugshot, charges, court case numbers, bond, fine, and holds. The full walk-through sits on the inmate records page.
More on the Kent County Court Records FAQ page.