How to Search St. Clair County Court Records
The search starts with the court, not the portal. St. Clair County runs three separate trial courts, and each one keeps its own files. Felonies, divorces, family matters, big civil claims, and appeals from the lower court belong to the 31st Circuit Court. Traffic tickets, misdemeanors, landlord and tenant disputes, small claims, and civil cases under $25,000 belong to the 72nd District Court. Estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental health cases belong to the Probate Court. Guessing wrong sends you to the wrong clerk and the wrong copy form.
Before you begin, gather the party names, the year the case opened, and the case number if you have one. Circuit case numbers follow the format 99-000000-XX. The county publishes an official Court Schedules and Records page that routes each court to the correct lookup, which is far safer than trusting a random search result.
- Identify the court level first, since a district traffic case and a circuit felony do not share a clerk or a search tool.
- For 31st Circuit Court matters, open the St. Clair County Web Inquiry and search by party name to pull the case number and schedule.
- For 72nd District Court and Probate Court matters, use Michigan MiCOURT Case Search, select the St. Clair County court, then search by name or case number.
- Review the docket entries, hearing dates, and case status shown on screen.
- If a document image is missing or you need a certified copy, order it from the office that holds that court's records.
Note: online case data is informational and does not replace the official record on file with the court.
The St. Clair County Court System
Michigan runs three kinds of trial courts, and St. Clair County has all three under one roof. The 31st Circuit Court is the top local trial court. It takes felony cases, civil lawsuits over $25,000, appeals from the 72nd District Court and state agencies, and Family Division work such as divorce, paternity, child support, juvenile cases, some guardianships, and name changes. The 72nd District Court, known locally as the People's Court, handles the high-volume everyday cases. The Probate Court is the specialized venue for wills, estates, and protective proceedings.
Cases move up a fixed ladder. A misdemeanor or traffic matter starts and often ends in District Court. A felony begins in District Court for preliminary stages, then binds over to Circuit Court. A party who loses can appeal, and appeals leave the county for the state appellate courts. The Circuit judges include Daniel A. Damman, Cynthia A. Lane, and Michael L. West, and the county courts landing page describes the full bench and jurisdiction in one place.
Case flow: 72nd District Court › 31st Circuit Court › Michigan Court of Appeals › Michigan Supreme Court
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| 31st Circuit Court | Highest local trial court | Felonies, civil over $25,000, family division, appeals from District Court |
| 72nd District Court | Limited jurisdiction trial court | Traffic, misdemeanors, ordinance cases, landlord-tenant, small claims, civil under $25,000 |
| Probate Court | Specialized trial court | Estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health |
| Michigan Court of Appeals | Intermediate appellate court | Appeals from the Circuit Court |
| Michigan Supreme Court | State's highest court | Final appeals |
Types of St. Clair County Court Records
The kind of record you need points straight to the court that made it. Criminal files split by seriousness. Civil files split by dollar amount. Family and probate work sits in its own tracks. Each type carries a distinct set of documents, from complaints and motions to judgments and sentencing orders.
- Criminal felony records live in the 31st Circuit Court after bindover and can include the warrant, information, plea, verdict, and sentence.
- Misdemeanor and traffic records live in the 72nd District Court, with tickets, arraignments, fines, and probation entries.
- Civil records follow the dollar line, with claims over $25,000 in Circuit Court and smaller claims in District Court.
- Family and divorce records come from the Circuit Court Family Division, and divorce judgments are held by the County Clerk.
- Probate records cover wills, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships, and often include protected personal or medical data.
Because the courts do not share a clerk, the same person can have files in more than one place. A comparison of the three trial courts makes the split clear.
| Feature | 31st Circuit Court | 72nd District Court | Probate Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main cases | Felony, family, big civil | Traffic, misdemeanor, small civil | Estates, guardianships |
| Records held by | County Clerk, Room 1100 | District Court, Room 2900 | Probate Court, Room 2700 |
| Online search | Web Inquiry | MiCOURT | MiCOURT |
| Copy request | Clerk online forms | District Court office | Probate Court office |
What St. Clair County Court Records Show
A court record is a running log of a single case. It names the parties, tracks every filing, and records the outcome. The clerk request forms show which fields matter most when you order a document, and the case docket adds the day-by-day events. Some fields stay hidden, such as social security numbers, financial account numbers, and details about minors.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | The court's file number; circuit cases read as 99-000000-XX. |
| Filing Date | The year and date the case opened. |
| Parties | Plaintiff and defendant, or petitioner and respondent, by name. |
| Charges / Cause | The offense charged or the civil claim brought. |
| Disposition | The current status or resolution of the case. |
| Sentence / Judgment | The penalty, probation terms, or final civil ruling. |
Docket events fill in the story between filing and closing. Expect hearings scheduled, motions filed, orders entered, adjournments, and payment entries. Financial fields track fines, costs, restitution, and bond.
Public Access Laws for St. Clair County Court Records
Court files in Michigan are open by default, but the rules are not the same as ordinary open-records law. Judicial records follow court rules, while offices like the Sheriff answer to the Freedom of Information Act. A file can be open for public inspection at the courthouse even when some documents or data fields stay sealed or redacted. The first stop is always the court or office that owns the record.
Key Statutes:
Michigan FOIA, MCL 15.231 et seq. gives the public access to records of public bodies, though courts follow separate court-rule access rules.
MCL 15.235 sets how fast a public body must answer a written FOIA request.
MCR 8.119 governs court records and public inspection in Michigan trial courts unless a statute, rule, or order restricts a file.
MCL 780.621 et seq. is Michigan's set-aside law and clears qualifying convictions from public criminal history.
The county posts its own FOIA policy, request form, and appeal form for records held outside the courts. That process covers Sheriff reports and law-enforcement material, which the County Clerk does not handle.
Searching St. Clair County Records on MiCOURT
District and probate cases route through the statewide Michigan MiCOURT Case Search. It is a public web tool that covers civil, traffic, criminal, family, and probate cases where a court takes part. The system uses a security check and a secure state connection, so treat it as an index and docket search rather than a promise that every document image can be downloaded.
Michigan runs the statewide search interface at the MiCOURT Case Search site, which is the entry point for St. Clair County district and probate lookups.
The screenshot shows the fields a St. Clair County searcher fills to pull a district or probate case, from court selection to name and case-number entry.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court selection | Dropdown / selector | Yes | Choose the St. Clair County District or Probate court. |
| Search type | Tabs / options | No | Person, business, or case-number search. |
| Last Name / Business Name | Text | Conditional | Used for a name search. |
| First Name | Text | No | Narrows a person search. |
| Date of Birth | Date | No | Format MM/DD/YYYY when shown. |
| Case Number | Text | Conditional | Enter the court case number if known. |
| Case Status / Type | Filter | No | Availability varies by court. |
Restricted and Confidential St. Clair County Records
Public access does not mean every file or every field is open. Some records are shielded by law from the moment they are created. Others are removed later through a court order. A person who cannot find a case online should not assume it does not exist, since sealed and non-digitized files simply do not show up in a public search.
Juvenile offenses and child abuse cases run through the Family Division, and access may be limited to parties, attorneys, and agencies. Adoption files are confidential. Mental health proceedings can include medical and treatment details, so their access is narrower than a standard civil filing. Sealed and expunged records drop out of ordinary public search entirely.
Michigan uses a set-aside process to clear many qualifying convictions. The petition is usually filed in the court where the conviction happened, so a county misdemeanor normally routes to the 72nd District Court and a qualifying felony to the 31st Circuit Court. Eligibility depends on the offense type, the number of convictions, and any later record.
Specialty Courts in St. Clair County
St. Clair County runs problem-solving courts that steer certain defendants toward treatment instead of standard case processing. These dockets are voluntary, supervised, and built around a team that includes the judge, coordinators, probation, and counsel. They aim to resolve the underlying issue rather than simply move a case to sentencing.
The St. Clair County Mental Health Court is a joint effort between the courts and Community Mental Health. It serves people with severe mental illness or developmental disability who have committed an offense. Referrals can come from judges, attorneys, mental-health staff, law enforcement, or family. The team sets individual terms such as weekly therapy and prescribed medication, and the program can last up to two years. Successful completion resolves the case and diverts the person from the traditional criminal track.
The Recovery Court runs through the 72nd District Court for people charged with misdemeanor driving offenses who have a severe alcohol problem. Participants plead guilty, sign an agreement, and follow strict conditions including no alcohol use and frequent testing. Minimum participation is 13 months across three phases before a person can apply to graduate.
St. Clair County Sheriff and Jail
The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Mat King, with Undersheriff Jim Spadafore and Jail Administrator Tracy DeCaussin. The office covers more than 720 square miles of land and over 110 miles of shoreline. It runs the county jail, the Intervention and Detention Center at 1170 Michigan Road in Port Huron, which also houses Central Dispatch.
Custody records are separate from court files. The county inmate lookup covers people held in the Sheriff's jail, while state prison, parole, and probation records sit in a different state system. Booking, bond, and mail rules run through the jail, and law-enforcement reports come through the Sheriff's FOIA process rather than the court clerk. The full custody roster and booking detail live in the St. Clair County inmate records, which also explains how the daily jail data refreshes.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Records
Marriage and divorce records both run through offices at the main courthouse, but by different tracks. The County Clerk handles marriage licenses and certified marriage copies, and also holds divorce judgments because those are 31st Circuit Court records. Probate matters follow their own path through the Probate Court. Certified marriage and divorce records can be ordered from the Clerk online.
The Probate Court also holds free public workshops for guardians and conservators, presented by the Probate Register and staff at the county Administration Building Auditorium on Grand River. The 2026 sessions cover the guardian handbook, court procedure, annual reports, and legal duties, with RSVP by phone. Three legal roles appear again and again in these files.
- Testator
- The person who makes a will to direct how their property passes after death.
- Executor
- The personal representative who collects assets, pays debts, and distributes the estate.
- Conservator
- Someone the court appoints to manage the money or property of a person who cannot handle it.
St. Clair County Court Records Fees
Fees depend on what you order and from which office. The County Clerk sells copies of 31st Circuit Court documents and certified marriage records through online forms. Every online transaction adds a processing fee, and that processing fee is not refunded if the record turns out not to be held in St. Clair County. The Clerk's forms warn in capital letters that district, probate, and other court records are not included.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Court document, emailed PDF (31st Circuit Court) | $15.00 |
| Online processing fee (per transaction) | $5.00 |
| Certified copy, up to 25 pages by mail plus PDF | Additional $10.00 |
| Divorce judgment, emailed PDF | $15.00 |
| Marriage certificate, first certified copy | $20.00 |
| Marriage certificate, each additional copy | $6.00 |
You can start these orders from the St. Clair County Clerk website, which links the court document request, divorce judgment request, and marriage certificate request forms.
Federal Court Records Near St. Clair County
Not every case involving a county resident is a state case. Federal crimes, bankruptcy, and federal civil claims go to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. That court runs a Port Huron location at the Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 526 Water Street, Port Huron. A state felony, divorce, or traffic ticket does not become a federal case just because a person lives in the county.
The court publishes its local details on the Eastern District of Michigan Port Huron court locations page, which notes metered parking and emergency filing steps.
Federal case and docket records for this courthouse are searched through the national PACER system, not the county court portals used for St. Clair County records.
St. Clair County Courthouse Location
The main court building anchors downtown Port Huron and holds all three trial courts plus the clerk counters and support offices. Room numbers matter once you are inside, since each court keeps its own counter. The addresses and phone lines below cover the offices most searchers need.
St. Clair County Clerk
201 McMorran Blvd., Room 1100
Port Huron, MI 48060
(810) 985-2200
Note: Circuit, Family, and Probate offices open weekdays at 8:00 a.m., while the District Court keeps a later Friday start, so confirm hours before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which court holds my St. Clair County case?
It depends on the case type. Felonies, divorce, family matters, civil claims over $25,000, and appeals from the lower court are 31st Circuit Court cases. Traffic tickets, misdemeanors, ordinance violations, landlord and tenant disputes, small claims, and civil cases under $25,000 are 72nd District Court cases. Estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental health matters are Probate Court cases. Picking the right court first tells you which clerk and which online tool to use.
Does the County Clerk have every court record?
No. The County Clerk retains records of the 31st Circuit Court only. The Clerk's request forms state in capital letters that district, probate, and other court records are not included. District Court traffic, misdemeanor, small claims, and civil files route to the 72nd District Court. Probate files route to the Probate Court and MiCOURT. Sending a district ticket request to the Clerk will not work and the processing fee is not refunded.
How do I search circuit court cases online?
Use the St. Clair County Web Inquiry for the 31st Circuit Court. Open the circuit web inquiry group, accept the agreement, and search by party name to pull a case number and schedule. The public data is informational and does not replace the official record on file. If you need a document image or a certified copy, order it from the County Clerk in Room 1100.
Where do I search district and probate cases?
Use Michigan MiCOURT Case Search. Select the St. Clair County District Court or Probate Court, then search by name or case number. Availability of case types, status filters, and date ranges varies by court. MiCOURT works as an index and docket search, so a missing document image does not mean the case is gone. Call the court office for files that are older, sealed, or not yet digitized.
Are St. Clair County court records public?
Most are. Michigan court files are open for public inspection unless a statute, court rule, or order restricts them. MCR 8.119 sets that access framework for trial courts. Some records stay confidential, including juvenile, adoption, mental health, sealed, and expunged files. Personal identifiers such as social security numbers are redacted. A file can be open at the counter even when some documents remain sealed or unavailable online.
What does it cost to get a copy?
The County Clerk charges $15.00 for an emailed PDF of a 31st Circuit Court document, plus a $5.00 online processing fee. A certified copy up to 25 pages by mail adds $10.00. A first certified marriage copy is $20.00 and each additional copy is $6.00. The processing fee is not refunded if the record is not held in St. Clair County, so confirm the case is a circuit matter before you order.
How do I check for a warrant or missed court date?
Start with the court that would hold the case. Bench warrants and failure-to-appear entries may appear in the district or circuit case docket, though active law-enforcement warrants may not be public online. Call the 72nd District Court for traffic and misdemeanor matters, or the 31st Circuit Court for felony and probation issues. The Sheriff's Office non-emergency line can help when arrest may be involved.