| Circuit Court Clerk | Ingham County Circuit Court Clerk's Office |
|---|---|
| Probate Court | Ingham County Probate Court |
| Clerk address | 30th Circuit Court Clerk & Probate Court: Veterans Memorial Courthouse, 313 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48933. 55th District Court: 700 Buhl Dr., Mason, MI 48854. |
| Phone | 55th District Court (517) 676-8400; 54-A District Court (517) 483-4433 |
| Hours | 55th District Court: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy fee | $10.00 plus $1.00 per page (MCL 600.2546), unless a more specific statute sets a different fee |
Ingham County includes both Lansing, the state capital, and the county seat of Mason, and its court offices are split between the two. The Ingham County Clerk's Office is the clerk of the 30th Judicial Circuit Court, based at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse in Lansing, and handles felony, family-division, and larger civil case records.
Misdemeanors, smaller civil claims, landlord-tenant cases, and traffic tickets are split between two district courts: the 54-A District Court at Lansing City Hall for cases arising in the city of Lansing, and the 55th District Court in Mason for the rest of the county. The Ingham County Probate Court is a separate office, also based at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse, handling estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental-health matters.
Because Lansing and Mason each host different courts, confirm where a case was filed — inside Lansing city limits generally means 54-A District Court, while the rest of the county goes through the 55th District Court in Mason.
Search Ingham County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Ingham County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
- Cost
- Free to search in person; fees for copies
- Coverage
- 30th Judicial Circuit Court felony, civil, and family-division case records
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Main office at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse, 313 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing; a Mason office is also available.
Probate Court
Ingham County Probate Court
- Cost
- Free to search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental-health case records
- Records
- Probate
Located at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse, 313 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing.
Other courts
55th District Court (Mason)
- Cost
- Free to search online services
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, civil claims up to $25,000, small claims, landlord-tenant, and traffic cases for Ingham County outside Lansing
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Located at 700 Buhl Dr., Mason, MI 48854.
What is available online
The circuit court clerk's office and the probate court both maintain records at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse in Lansing; Michigan's statewide MiCOURT Case Search also covers the 30th Circuit Court and the Ingham County Probate Court. The 55th District Court (Mason) provides its own online services page; the 54-A District Court in Lansing, a separate city court, maintains its own records for cases arising within Lansing city limits.
Which clerk has your record
In Michigan, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Michigan page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts (57 statewide) | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family-division cases; Civil suits over $25,000 | County Clerk, acting as Clerk of the Circuit Court |
| District Courts (105 statewide) | Misdemeanor criminal cases and felony arraignments; Civil claims up to $25,000; Small claims and landlord-tenant cases | District Court Clerk or Court Administrator (varies by court; not always the county clerk) |
| Probate Courts (78 divisions statewide) | Decedent estates and wills; Guardianships and conservatorships; Trusts | Probate Register or Probate Court Clerk |
Request records in person or by mail
Ingham County clerk offices
30th Circuit Court Clerk & Probate Court: Veterans Memorial Courthouse, 313 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48933. 55th District Court: 700 Buhl Dr., Mason, MI 48854.
Phone: 55th District Court (517) 676-8400; 54-A District Court (517) 483-4433
Hours: 55th District Court: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Circuit Court records. Contact the Circuit Court Clerk's Office at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse, 313 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48933, or the Mason office, for copies and current fees.
Probate Court records. Contact the Ingham County Probate Court at the same Lansing courthouse address.
District Court records. For cases within Lansing city limits, contact the 54-A District Court at Lansing City Hall, 124 W. Michigan Ave., 6th Floor. For the rest of Ingham County, contact the 55th District Court, 700 Buhl Dr., Mason, MI 48854, (517) 676-8400.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Michigan |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy | $10.00 plus $1.00 per page (MCL 600.2546), unless a more specific statute sets a different fee |
MCL 600.2546 sets the default certified-copy and exemplification fee for circuit, district, and probate courts. Plain (uncertified) copy fees are set locally by each court or county and vary; some Michigan clerks charge a flat per-page photocopy fee while others provide free printouts from a public terminal. Confirm the plain-copy fee with the specific clerk before requesting copies.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Michigan court records are presumptively public under Michigan Court Rule 8.119, but several categories are restricted or excluded from routine searches:
The Michigan guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Which office has my Ingham County divorce or felony case?
The Ingham County Circuit Court Clerk's Office, for the 30th Judicial Circuit Court, based at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse in Lansing.
How do I know whether my Ingham County ticket goes to Lansing or Mason?
Cases arising within Lansing city limits go to the 54-A District Court at Lansing City Hall. Cases from the rest of Ingham County go to the 55th District Court in Mason.
Where do I find an Ingham County estate or guardianship case?
The Ingham County Probate Court, located at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse in Lansing, separate from the circuit court clerk.
Is there a free online search for Ingham County court records?
Michigan's statewide MiCOURT Case Search covers the 30th Circuit Court and the Ingham County Probate Court; the 55th District Court also has its own online services page.
Sources
- Ingham County Circuit Court — Clerk's Office — https://cc.ingham.org/courts_and_sheriff/circuit_court/clerk_s_office.php
- Ingham County Probate Court — https://pr.ingham.org/courts_and_sheriff/probate_court/
- Ingham County — 55th Judicial District Court — https://dc.ingham.org/courts_and_sheriff/55th_judicial_district_court/
- Michigan Courts — About the Courts — https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/
- MiCOURT Case Search — https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/
- Michigan Courts — Court of Appeals — https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/court-of-appeals/
- Michigan Court Rules (current rules, Chapter 8 — court records) — https://www.courts.michigan.gov/rules-administrative-orders-and-jury-instructions/current-rules-and-jury-instructions/michigan-court-rules/
- Michigan State Police — Criminal History Records — https://www.michigan.gov/msp/services/chr
- MCL 780.621 — Setting Aside Convictions ("Clean Slate") — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-780-621
- MCL 600.2546 — Certified Copy and Exemplification Fees — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-2546
- MCL 15.232 — Freedom of Information Act, definitions (judiciary excluded) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-15-232
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan — https://www.mied.uscourts.gov/
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan — https://www.miwd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Michigan counties.