| Circuit Court Clerk | Kalamazoo County Circuit Court (Trial Division) — County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Probate Court | Kalamazoo County Probate Court (Civil/Probate Division) |
| Clerk address | Circuit Court / County Clerk: Kalamazoo County Courthouse, 227 W. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Civil/Probate Division: 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048. 8th District Court: 330 Eleanor St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007. |
| Phone | Circuit Court (269) 383-8952 |
| Hours | Probate/Civil-Probate Division: 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 |
In Kalamazoo County, the County Clerk also serves as clerk of the circuit court's Trial Division, which handles felonies, family-division cases, and civil claims over $25,000. As of 2025, the Circuit Court's Civil Division moved under the Probate Court, creating a combined Civil/Probate Division — so civil circuit-court filings and probate matters are now handled together at the county's probate courthouse rather than at two separate offices.
The 8th District Court, with three divisions in the city of Kalamazoo, handles misdemeanors, smaller civil claims, landlord-tenant cases, and traffic matters. Records for active and closed probate and civil/probate cases, along with microfilmed older files, can be viewed at the Probate Court building on Gull Road.
Because the Civil/Probate Division consolidation is recent, confirm with the clerk which building — the main courthouse or the Probate Court on Gull Road — holds the specific record you need before making a trip.
Search Kalamazoo County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Kalamazoo County Circuit Court (Trial Division) — County Clerk
- Cost
- Free to view at the clerk's office; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Circuit Court felony criminal and family-division (domestic relations, juvenile) case records
- Records
- Criminal, Family
The County Clerk doubles as the Circuit Court Clerk. Civil circuit-court cases moved to the Civil/Probate Division in 2025; see the county clerk for current filing locations.
Probate Court
Kalamazoo County Probate Court (Civil/Probate Division)
- Cost
- Free to view; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Estates, guardianships, conservatorships, mental-health proceedings, and, as of the 2025 reorganization, circuit-court civil cases
- Records
- Civil, Probate
Located at 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo. Active files, closed files, and microfilmed records can be viewed there.
Other courts
8th District Court
- Cost
- Free to view; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, civil claims up to $25,000, small claims, landlord-tenant, and traffic cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Three divisions located at 330 Eleanor St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007.
What is available online
Michigan's statewide MiCOURT Case Search covers Kalamazoo County's circuit court dockets. Kalamazoo County's own website provides case and court information pages rather than a separate name-search portal; confirm the correct division (Trial Division for criminal/family, Civil/Probate Division for civil and probate) since the 2025 reorganization moved circuit civil cases out of the main courthouse.
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
Kalamazoo County clerk offices
Circuit Court / County Clerk: Kalamazoo County Courthouse, 227 W. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Civil/Probate Division: 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048. 8th District Court: 330 Eleanor St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007.
Phone: Circuit Court (269) 383-8952
Hours: Probate/Civil-Probate Division: 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 criminal and family records. Contact the County Clerk's Circuit Court Trial Division at the Kalamazoo County Courthouse, 227 W. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, (269) 383-8952.
Circuit civil and probate records. Contact the Civil/Probate Division at 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048, which now handles both probate matters and circuit civil cases following the 2025 reorganization.
District Court records. Contact the 8th District Court at 330 Eleanor St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007.
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 Kalamazoo County felony or divorce case?
The Kalamazoo County Clerk, acting as clerk of the Circuit Court's Trial Division, handles felony and family-division cases.
Where do I find a Kalamazoo County civil lawsuit filed in circuit court?
As of a 2025 reorganization, circuit-court civil cases moved to the Civil/Probate Division at 1536 Gull Road, alongside probate matters, rather than the main courthouse.
Where do I find a Kalamazoo County estate or guardianship case?
The Civil/Probate Division at 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, where active, closed, and microfilmed probate records can be viewed.
How do I look up a misdemeanor or traffic ticket in Kalamazoo County?
Contact the 8th District Court, located at 330 Eleanor St. in the city of Kalamazoo.
Sources
- Kalamazoo County — Courts — https://www.kalcounty.gov/161/Courts
- Kalamazoo County — Probate Court — https://www.kalcounty.gov/646/Probate-Court
- Kalamazoo County — 8th District Court — https://www.kalcounty.gov/529/8th-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.