| Circuit Court Clerk | Ottawa County Clerk — Circuit Court Records |
|---|---|
| Probate Court | Ottawa County Probate Court |
| Clerk address | Ottawa County Clerk, 12220 Fillmore St, West Olive, MI 49460. Probate Court: 414 Washington Ave, Room 200, Grand Haven, MI 49417. 58th District Court: 3100 Port Sheldon Rd, Hudsonville, MI 49426. |
| Phone | County Clerk (616) 994-4501; Probate Court (616) 786-4110; 58th District Court, Hudsonville (616) 662-3100 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| 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 |
Ottawa County's Clerk's Office is the clerk of the 20th Circuit Court, based in West Olive, and keeps felony, family-division, and larger civil case records. The clerk directs the public to Michigan's statewide MiCOURT Case Search for online case lookups rather than running a separate county name search, and can be reached directly for questions about circuit-court records.
The 58th District Court handles misdemeanors, civil claims up to $25,000, small claims, landlord-tenant cases, and traffic matters, with locations in both Hudsonville and Grand Haven. Ottawa County's Probate Court, in Grand Haven, is a separate office for estates, guardianships, conservatorships, mental-health cases, and other probate matters, including secret marriages.
Because the county clerk points searchers to MiCOURT rather than a county-specific portal, start there for circuit-court cases, and go to the 58th District Court or Probate Court directly for those case types.
Search Ottawa County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Ottawa County Clerk — Circuit Court Records
- Cost
- Free to search via MiCOURT; fees for copies
- Coverage
- 20th Circuit Court felony, civil, and family-division case records; the page directs searchers to MiCOURT Case Search
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
For record questions, the clerk's office can be reached at circuitcourtrecords@miottawa.org.
Probate Court
Ottawa County Probate Court
- Cost
- Free to search via MiCOURT; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Estates, guardianships, conservatorships, mental-health proceedings, and other probate matters
- Records
- Probate
Located at 414 Washington Ave, Room 200, Grand Haven, MI 49417.
Other courts
58th District Court — Records
- Cost
- Free to search via MiCOURT; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, civil claims up to $25,000, small claims, landlord-tenant, and traffic cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Court locations in Hudsonville (3100 Port Sheldon Rd) and Grand Haven.
What is available online
Ottawa County does not run its own separate circuit-court name-search portal; the clerk's page directs users to Michigan's statewide MiCOURT Case Search, which covers the 20th Circuit Court, the 58th District Court, and the Ottawa County Probate Court. Document images are not available online.
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
Ottawa County clerk offices
Ottawa County Clerk, 12220 Fillmore St, West Olive, MI 49460. Probate Court: 414 Washington Ave, Room 200, Grand Haven, MI 49417. 58th District Court: 3100 Port Sheldon Rd, Hudsonville, MI 49426.
Phone: County Clerk (616) 994-4501; Probate Court (616) 786-4110; 58th District Court, Hudsonville (616) 662-3100
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Circuit Court records. Search MiCOURT Case Search, or email circuitcourtrecords@miottawa.org for help locating a case or ordering copies from the Ottawa County Clerk, 12220 Fillmore St, West Olive, MI 49460.
Probate Court records. Contact the Ottawa County Probate Court at 414 Washington Ave, Room 200, Grand Haven, MI 49417, (616) 786-4110.
District Court records. Contact the 58th District Court, which has locations in Hudsonville and Grand Haven, for copies and current fees.
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
Is there a separate Ottawa County online court search, or do I use MiCOURT?
Ottawa County directs searchers to Michigan's statewide MiCOURT Case Search rather than running its own separate circuit-court portal.
Which office has my Ottawa County divorce or felony case?
The Ottawa County Clerk, as clerk of the 20th Circuit Court, based in West Olive.
Where is Ottawa County's 58th District Court?
The 58th District Court has locations in both Hudsonville and Grand Haven; confirm which location handled a specific case before visiting or calling.
Who keeps Ottawa County probate and guardianship records?
The Ottawa County Probate Court, located at 414 Washington Ave, Room 200, in Grand Haven, separate from the circuit court clerk.
Sources
- Ottawa County Clerk — Circuit Court Records — https://miottawa.org/clerk/circuit-court-records/
- Ottawa County — Probate Court — https://miottawa.org/courts/probate/
- Ottawa County — 58th District Court Records — https://miottawa.org/courts/58th-district/records/
- 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.