Cheboygan County Court Records Search
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Cheboygan County, Michigan maintains court records across three distinct trial courts, each responsible for a different tier of criminal, civil, probate, and family proceedings. These records — case filings, orders, judgments, motions, and hearing transcripts — are official documents produced whenever a matter comes before the county's judicial system. Knowing which court handled a case and which office holds its records is the first practical step toward finding any file you need.
If you're starting a search for Cheboygan County court case information, MichiganCourts.us gives a helpful overview of how Michigan's court system is organized and points you toward publicly available case data. From there, you can access records through clerk offices in person, by written mail request, at public-access terminals in the courthouse, or through the Michigan judiciary's online case search platform. The right path depends on the type of record you need and which court handled the case.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Cheboygan County?
Start by identifying the correct court. In Cheboygan County, three courts share the same physical address at 870 South Main Street, Cheboygan, MI 49721, but each serves a different jurisdiction and maintains its own separate record system.
Cheboygan County Courts at a Glance
| Court | Primary Jurisdiction | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53rd Circuit Court | Felonies, civil cases over $25,000, family law, appeals | (231) 627-8818 | Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| 89th District Court | Misdemeanors, traffic, civil cases up to $25,000, small claims | (231) 627-8809 | Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Cheboygan County Probate Court | Estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions | (231) 627-8823 | Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
Online Search Options
Two online tools allow remote access to Cheboygan County case data:
- MiCOURT Case Search – Circuit Court: Provides basic case information for the 53rd Circuit Court, including party names, case status, filed date, hearing dates, and case events. This is the primary free tool for looking up circuit court matters remotely.
- MiCOURT Case Search – Probate Court: Offers similar case-level data for probate proceedings, including decedent names, estate representative names, wards, and next hearing information.
- 89th District Court Case Dispositions: The 89th District Court maintains its own public case search tool where district court case dispositions can be browsed directly.
In-Person and Mail Access
All 53rd Circuit Court records are held by the Cheboygan County Clerk's Office — not by the circuit court itself, which does not maintain public files in its own office. If you're visiting in person, go to the County Clerk/Register of Deeds in Room 204 at 870 South Main Street. The clerk's office can be reached at (231) 627-8808, and staff are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For district court and probate court records, visit those court offices directly during the same hours, or contact them by phone. Mail-in requests are also accepted. When writing, include the full names of all parties involved, approximate case dates, and the case number if you have it.
Are Court Records Public in Cheboygan County?
Under MCR 8.119(H), Michigan courts must allow any person to inspect and obtain copies of case records unless a specific statute, court rule, or judicial order restricts access. Most records produced during criminal, civil, probate, and domestic proceedings in Cheboygan County fall under this general presumption of openness.
That said, several categories are explicitly off-limits to the public:
- Juvenile records: Cases involving minors in delinquency or protective proceedings are nonpublic.
- Adoption records: Sealed by statute; a court order is required to access them.
- Active law enforcement investigation files: Criminal records compiled during ongoing investigations are closed.
- Personal Identifying Information (PII): Under MCR 1.109(D)(9), Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and financial account numbers must be omitted or redacted from public court documents.
- Sealed case files: Under MCR 8.119(I), any party may petition to seal specific records — but doing so requires a written motion, a showing of good cause, and a narrowly tailored judicial ruling.
- Confidential medical and mental health records produced during treatment proceedings.
Some otherwise restricted files are accessible to authorized individuals, such as case parties and their legal representatives. If you can't locate a specific file through public channels, the relevant clerk's office can tell you whether it exists in a restricted or sealed form.
Cheboygan County Criminal Court Records
Criminal matters in Cheboygan County are handled at two levels, depending on how serious the charge is.
The 53rd Circuit Court has jurisdiction over felony prosecutions — cases where a conviction could result in a state prison sentence, ranging from property crimes through violent offenses. The circuit court also conducts pretrial proceedings, such as probable cause conferences, before cases advance to formal trial. Records of these proceedings are maintained by the County Clerk, Karen Brewster, reachable at clerk@cheboygancounty.net.
The 89th District Court handles all misdemeanor criminal cases — offenses carrying a maximum sentence of up to one year in jail rather than prison. This court also processes traffic violations, including major traffic misdemeanors, and conducts arraignments and preliminary examinations for felony cases before they are bound over to the circuit court. The Criminal Division of the district court can be reached at (231) 627-8809.
Accessing Arrest and Law Enforcement Records
Arrest and incident-related records held by local law enforcement are separate from court case files. The Cheboygan County Sheriff's Department handles police reports and related public records requests through its standard records request process. The Sheriff's office notes that reports typically take 5–10 business days to complete and cannot be released by phone — all requests must be submitted in writing or in person. Reports tied to active investigations may not be releasable. For formal requests, Cheboygan County's county-wide FOIA request process covers records held by multiple departments, including the Sheriff.
Statewide Criminal History Records
For a comprehensive name-based criminal history, the Michigan State Police maintains the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT). ICHAT allows members of the public to search publicly available conviction records maintained by the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center. Each name-based search costs $10.00, payable by credit card. ICHAT does not include sealed, expunged, or juvenile records, and it is limited to Michigan convictions only.
Cheboygan County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Cheboygan County are filed in one of two courts based on the monetary value of the claim:
- 53rd Circuit Court: Handles civil cases where the amount in dispute exceeds $25,000, including negligence claims, contract disputes, property conflicts, zoning litigation, and appeals from lower courts and administrative agencies.
- 89th District Court: Handles civil matters with claims valued up to $25,000, landlord-tenant proceedings, and small claims cases.
9th District Court Civil Filing Fees
The Civil Division of the 89th District Court lists the following standard filing fees:
| Case Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Small Claims (up to $600) | $30.00 |
| Small Claims ($600.01 to $1,750) | $50.00 |
| Small Claims ($1,750.01 to $7,000) | $70.00 |
| Landlord/Tenant – Possession only | $55.00 |
The small claims limit in Cheboygan County's District Court is $7,000. Small claims proceedings are designed to be informal, allowing individuals to resolve disputes without attorneys, though legal representation is permitted. For general civil and landlord-tenant cases, contact the district court's civil division for current fee schedules, as amounts are periodically updated by Michigan statute.
Property and Land Records
Real estate documents — including deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats — are recorded and searchable through the County Clerk/Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds division is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Land records can also be searched through the county's online Land Records portal. Recording a document costs a flat $30.00 regardless of the number of pages, which covers both the state Remonumentation fee and the Register of Deeds automation fee.
Cheboygan County Family Court Records
Family law cases in Cheboygan County are handled by the Family Division of the 53rd Circuit Court, which has jurisdiction over the full range of domestic relations matters, including:
- Divorce and legal separation
- Child custody and parenting time
- Child support establishment and modification
- Paternity actions
- Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) for domestic violence situations
- Juvenile delinquency cases (concurrent jurisdiction with the Probate Court)
The Friend of the Court office supports the Family Division by handling enforcement, investigations, and recommendations in cases involving child support and custody. Parties in active family cases can access motion packets and blank orders directly from the Friend of the Court's pages on the county website. The Cheboygan County Prosecuting Attorney's office also administers paternity and child support services for cases involving public assistance.
Individuals seeking Personal Protection Orders can find guidance and forms through the Prosecuting Attorney's office. PPO-related documents filed with the court are generally public records unless the court has ordered otherwise, though victim-specific identifying information is protected under Michigan law.
Vital Records Connected to Family Matters
The County Clerk/Register of Deeds maintains birth, death, and marriage records for events that occurred in Cheboygan County. Certified copies of these records are frequently needed in family law proceedings — birth certificates for custody and paternity matters, death certificates for estate and survivorship claims, and marriage records for divorce filings. Submit requests in person at the clerk's office (Room 204, 870 South Main Street) or by mail. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Division of Vital Records serves as the statewide repository for records from 1867 forward, offering online, mail, in-person, and drop-box ordering options.
Cheboygan County Probate Court Records
The Cheboygan County Probate Court is located at 870 South Main Street, Room 212, Cheboygan, MI 49721. Reach the court at (231) 627-8823 (fax: (231) 627-8868). Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Probate Court has jurisdiction over the following matter types:
- Decedent estates — supervised, unsupervised, and small estate proceedings
- Wills and will contests
- Trusts and trust administration
- Adult and minor guardianships
- Adult and minor conservatorships
- Adoptions
- Mental health treatment proceedings for developmentally disabled and mentally ill individuals
Wills and Estates
When a person dies, any will must be presented to the Probate Court for admission. Before death, a will may be filed with the court for safekeeping at a fee of $25.00. Once an estate proceeding is opened, the court file generally becomes a public record that can be searched through the MiCOURT Probate Case Search or reviewed in person at the courthouse.
Standard probate filing fees in Michigan are set by statute. Per the Michigan Courts Probate Court Fee Table, opening a formal or informal decedent estate carries a $175.00 filing fee. A small estate petition for estates valued at less than $22,000 costs $25.00 plus a statutorily calculated inventory fee based on total estate value. Motions and petitions filed after a case is already open generally carry a $20.00 fee.
Guardianships and Conservatorships
A guardianship appoints a person to make personal decisions for someone who is legally incapacitated. A conservatorship is the parallel appointment for managing that person's finances. The Probate Court handles both. Detailed information about requirements and procedures for guardians, conservators, and mental health commitments is available through the court's official pages. Petitions to open either type of proceeding generally cost $175.00, with subsequent filings in an open case at $20.00.
Searching Probate Records
You can search basic case data through the MiCOURT portal, or contact the Probate Court administrator's office directly. Physical case files may be reviewed in person during business hours. Standardized SCAO-approved forms are required for most petitions and must comply with updated PII standards under MCR 1.109(D)(9). Adoption records handled by the Probate Court are sealed and not publicly accessible.