Kalamazoo Criminal Court Records

Kalamazoo criminal court records are filed at the 8th District Court for misdemeanor matters and at the Kalamazoo County 9th Circuit Court for felony cases. You can search Kalamazoo criminal cases online through MiCOURT, visit the Kalamazoo County Courthouse, or contact the Kalamazoo County Clerk for circuit court records.

Courts That Handle Kalamazoo Criminal Cases

The 8th District Court serves the City of Kalamazoo and handles all misdemeanor criminal cases as well as arraignments and preliminary exams for felony matters. The court is at 227 W. Michigan Ave. in downtown Kalamazoo, and the Kalamazoo County Clerk can be reached at (269) 383-8840. District court records include misdemeanor cases from start to finish. Any felony case that gets bound over after a preliminary exam moves to the 9th Circuit Court.

The Kalamazoo County 9th Circuit Court handles all felony prosecutions from the City of Kalamazoo and the rest of the county. The circuit court is also at the Kalamazoo County Courthouse at 227 W. Michigan Ave. The Kalamazoo County Clerk maintains the criminal case files for circuit court felony matters. The full felony case file includes the charging documents, pretrial motions, any plea agreement or trial transcript, victim impact statements, and the sentencing order. These records are public under MCR 8.119 unless a judge has ordered them sealed.

The City of Kalamazoo's main address is 241 W. South St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007, and the city phone is (269) 337-8047. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety serves as both the police and fire department for the city. The KDPS Records Office is at 150 E Crosstown Pkwy., Kalamazoo, MI 49001, and can be reached at (269) 337-8106. The records office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Police records and court records are separate systems with different access procedures.

8th District Court Records

The 8th District Court holds the case files for all misdemeanor criminal cases originating in the City of Kalamazoo. Court records are public under MCR 8.119 unless sealed. A typical case file includes the complaint or citation, bond records, docket entries, plea or verdict, and sentence. Some cases also include probation records if the sentence involved supervision. These records stay in the district court even after a felony is bound over to circuit court.

To get copies, visit the clerk's window at the Kalamazoo County Courthouse at 227 W. Michigan Ave. during business hours. Bring the case number or the full name of the defendant. Staff can locate the file and provide copies at $1.00 per page. Call the County Clerk at (269) 383-8840 to confirm hours and current fees before your visit. For mail requests, write to the Kalamazoo County Clerk, 201 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Include a check or money order and the case information.

How to Search Kalamazoo Criminal Court Records

Use MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov to search Kalamazoo criminal court records online for free. It covers both the 8th District Court and the Kalamazoo County 9th Circuit Court. Search by name or case number to see case status, charges, docket entries, and party information. Most cases from recent years are in the system. No registration is required.

For in-person access, visit the Kalamazoo County Courthouse at 227 W. Michigan Ave. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday. For phone inquiries, call (269) 383-8840. Mail requests for circuit court records go to the Kalamazoo County Clerk, 201 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007. For mail requests, always call or email first to get a fee estimate before sending payment.

For Kalamazoo police records, contact the KDPS Records Office at (269) 337-8106 or submit a FOIA request online through the city's Public Record Request Center at kalamazoocity.govqa.us. You can also email FOIA@kalamazoocity.org with records requests for city government documents. FOIA covers city and police records but not court case files. For court documents, always contact the court clerk directly.

The Michigan Courts website at courts.michigan.gov provides access to MiCOURT for free online searches of Kalamazoo criminal court records at the 8th District Court and 9th Circuit Court.

Kalamazoo Police Records and FOIA

The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Records Office handles police records requests for incidents and arrests in the city. The Records Office at (269) 337-8106 is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. For reports involving accidents, LexisNexis accident report service at policereports.lexisnexis.com provides reports for $12. Local background checks through KDPS cost $10 and must be done in person with a valid photo ID.

FOIA requests for city records can be submitted online through the Public Record Request Center at kalamazoocity.govqa.us or by emailing FOIA@kalamazoocity.org. This covers police reports and other city administrative records under MCL 15.231. Michigan requires a response within 5 business days. Copy fees are charged by page. The first $20 in fees is waived for indigent requesters who file an affidavit under MCL 15.234.

ICHAT at michigan.gov/ichat provides statewide criminal history for $10 per name search. Results from the Michigan State Police database include arrests and convictions from Kalamazoo courts and other Michigan agencies. This is a good starting point for a background check but does not provide the specific court documents for any given case.

Record Fees and Request Procedures

Standard copy fees at the Kalamazoo County Clerk are $1.00 per page. Certified copies carry a $10.00 per document certification fee in addition to the per-page copy fee. A ten-page certified record costs $20.00 total. Search fees may apply under MCL 15.234 when staff must search without a case number. Call (269) 383-8840 for a fee estimate before submitting a mail request.

For mail requests, include a check or money order payable to Kalamazoo County Clerk. Do not send cash. Allow extra processing time for older archived records. Indigent requesters may seek a waiver of the first $20 in fees by filing a written affidavit of indigency with the clerk's office. The clerk will review and respond before processing waived fee requests.

Michigan's MiFILE at mifile.courts.michigan.gov/availablecourts lists courts that offer electronic document access. Check whether the 8th District Court or 9th Circuit Court currently participates before planning a trip to the courthouse.

Legal Resources for Kalamazoo Residents

Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org has free guides on criminal court records, expungement under Michigan's Clean Slate law, and navigating the Kalamazoo courts. The Michigan Courts website at courts.michigan.gov has official forms and court resources. The Kalamazoo County Bar Association can provide attorney referrals for residents who need legal representation in criminal matters.

Legal Aid of Western Michigan serves the Kalamazoo area and provides free civil legal assistance to qualifying low-income residents. The MSP FOIA portal at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia handles state police records requests, which are separate from city police records and court records. Under MCL 28.241a, criminal history records include personal identifiers and reported arrests, charges, and convictions statewide.

Kalamazoo County Criminal Court Records

The City of Kalamazoo is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. Felony cases from the city go to the Kalamazoo County 9th Circuit Court. The county page covers the circuit court, county clerk's office, and the full range of Kalamazoo County criminal records access options.

View Kalamazoo County Criminal Court Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Kalamazoo also have criminal court records pages on this site.