Hillsdale County Criminal Court Records

Hillsdale County criminal court records are maintained by the County Clerk in Hillsdale, Michigan. The 1st Circuit Court handles felony criminal matters for the county, and the 2B District Court handles misdemeanors and lower-level cases. You can access Hillsdale County criminal court records in person at the courthouse, by mail, or through the county's online FOIA and records portal. County Clerk Marney M. Kast heads the office at 29 N. Howell Street in Hillsdale.

Hillsdale County Clerk and Courts

The Hillsdale County Clerk's office is at the county courthouse, 29 N. Howell Street, Room 1, in Hillsdale. Clerk Marney M. Kast can be reached at (517) 437-3391 or by email at mkast@co.hillsdale.mi.us. The fax number is (517) 437-3392. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with a closed lunch period. Plan your visit or call outside of the lunch break to reach someone.

The 1st Circuit Court covers Hillsdale County and handles all felony criminal matters including serious drug offenses, assault, burglary, weapons violations, and other felony charges. The 2B District Court is at 49 N. Howell Street in Hillsdale and handles misdemeanor criminal cases and the initial stages of felony proceedings, including arraignments and preliminary exams. The district court phone is (517) 437-7329. Both courts are in Hillsdale, making it straightforward to visit both on the same day if needed.

How to Search Hillsdale County Criminal Court Records

For online searches, start with MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov. This free statewide system lets you search by name or case number and see case status, docket entries, and hearing dates for Hillsdale County circuit and district court cases. Not every older record appears in MiCOURT, but it is the right first step before contacting the courthouse directly.

Hillsdale County also has an online records request portal at hillsdalecountymi.justfoia.com/publicportal. This portal handles requests for county records including certain court-related documents. Note that criminal court case files themselves are governed by court rules and not FOIA, so the portal is better suited for administrative county records. For criminal case file copies, contact the clerk's office directly at (517) 437-3391.

In-person access is available at the courthouse at 29 N. Howell Street. Bring a case number or the full name of the party. Staff can locate the file and make copies. Call ahead to confirm hours and whether the specific record you need is stored at the courthouse or in archives. Mail requests go to: Hillsdale County Clerk, 29 N. Howell St., Room 1, Hillsdale, MI 49242. Include a check or money order and a return address for fee confirmation.

Hillsdale County's online records portal at hillsdalecountymi.justfoia.com handles county records requests. For criminal court case file copies, contact the clerk directly at (517) 437-3391.

Copy Fees and Procedures

Standard copy fees at the Hillsdale County Clerk are $1.00 per page. Certified copies carry a $10.00 certification fee per document in addition to the per-page rate. A ten-page certified record would cost $20.00 total. Search fees may apply when staff must search without a specific case number. Under MCL 15.234, those fees are based on actual staff time spent locating records.

For mail requests, include a check or money order payable to Hillsdale County Clerk. Do not send cash. You can also fax requests to (517) 437-3392 or email the clerk at mkast@co.hillsdale.mi.us to ask about a specific case. Staff will respond with the fee before processing. Indigent requesters can ask for a waiver of the first $20 in fees by submitting an affidavit of indigency with their request.

Online Case Search Tools

MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov is the primary free tool for online case lookups in Hillsdale County. For criminal history background checks beyond a single case, use ICHAT at michigan.gov/ichat, which costs $10 per name search and returns results from the Michigan State Police statewide criminal history database. ICHAT covers Hillsdale County arrests and convictions alongside records from courts across Michigan.

Michigan's e-filing system, MiFILE, may offer electronic access to some court documents if Hillsdale County courts participate in the current rollout. Check the available courts list to confirm current participation status before looking for documents through MiFILE.

MiCOURT is the free statewide search tool for Hillsdale County criminal cases. Search by name or case number to see docket history and case status.

FOIA and Criminal Court Records

Criminal court case files in Hillsdale County are not subject to Michigan's Freedom of Information Act. FOIA under MCL 15.231 applies to administrative government records, not court case files. Court records are governed by MCR 8.119 and must be requested from the circuit court clerk. If you send a FOIA request for criminal court files, it will be denied and redirected to the court. For other county government records, use the online portal at hillsdalecountymi.justfoia.com/publicportal or fax requests to (517) 437-3392.

Legal Resources for Hillsdale County

Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org offers free guides on court records, expungement, and criminal case procedures for all Michigan counties including Hillsdale. It can help you understand whether a record is eligible for expungement under Michigan's Clean Slate law and how to navigate the process. For state police criminal history records, the MSP FOIA portal is at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia. Under MCL 28.241a, criminal history records include personal identifiers and reported arrests, charges, and convictions.

Cities in Hillsdale County

Hillsdale County is in southern Michigan near the Ohio and Indiana borders. The city of Hillsdale is the county seat. No cities in Hillsdale County have a dedicated page on this site. Criminal court records for the area are handled through the Hillsdale County Clerk and the 1st Circuit Court at 29 N. Howell Street.

Nearby Counties

Hillsdale County borders these counties. Check the appropriate county if a case was filed elsewhere.