Luce County Criminal Court Records

Luce County criminal court records are maintained by the County Clerk and Register of Deeds in Newberry, Michigan. The 11th Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases for Luce County, and the 92-1 District Court handles misdemeanor matters and preliminary felony proceedings. You can search Luce County criminal court records in person at the courthouse, through MiCOURT online, or by contacting the clerk at (906) 293-5521. Public access terminals are also available at the 92nd District Court in Newberry for on-site lookups.

Luce County Clerk and Courts

The Luce County Clerk and Register of Deeds office is at the Luce County Government Building, 407 W. Harrie Street in Newberry. Clerk Sharon Price heads the office, which can be reached at (906) 293-5521 or by fax at (906) 293-5553. Email requests go to lucoclrk@lighthouse.net. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The office handles records for both the circuit court and district court, and staff can assist with locating cases by name or case number.

The 11th Circuit Court handles all felony criminal matters in Luce County. The circuit court phone is also (906) 293-5521 and routes through the clerk's office. Felony cases here include serious drug charges, assault, breaking and entering, weapons violations, and other major criminal matters. The circuit court case file is the primary record for any felony prosecution in the county and includes the charging documents, motions, hearings, plea or trial record, and the sentencing order.

The 92-1 District Court at (906) 293-5531 handles misdemeanor criminal cases and the initial stages of all felony proceedings. Public access terminals are available at the 92nd District Court location for free on-site case lookups during business hours. These terminals are a good option if you want to search records without paying per-page copy fees. The district court handles OWI, retail fraud, minor assault, and other misdemeanor-level charges in Luce County.

How to Search Luce County Criminal Court Records

The free statewide search tool MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov is the main online option for Luce County criminal case searches. Enter a full name or case number to see docket entries, case status, and party information. MiCOURT covers both the 11th Circuit Court and 92-1 District Court cases. Some older records may not appear online, but recent and active cases typically show up.

For in-person searches, the public access terminals at the 92nd District Court in Newberry offer free lookups during business hours. This is a good option if you want to check records without paying copy fees first. The Luce County Government Building at 407 W. Harrie Street is where you can request paper copies. Bring a case number or full name. Staff will make copies at $1.00 per page.

Mail requests go to: Luce County Clerk, 407 W. Harrie St., Newberry, MI 49868. Include the full name of the party, the approximate year, and the type of record you need. You can also email requests to lucoclrk@lighthouse.net. The clerk will respond with the fee before processing. Allow additional time for archived records that may need to be retrieved from storage.

The Luce County government website at lucecountymi.com has department information, court contacts, and county services for Newberry and surrounding communities in the Upper Peninsula.

11th Circuit Court Criminal Cases

The 11th Circuit Court covers Luce and Schoolcraft counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Felony criminal cases from both counties go through this shared circuit. For Luce County cases specifically, the clerk's office in Newberry maintains the physical case files. The Michigan Legal Help site has a useful page describing how the 11th Circuit Court works, including what types of cases it handles and how to contact the court for different needs.

Felony circuit court records in Luce County are public under MCR 8.119 unless sealed by a judge. The case file includes the information or indictment, bond conditions, motions from both sides, any plea agreement or trial transcript, and the sentencing order. Certified copies of court documents are available from the clerk's office with a $10.00 certification fee per document plus $1.00 per page.

Michigan Legal Help's page on the 11th Circuit Court in Luce County explains the court's role, how it handles felony criminal cases, and how to contact the court for records and procedures.

Copy Fees and Records Procedures

Standard copy fees at the Luce County Clerk are $1.00 per page. Certified copies carry an additional $10.00 certification fee per document. For a ten-page certified record, the total cost would be $20.00. Search fees may apply when staff must search without a specific case number, charged based on actual staff time under MCL 15.234.

For mail or email requests, the clerk will confirm the fee before processing. Include a check or money order payable to the Luce County Clerk for mail requests. Do not send cash. Indigent requesters may ask for a waiver of the first $20 in fees by submitting an affidavit of indigency. Call (906) 293-5521 to ask about fee waiver procedures before submitting a written request.

Online Case Search Tools

MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov is the free statewide tool for Luce County criminal case searches. For broader criminal history background checks, the Michigan State Police ICHAT system at michigan.gov/ichat costs $10 per name and pulls from the statewide database, covering Luce County arrests and convictions along with records from other Michigan courts. Michigan's e-filing system MiFILE may provide access to some electronically filed documents; check the available courts list for current Luce County participation status.

FOIA and Court Records

Criminal court case files in Luce County are not subject to Michigan's Freedom of Information Act. FOIA under MCL 15.231 covers administrative government records. Court records are governed by MCR 8.119 and must be requested from the circuit court clerk at (906) 293-5521 or lucoclrk@lighthouse.net. A FOIA request for criminal case files will be denied and redirected to the clerk.

Legal Resources for Luce County

Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org provides free guides on court records and criminal case procedures for all Michigan counties including Luce. The state police FOIA portal is at michigan.gov/msp/services/foia for state-level criminal history records. Under MCL 28.241a, criminal history records include personal identifiers and arrest and conviction data.

Cities in Luce County

Luce County is in the eastern Upper Peninsula. The village of Newberry serves as the county seat. No communities in Luce County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All criminal court records for the county are accessible through the Luce County Clerk at the Government Building in Newberry.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Luce County. Check the appropriate county if a case was filed elsewhere.