Docket vs Case File in Washtenaw County
A docket is the running list of events in a court case. It is not the full file. A case file holds the docket plus all the actual documents: pleadings, motions, orders, transcripts, exhibits, judgments, and notices. The docket is a summary; the case file holds the source paper. When you search a Washtenaw court docket online, you almost always see the docket alone. Document images may or may not be attached.
The Trial Court general info page at washtenaw.org/1253 states that court records may be viewed at the main office of Clerk of the Court-Court Services. That is the path for the full case file. For most users, the public docket online is enough to answer the basic questions: what was filed, when, who filed it, and what comes next.
Each Washtenaw court has its own docket layout. The 22nd Circuit Court and Probate Court use Trial Court Public Access. The 14A District Court is in MiCOURT. The 15th District Court (Ann Arbor) and 14B District Court (Ypsilanti Township) run their own calendars; check the city sites if your case is there.
Docket entries do not carry the same legal weight as the underlying court order. The docket may say "order signed" or "judgment entered," but the actual order text lives in the case file. If you need to enforce, appeal, or rely on a ruling, you need the document itself. The clerk can certify a copy at the counter once you give the case number.
Why Washtenaw Dockets Are Public
Michigan Court Rule 8.119 makes court case records public by default. The rule says the court holds case records open unless a statute, a court rule, or a specific order makes them confidential or sealed. That is why most Washtenaw dockets show up online and at the clerk's counter without a special request.
Michigan FOIA does not run the courts. The judiciary is excluded from FOIA under MCL 15.232(d)(v). So a Washtenaw docket request is not a FOIA request. It is a court-rule access right handled by Clerk of the Court-Court Services for the Trial Court, or by the local district court clerk for 14A, 15th, and 14B district files.
How to Find Washtenaw County Dockets Online
The fastest route to a Washtenaw docket depends on the court. Trial Court cases (circuit, probate, family) go through the county portal. 14A District Court cases go through MiCOURT. Once you land on a case, the docket runs from oldest entry at the top to newest at the bottom.
- Open the Washtenaw Trial Court Public Access portal for circuit, probate, and family files; or the MiCOURT D14A route for 14A District Court files.
- Search by case number, or by last name and first name.
- Open the case and scroll to the register of actions.
- Read the entries in date order. Look for the latest hearing and the latest order.
- Check the future events list for the next hearing date.
- Call the court clerk if a hearing date looks wrong or if you cannot reach the file online.
The 14A District Court docket/calendar landing page sits at washtenaw.org/1062. It links the daily court calendar through the case management system. The page says docket changes constantly occur, and the docket site is directly linked to the court's case management system. Updates roll in as scheduling staff process changes.
Sample Washtenaw County Docket Entry
Each docket entry follows a small set of fields. The table below shows the common ones and what each tells you. Some courts add more columns; the basics are the same across Michigan trial courts.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Entry Date | The day the action was filed or recorded. |
| Event Type | Code or short label for the action (motion, order, hearing, plea, judgment). |
| Party Filing | Which side filed the paper, or "court" for court-issued entries. |
| Description | One-line summary of the filing or event. |
| Document | Link to the image if the court posts it; many files show docket only. |
| Hearing Outcome | Continued, held, adjourned, or vacated. |
| Judge / Magistrate | Judicial officer for the event. |
Future hearings sit in a separate list. They show the date, time, courtroom, and judge or magistrate. Move dates are common, so check the docket the day before a hearing.
Common Washtenaw Docket Codes
Docket codes are short shorthand. Knowing the most common ones helps you read a Washtenaw court docket without a lawyer. Some codes mean different things by case type; the list below covers the most-used short labels in district and circuit court files.
- ARR
- Arraignment, the first criminal appearance.
- PE
- Preliminary examination on a felony charge.
- PT
- Pretrial conference, usually for plea negotiation.
- PLEA
- The defendant's formal answer to a charge.
- SENT
- Sentencing hearing.
- JT / BT
- Jury trial or bench trial.
- COMP
- Complaint filed.
- ANS
- Answer filed.
- MOT
- Motion filed.
- ORD
- Court order entered.
- JDGT
- Civil judgment.
- DISP
- Disposition entered on a charge or claim.
- BW
- Bench warrant, often issued after a failure to appear.
Daily Calendars by Washtenaw Court
Each Washtenaw court runs its own calendar. The Trial Court general page links them under court operations. Hours can shift, so check the page the morning of your visit.
- 22nd Circuit Court - Daily calendars through Trial Court Public Access; in-person at 101 E. Huron Street, Ann Arbor, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Probate Court - Calendars run through the same Trial Court portal at 101 E. Huron Street; estate, guardianship, and mental health calendars are tracked here.
- 14A District Court - Docket calendar at washtenaw.org/1062; sites in Pittsfield, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, and Saline; hours 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (14A-3 closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).
- 15th District Court - Ann Arbor city district court; runs its own daily calendar.
- 14B District Court - Ypsilanti Township district court; runs its own daily calendar.
The 14A general info page at washtenaw.org/1026 links the docket route and the Zoom hearing instructions for hybrid appearances.
Missed Court Dates and Bench Warrants
A missed Washtenaw court date often triggers a bench warrant. The judge can sign a warrant for failure to appear or for failure to follow a court order. Bench warrants stay open until the court recalls them. The court does not always send a written warning before the warrant issues.
If you miss a Washtenaw court hearing, do not wait for police contact. Call the court clerk and ask how to set a new date. The Public Defender Office at washtenaw.org/1068 serves criminal and juvenile clients who qualify. The 14A District Court online resources page at washtenaw.org/4556 links an Online Warrant Review tool used to check 14A warrant status.
See the Washtenaw warrant records page for the full walk-through. The arrest records page covers the criminal court flow tied to warrants.
Adjournments and Continuances
Washtenaw courts adjourn (move) hearings often. Counsel may ask for time, the court may have a scheduling conflict, or a party may need more notice. An adjourned hearing shows on the docket with a new date in the future events list.
Always confirm a hearing date one business day before the event. The 14A general info page notes that the docket is directly linked to the case management system and updated as scheduling changes are made available to case management staff. Late changes do happen.
Note: A docket entry marked "vacated" means the event was cancelled, not held; a "held" entry means it took place.
Zoom and Remote Hearings in Washtenaw County
Washtenaw courts run many hearings by Zoom. The 14A District Court general info page at washtenaw.org/1026 links Zoom hearing instructions and ADA accommodation requests. The 22nd Circuit Court and Probate Court also use remote video for set hearing types.
If your docket entry shows a Zoom link or a "remote" tag, follow the court's instructions on the public docket. Bring a quiet space, a working camera, and your case number on hand. Late or absent video appearances may be treated the same as a missed court date and can trigger a bench warrant.
Friend of the Court and Family Dockets
Family division dockets sit inside the 22nd Circuit Court. Custody, parenting time, support, and divorce hearings show on the same Trial Court Public Access portal. Friend of the Court (FOC) tracks support enforcement and helps the court manage the domestic relations docket. Some FOC files have restricted access and may not show in the public docket the same way as ordinary civil cases.
The Washtenaw marriage and divorce records page covers the divorce docket flow. Personal protection order (PPO) cases also run through the circuit court family division, with some entries redacted to protect the petitioner.
Older Washtenaw Dockets
The Trial Court Public Access portal and MiCOURT cover current and recent files. Older cases may not be in the online system at all. The Trial Court general info page states that paper court records can be viewed at the main office of Clerk of the Court-Court Services. Older files may need an in-person visit and a search fee.
For very old files (pre-electronic), contact Court Services in advance. Staff may need time to retrieve archived files from off-site storage. The records request page at washtenaw.org/1420 links the transcript request route.