How to Search Washtenaw County Court Records
The main public route for Washtenaw County court files is the Washtenaw Trial Court Public Access portal. It covers the 22nd Circuit Court, Probate Court, and family division dockets. The state's MiCOURT Case Search covers participating trial courts across Michigan, including the 14A District Court. Both routes draw from the same court case management data.
Before you start, know what file you need. A case number is the fastest way to land on the right docket. If you only have a name, plan for several common-name hits and use filters. The county's Trial Court general info page is shown below; it links the Search Cases & Calendar route and the records request route.
The image above is the county records request page at washtenaw.org/1420. Use it when an online docket does not show a document you need or when the file predates the public portal.
- Open the Trial Court Public Access portal or MiCOURT Case Search.
- Pick the court. Use 22nd Circuit, Washtenaw Trial Court, or D14A.
- Search by case number if you have it.
- If not, search by last name and first name; add date of birth when prompted.
- Use court, date, and case-type filters to narrow the result list.
- Open the register of actions to read the full case history.
- Ask Clerk of the Court-Court Services at 101 E. Huron Street if you need a document image or certified copy.
Washtenaw County Court Records Search Fields
The MiCOURT Case Search app uses one shared form with a few input types. Field labels and required marks shift based on the search type tab you pick. The table below lists the inputs that show up on the 14A and other Washtenaw routes.
The screenshot above is the Michigan Courts site at courts.michigan.gov, which links MiCOURT and the SCAO forms library.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court | Dropdown / route | Yes | D14A for 14A District Court; the Trial Court has its own portal. |
| Search by | Tab | Yes | Name, case number, ticket/citation, attorney number. |
| Last Name | Text | Conditional | Used with name search. |
| First Name | Text | Optional | Helps narrow common names. |
| Date of Birth | Date | Optional | Splits same-name results. |
| Case Number | Text | Conditional | Use the exact court file number. |
| Ticket / Citation Number | Text | Conditional | For traffic and civil infractions. |
| Filing Date Range | Date range | Optional | Available on some routes. |
Types of Washtenaw County Court Records
Washtenaw court records cover the full set of civil and criminal disputes filed in the county. District courts handle traffic, small claims, landlord-tenant, and misdemeanors. The 22nd Circuit Court handles felonies, higher-value civil cases, and family division work. Probate Court holds estates, guardianships, and mental health files.
The Trial Court forms page is shown below. It links SCAO forms and local court forms for each case type.
That page at washtenaw.org/1289 points users to the Michigan SCAO forms library. SCAO forms are required for most state court filings.
- Civil records - complaints, answers, motions, orders, judgments, garnishments, and liens.
- Criminal records - felonies in circuit court after bindover; misdemeanors in district court.
- Family records - divorce, custody, parenting time, support, paternity, PPOs.
- Probate records - estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health.
- Traffic records - tickets, civil infractions, and minor criminal traffic.
- Landlord-tenant - summary eviction proceedings in district court.
- Small claims - cases below the statutory dollar limit set in MCL 600.8412.
What Washtenaw County Court Records Show
Public case summaries follow a common layout across Michigan. The exact fields you see depend on the court and the case type. The table below lists the standard fields and what each one means.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Year, court code, and a sequence number for the file. |
| Court | 22nd Circuit, Washtenaw Probate, D14A, or other tenant code. |
| Case Type | Criminal, civil, family, probate, traffic, landlord-tenant, or small claims. |
| Filing Date | When the case was opened. |
| Parties | Plaintiff and defendant, or petitioner and respondent. |
| Attorneys | Attorney names and bar numbers when shown. |
| Register of Actions | The full docket history, in date order. |
| Hearings | Date, time, judge or magistrate, and courtroom. |
| Disposition | Open, pending, disposed, dismissed, transferred, or sealed. |
| Financials | Bond, fines, costs, restitution, and payment status on criminal and traffic cases. |
| Documents | Available on some files; the portal often shows the docket without the document images. |
Redactions cover Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, minors' details, and other protected identifiers under Michigan Court Rule 1.109. Juvenile, adoption, and mental health files do not appear in the public docket.
Public Access Framework for Washtenaw County Court Records
Court records in Washtenaw County are governed by Michigan Court Rule 8.119, not the state Freedom of Information Act. The judiciary, including the county clerk acting as clerk to the circuit court, is excluded from FOIA by MCL 15.232(d)(v). The 14A District Court cites the same statute on its FOIA page.
The image below is the county screenshot of MCL 15.232.
Under MCR 8.119, court case records are public unless a statute, court rule, or order says otherwise. Access for non-court county records (sheriff reports, treasurer data, clerk records outside the circuit clerk role) still runs under MCL 15.233 and MCL 15.235. See the Washtenaw public records page for the FOIA process at the county level.
Note: Court files use court rules and Court Services. Sheriff and other county executive records use county FOIA, with fees under MCL 15.234.
Records That Are Sealed or Confidential in Washtenaw County
Some Washtenaw court records are closed by statute or court rule. The main sealed categories are juvenile delinquency, child protective files, adoption, mental health, and any file under a sealing order from a judge. Set-aside criminal convictions are held as a nonpublic record after relief is granted.
MCL 712A.28 sets confidentiality rules for juvenile files. MCL 710.67 covers adoption record confidentiality. Set-aside conviction rules sit in MCL 780.621 and the Clean Slate provisions at MCL 780.621g. MCL 780.623 tells how courts and law enforcement treat set-aside records.
To view a sealed file or unseal a record, you usually need to file a motion in the court that holds the file. The Public Defender Office, listed at washtenaw.org/1068, may help eligible parties in criminal and juvenile matters. The Prosecutor's Conviction Integrity & Expungement Unit handles wrongful-conviction review and helps with set-aside paths.
In-Person Court Record Requests
Records not online are still on file with Clerk of the Court-Court Services in downtown Ann Arbor. The Trial Court general page states that court records may be viewed at the main office of Clerk of the Court-Court Services. For 14A District Court files, request through the local district court at the matching service location. Bring a photo ID and the case number or party name.
Clerk of the Court-Court Services
101 E. Huron Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Counter hours 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
14A District Court Records
4133 Washtenaw Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Hours 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The 14A online resources page at washtenaw.org/4556 links case lookup, dockets, online traffic review, warrant review, and payment. Use it to start a 14A record request without driving in.
Washtenaw County Court Record Fees
The Trial Court keeps its current fee schedule on the official Fees page. Most filing and copy charges are set by Michigan statute and SCAO rules. Costs change from year to year, so confirm with the clerk's office or the online page before mailing a check.
The county Fees page above links the online payment tool. Online payment is allowed for many fines and costs, but not for filing fees on all case types.
| Item | Source |
|---|---|
| Court filing fees | Trial Court Fees page; set by Michigan statute |
| Certified copy of a court document | Clerk of the Court-Court Services; SCAO and statute |
| Plain copy of a court document | Clerk of the Court-Court Services; per-page |
| Records request transcripts | Trial Court records request page at washtenaw.org/1420 |
| FOIA copy fees (non-court county records) | Set under MCL 15.234 |
Reading a Washtenaw County Register of Actions
The register of actions on a Washtenaw case file is the long list of every step taken since the case was opened. New entries land at the bottom in date order. Codes are short but they all map to court actions. Knowing the most common ones helps you read a file without a lawyer.
- COMP
- Complaint filed in a civil case.
- ANS
- Defendant's written answer to the complaint.
- ARR
- Arraignment, the first criminal appearance.
- PE
- Preliminary examination in a felony case.
- PT
- Pretrial conference.
- PLEA
- The defendant's formal answer to a criminal charge.
- SENT
- Sentencing.
- DISP
- Disposition; the current outcome of the case or charge.
- JDGT
- Judgment in a civil case.
- BW
- Bench warrant, often for failure to appear.
The case file also lists hearing notices, motion filings, orders, and any payments tied to fines or restitution. If a step is sealed, the docket may still list a stub entry without document detail.