Cass County Court Docket Records

Cass County court dockets are on file with the County Clerk in Cassopolis. The 43rd Circuit Court, shared with St. Joseph County, handles civil, criminal, and family cases for Cass County residents. Use the Michigan Courts statewide portal to search dockets online, or contact the clerk's office in Cassopolis to request copies, access the Register of Actions, and view full case files from any public case in the 43rd Circuit Court.

Cass County Circuit Court and Clerk

The Cass County Clerk's office is at 120 N Broadway, Suite 123, in Cassopolis. County Clerk Monica McMichael runs the office and serves as the clerk for the 43rd Circuit Court in Cass County. The 43rd Circuit is shared with St. Joseph County. Cass County handles its own records while St. Joseph County handles the records for cases filed there. If you are searching for a case and are not sure which county it was filed in, check the county where the parties lived or where the incident occurred.

The clerk's office maintains court records for civil, criminal, family, and probate cases. The Register of Actions is the official docket for each case. It logs every document, hearing, and court order from start to finish. Most records are public and open for inspection during business hours. The office is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Current contact information and county services are at the Cass County website.

How to Search Cass County Court Dockets

Use the Michigan Courts Case Search to find Cass County court dockets online. This free statewide portal covers all 57 Michigan Circuit Courts including the 43rd Circuit. Search by name, case number, or attorney. Results show case status, docket entries, and party information at no charge. No account is needed.

The Michigan Courts main portal is the best starting point for any online court search in Cass County. It links to the case search, forms, and the MiFILE e-filing system. Civil and criminal cases can both be found through this portal. If you are looking for a case that went to appeal, the same portal covers appellate court records as well.

The Cass County website above provides information about the clerk's office and how to access court dockets for the 43rd Circuit Court in Cassopolis.

For in-person searches, go to the clerk's office at 120 N Broadway in Cassopolis. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you search the case index at no charge. Bring the party name or case number to make the search faster. Remember that results from the online portal are informational only and are not official records.

Requesting Cass County Court Record Copies

Court records from the 43rd Circuit Court in Cass County are available by visiting the clerk's office or by mailing a written request. Visit 120 N Broadway in Cassopolis during the 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekday hours. Bring the case name and number. Staff will locate the file and make copies. For mail requests, write to the clerk at the same address. Clearly state the case name, case number, and documents you want. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment.

Standard copies cost around $1 per page. Certified copies carry an additional certification fee. Call (269) 445-4464 to confirm the current fee before sending payment. Make checks or money orders payable to the Cass County Clerk. Fees vary slightly by court and record type, so confirming before you mail saves time.

Official Michigan court forms are available free at the SCAO forms page. For historical records from the Michigan Supreme Court or Court of Appeals, contact the Archives of Michigan in Lansing. The Michigan Legal Help website is a free resource for self-represented litigants who need help understanding court procedures in Cass County.

Cass County Court Records and Clean Slate Law

Most court records in Cass County's 43rd Circuit Court are public and open to inspection. The Register of Actions tracks every event in a case and is available for any public case. Civil, criminal, and family cases are generally accessible. Probate cases, which deal with estates and guardianships, are also public in most situations. Access to records is governed by MCR 8.119, which sets out both what courts must provide and how they must handle personal identifying information.

Cass County is one of several Michigan counties implementing the Clean Slate Law, which limits public access to some criminal records to 7 years. If you search for an older criminal case in Cass County and cannot find it, this may be why. The law allows for automatic expungement of certain convictions, and as clerks process eligible cases, they disappear from public access. This applies only to some criminal records, not civil or family cases.

Other restricted records include juvenile cases under MCL 600.1750, PPO cases under MCR 3.705, HYTA matters, and first-time drug offense dispositions under MCL 333.7411. For official criminal background checks, use the Michigan State Police ICHAT system, not court docket searches.

Cities in Cass County

Cass County does not have cities above the qualifying population threshold for dedicated pages. Cassopolis is the county seat. All 43rd Circuit Court cases for Cass County are processed through the clerk's office in Cassopolis.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Cass County in southwest Michigan. Cass shares the 43rd Circuit Court with St. Joseph County.