Leelanau County Court Docket Records

Leelanau County court dockets are maintained through the 13th Circuit Court, a shared circuit serving Leelanau, Antrim, and Grand Traverse Counties. The Probate and Family Court is located in Suttons Bay. This page explains how to search Leelanau County court dockets online, request copies, and understand what these records contain.

Leelanau County Circuit and Probate Courts

Leelanau County is part of the 13th Judicial Circuit, which it shares with Antrim and Grand Traverse Counties. This arrangement means that judges travel between county seats to hold court sessions. The circuit court handles civil cases, felony criminal cases, and family law matters such as divorce and custody. The Probate Court, located in Suttons Bay, handles estates, guardianships, and related proceedings.

The Probate Court Judge for Leelanau County is Marian Kromkowski. The Probate Court office is at the Government Center, 8527 E Government Center Dr, Suite 203, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. Probate Register Kristina Mattis manages the records side of this office. For juvenile matters, contact Juvenile Register Josephine Lingaur at jingaur@co.leelanau.mi.us.

Note: Because Leelanau County shares its circuit court with two other counties, some administrative functions may be handled from Traverse City in Grand Traverse County. If you cannot reach the Suttons Bay office, try contacting the 13th Circuit Court administration through Grand Traverse County.

How to Search Leelanau County Court Dockets

The Michigan Courts Case Search at courts.michigan.gov/case-search/ covers the 13th Circuit Court and is the primary online tool for searching Leelanau County court dockets. This free state portal lets you search by party name or case number. The results show the Register of Actions, which is the official docket listing all case events.

Online access for Leelanau County is more limited than in larger counties. The 13th Circuit Court website at 13thcircuitcourt.org provides additional information but may have limited direct case search capabilities. The state MiCOURT portal is the most reliable starting point for an online search.

For older or more complex searches, records that date back to 1867 will not all be in the online system. In-person searches at the Suttons Bay courthouse remain the best option for historical docket records. Staff can search by case name or number and pull files from storage.

Requesting Leelanau County Court Records

You can request Leelanau County court docket records in person or by mail. In-person requests are handled at the Government Center in Suttons Bay during regular business hours. Bring the case number if you have it, along with the names of the parties and the approximate year the case was filed.

For probate records, contact Probate Register Kristina Mattis by email at Kmatts@co.leelanau.mi.us or by phone at (231) 256-9803. She can guide you on what is available and what fees apply. Standard court copy fees in Michigan are $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $10.00 for the first page plus $1.00 per page after that.

Mail requests go to the Probate Court at 8527 E Government Center Dr, Suite 203, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. Include a written description of what you need, party names, and a check or money order for the estimated fee. The clerk cannot provide legal advice but can tell you what records exist.

All court records access in Michigan is governed by MCR 8.119. This rule covers what is public, what is restricted, and how the court must handle requests for personal identifying information. Redacted copies are available if a document contains protected information under MCR 8.119(H)(5).

What Leelanau County Dockets Cover

Leelanau County court dockets include records from the Circuit Court, Probate Court, and District Court. Circuit court dockets cover civil lawsuits, felony criminal cases, family law (divorce, custody, paternity), and juvenile cases. Probate dockets cover estate matters, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental health proceedings. District court handles misdemeanors, traffic cases, and civil claims under $25,000.

The Register of Actions (ROA) is the core of any Michigan court docket. It is a time-ordered list of everything that happened in a case. Filing dates, motion hearings, pretrial conferences, trial dates, and final judgments all appear in the ROA. This is the document most people need to track the status of a case or confirm a past outcome.

Certain case types are restricted from public access. Personal protection orders (PPO) are not available online under MCR 3.705. Juvenile cases are confidential under MCL 600.1750. Cases sealed under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA) do not appear in public searches. The Michigan Clean Slate Law of 2020 added automatic expungement for qualifying convictions, which removes them from online visibility over time.

Historical Records and Archives

Leelanau County court records date back to 1867. Records from the earliest years are not in the online system and must be accessed in person at the courthouse or through the Archives of Michigan. The Archives holds Supreme Court and Court of Appeals case files from across the state. Contact the Archives at 702 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI 48909, phone (517) 373-1408, or email archives@michigan.gov.

The Archives charges $50.00 per case file for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals records. A general record search costs $15.00. Probate records from the Archives cost $40.00 per file. For trial court records from Leelanau County that predate the digital era, the Suttons Bay courthouse remains the best resource.

For genealogy research using Leelanau County court records, FamilySearch.org has guides on Michigan county records that may point you to useful archived collections. The county's small size means some historical records may have been moved or are in fragile condition. Call ahead to confirm availability.

Legal Resources for Leelanau County

People in Leelanau County who need help with court matters have access to statewide legal aid resources. Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org has free guides for self-represented parties on how to file cases, understand docket entries, and request records. The site covers family court, probate, and civil matters in plain language.

Official court forms for all case types are available at no charge from the SCAO forms library at courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/. These forms work at all Michigan courts, including the 13th Circuit Court. Using the standard forms reduces the chance that your filing will be rejected on a technical basis.

For criminal background checks, use the Michigan State Police ICHAT system at apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT. This is the official tool for criminal history records. It costs $10.00 per search. Online court dockets are not a replacement for ICHAT when an official record is needed.

Cities in Leelanau County

Leelanau County is a small peninsula county in northwest Michigan. Suttons Bay is the county seat. No cities in Leelanau County meet the population threshold for dedicated city pages on this site.

All circuit court cases for Leelanau County are filed through the 13th Circuit Court, with the Probate Court located at the Government Center in Suttons Bay.

Nearby Counties

Leelanau County shares a border with Grand Traverse County and is near Benzie and Antrim Counties. Check which county applies to your case before filing.