Lenawee County Court Docket Search

Lenawee County court dockets are managed by the 39th Circuit Court and the County Clerk's Office in Adrian. The county offers online access to circuit court case records through the state MiCOURT system. This page covers how to search Lenawee County court dockets, request copies, and understand the fees and procedures involved.

Lenawee County 39th Circuit Court

The 39th Circuit Court serves Lenawee County from the Judicial Building at 425 N Main Street in Adrian. This court has jurisdiction over civil cases, felony criminal matters, family law (divorce, custody, support), and juvenile proceedings. The County Clerk acts as the Clerk of the Court for family division cases. A separate probate clerk handles the Probate Court records.

Lenawee County operates two court locations. The Judicial Building at 425 N Main Street, Adrian, is the primary courthouse. The Annex Building at 113 W. Front Street, Adrian, houses the Vital Records Office. If you are looking for birth, marriage, or death records, that is the right location. If you need court dockets or case filings, go to the Judicial Building.

The Lenawee County website at lenawee.mi.us has pages for both the County Clerk and the County Courts. These pages list current contact details, office hours, and links to online services including the MiCOURT case search portal.

Search Lenawee County Court Dockets Online

Lenawee County provides online access to circuit court records through the MiCOURT system. The direct link for the 39th Circuit Court is micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/court/C39. This search tool is free to use and shows the Register of Actions for each case, which is the official docket record listing every filing, hearing, and order in chronological order.

The Lenawee County courts page at lenawee.mi.us/289/County-Courts links to online dockets and court resources. The County Clerk's page at lenawee.mi.us/168/County-Clerk covers records requests, fees, and vital records. Both are useful starting points depending on what type of record you need.

Lenawee County also uses the general Michigan Courts Case Search at courts.michigan.gov/case-search/ for cases across all court levels. Use the advanced search to filter by county and case type when you want results specific to Lenawee County courts.

Lenawee County Record Request Fees

Lenawee County has a clear fee schedule for court records. Standard copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of court documents, including divorce judgments, cost $16.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy of the same document. This rate applies specifically to the Circuit Court division that handles family law cases.

For vital records such as marriage certificates and birth or death records, the fee is also $16.00 for the first certified copy and $6.00 for additional copies. Marriage records can be ordered at the Annex Building or through the certified vital records portal at lenawee.mi.us/169/Certified-Vital-Records. Vital records are also available through VitalChek for online orders.

If you need a statewide vital records search through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the fee is $34.00 per one-year search period. This is separate from the county search and goes through the state MDHHS office, not the Lenawee County Clerk.

The circuit court closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 PM. Plan your in-person visit accordingly. Mail requests should include a check or money order payable to the Lenawee County Clerk, plus a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of documents.

Lenawee County Court Docket Types

The 39th Circuit Court in Lenawee County maintains dockets for civil, criminal, family, and juvenile cases. Civil dockets cover lawsuits between parties, including property disputes, contract claims, and civil rights matters. Criminal dockets track felony cases from arraignment through sentencing. Family dockets cover divorce, custody, support, and paternity. Juvenile dockets handle delinquency, neglect, and child protective proceedings.

Probate court dockets are separate. The Probate Court handles estate proceedings, will contests, guardianships, and conservatorships. Some Probate records are confidential, particularly mental health proceedings and filed-but-not-served documents. The Probate Clerk maintains these records separately from the Circuit Court.

The County Clerk is the Clerk of the Court for Family Division cases. This means the same office that issues marriage licenses and keeps vital records also manages the family court dockets. That is why contacting the County Clerk is often the first step for family court record requests in Lenawee County.

Note: Personal protection orders are not searchable online under MCR 3.705. Juvenile records are restricted under MCL 600.1750. The Holmes Youthful Trainee Act seals certain youth criminal cases entirely.

Restricted Records and Public Access Rules

Michigan court rules govern what Lenawee County docket records are available to the public. MCR 8.119 is the primary rule on court record access. It covers what must be disclosed, what can be withheld, and how courts must handle personal identifying information. Courts must redact protected PII such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar data before providing documents to the public.

Some case types in Lenawee County are fully restricted. Personal protection orders do not appear in online searches. Juvenile court records are confidential under state law. Cases that were sealed under HYTA, or expunged under Michigan's Clean Slate Law of 2020, do not show up in public database results. First-time drug offenses handled under MCL 333.7411 are also excluded from public online access.

For official criminal record checks in Lenawee County, use the Michigan State Police ICHAT system at apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT. This is the proper tool for background check purposes. ICHAT costs $10.00 per search and returns official conviction records, not just public docket information.

Legal Help in Lenawee County

Several resources can help you navigate Lenawee County court dockets and records. Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org offers free self-help guides on family court, probate, and civil matters. The guides are written in plain language and walk you through each step of common court processes.

Official court forms for all case types filed in Lenawee County are available for free at courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/. These SCAO forms are the standard forms used across all Michigan courts. Using them ensures your documents are in the format the court expects.

Electronic filing in Michigan uses the MiFILE system at mifile.courts.michigan.gov/. Most attorneys are required to use e-filing. Self-represented parties can also use MiFILE if the court is enrolled in the system. Check with the 39th Circuit Court to confirm e-filing availability for your case type before submitting electronically.

Cities in Lenawee County

Lenawee County is in southeast Michigan near the Ohio border. Adrian is the county seat. No cities in Lenawee County currently meet the population threshold for dedicated city pages on this site.

All circuit court cases for Lenawee County residents go through the 39th Circuit Court at 425 N Main Street in Adrian.

Nearby Counties

Lenawee County borders several southeast Michigan and Ohio border counties. Make sure you file in the right county for your case.