Ottawa County Court Docket Records

Ottawa County court dockets are maintained by the 20th Judicial Circuit Court in Grand Haven, Michigan. The county joined the statewide MiCOURT case search system in August 2025, making circuit court dockets available online. For copies and certified records, contact the Circuit Court Records office directly or submit requests by phone, email, or in person.

20th Judicial Circuit Court - Ottawa County

The 20th Judicial Circuit Court is Ottawa County's trial court of general jurisdiction. The main courthouse is at 414 Washington Avenue, Suite 300, Grand Haven, MI 49417. The court handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $25,000, and all family law proceedings. The Juvenile Court operates from the Family Justice Center at 12240 Fillmore Street in West Olive.

Justin F. Roebuck serves as Ottawa County Clerk and Register of Deeds. His office is at 12220 Fillmore Street, Room 130, West Olive, MI 49460. Phone is (616) 994-4531. The Circuit Court Records office is a separate contact for case file requests: phone (616) 846-8315 and email circuitcourtrecords@miottawa.org.

Ottawa County's courthouse has a long history. The county has operated courthouses since 1836, with buildings in 1857, 1894, 1965, and the current facility completed in 2009. The county is part of the Western District of Michigan for federal court purposes, with the federal court in Grand Rapids.

Search Ottawa County Court Dockets Online

Ottawa County joined the Michigan Courts Case Search statewide system in August 2025. Before that, its case management system was different. Now the 20th Circuit Court cases are fully searchable through the MiCOURT portal. This free tool lets you search civil cases over $25,000, felony criminal cases, and family court matters by party name, case number, or attorney.

The MiCOURT transition was completed in December 2024, and public access through the online portal followed in August 2025. This is a significant change for Ottawa County, which previously did not appear in the statewide search. If you tried to search Ottawa County cases before this date, you may have missed records that are now available.

One limit applies across Michigan: document images are not available through the case search portal. You can see case details and docket entries, but actual filings must be requested from the records office. For certified copies, payment online is accepted through GovPayNow (PLC 6223). Certified copies must be mailed since they require a raised seal.

The official Ottawa County website shown below provides access to county government services including court records information.

Visit miottawa.org for Ottawa County government information including links to circuit court records and county clerk services.

The Circuit Court page on the Ottawa County site is shown below with information about the 20th Judicial Circuit.

The Ottawa County Circuit Court page details how to access court dockets and make record requests for Ottawa County cases.

How to Request Ottawa County Court Records

The Circuit Court Records office handles copy requests for Ottawa County. You can contact them by phone at (616) 846-8315 or by email at circuitcourtrecords@miottawa.org. Include your name, the case name or number, and the specific documents you need. For payment, use GovPayNow with PLC code 6223. After paying online, email your receipt to the records office with your request.

In-person visits are accepted at the circuit court records office in Grand Haven. Bring identification and payment. Certified copies require mailing because the raised seal cannot be reproduced digitally. Allow time for processing before expecting your certified copies to arrive.

Current fees for Ottawa County records: filing fees range from $35 to $75 depending on the case type. Divorce and dissolution filings cost $500. Standard civil complaints cost $350. Certified copies are $10 plus $1 per page. Standard copies are $1 per page. These fees may change, so confirm with the records office at (616) 846-8315.

Note: Background checks must go through the Michigan State Police ICHAT system, not the circuit court docket system. The two are separate databases with different purposes.

Ottawa County Court Docket Contents

Ottawa County circuit court dockets use the Register of Actions format. Each docket entry is dated and describes the action taken. You can trace a case from first filing through final judgment by reading the docket entries. It shows all hearings, motions, orders, and any appeals filed after judgment.

The 20th Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases (charges, bail, preliminary exam, plea, trial, sentencing), civil cases over $25,000 (complaints, answers, discovery orders, judgments), and family law cases (divorce, custody, support, paternity). The county also has two district courts: the 58th in Grand Haven and the 59th in Holland. District court dockets cover misdemeanors and smaller civil matters and are separate from the circuit court docket system.

Standard restrictions apply in Ottawa County. PPO cases are not online under MCR 3.705. Juvenile cases are confidential under MCL 600.1750. HYTA and first-time drug cases under MCL 333.7411 are excluded from public online access. Clean Slate Act set-asides limit criminal name searches to 2018 and later cases online. Sealed cases are excluded.

Under MCR 8.119(H)(5), courts redact personal identifying information from public copies. Social Security numbers and financial data should not appear in documents provided to the public. If you receive a copy with unredacted PII, notify the clerk's office.

Legal Resources in Ottawa County

Ottawa County is a growing western Michigan county with access to several legal resources. Michigan Legal Help is a free online resource with guides and tools for common legal issues including family law, landlord-tenant, debt, and more. Legal Services of Western Michigan also serves Ottawa County for people who qualify based on income.

The State Bar of Michigan has a lawyer referral service for people who need to hire an attorney. Court forms for all standard case types are free through the SCAO forms page. Electronic filing through MiFILE is available for attorneys. Ottawa County is in the Western District of Michigan for federal cases, with the federal courthouse in Grand Rapids.

Cities in Ottawa County

Ottawa County is part of the Grand Rapids metro area. The city of Wyoming is in Ottawa County and qualifies for its own page based on population.

Other Ottawa County communities include Grand Haven, Holland, Hudsonville, Zeeland, and Jenison. These do not currently meet the population threshold for dedicated city pages.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Ottawa County in western Michigan.