Ottawa County, MI Courts and Public Records

The Ottawa County Circuit Court, the 20th Judicial Circuit Court, is the county's general trial court, and its Family Division handles divorce, custody, support, and juvenile matters.

Have the full name, the case number if you know it, and approximate dates ready before you search. The County Clerk keeps Circuit Court records.

Ottawa County courts received 50,550 new cases in CY 2025 and disposed of 44,435, a clearance rate of 87.9%. Filings rose 1.0% from 50,033 in CY 2024.

The largest movement was in civil filings (12,276 to 14,267); the total also includes 20,886 civil infraction and parking filings; rows marked ~ are estimates.

Total filings in Ottawa County fell 1.5% between CY 2021 and CY 2025, from 51,298 to 50,550.

Total filings fell 1.5% over five years, from 51,298 in CY 2021 to 50,550 in CY 2025. The largest annual change was -9.4% in CY 2023. The latest change of +1.0% was driven by civil filings, and dispositions were 44,435 against 50,550 filings.

Civil cases are the largest category in Ottawa County, at 48.1% of filings in CY 2025.

Civil cases grew fastest (+16.2%) and mental health cases fell fastest (-9.2%); rows marked ~ are estimates.

Ottawa County accounts for 1.37% of the 3,677,054 cases filed in Michigan courts in CY 2025, with 3.05% of the state's population.

Ottawa County files cases at a lower rate per resident than Michigan (163.9 against 363.1 per 1,000), and its filings rose 1.0% against +7.9% statewide. Its criminal share of filings is below the state's and its civil share is above it; rows marked ~ are estimates.

These figures are Michigan statewide totals as reported to the FBI, not counts for Ottawa County. Agency reporting may be incomplete, and county crime counts are not available here. Statewide violent and property crimes combined fell 8.7% from 2024 to 2025. In 2025, reporting agencies covered about 97.3% of Michigan's population, so year-over-year changes can partly reflect which agencies reported.

Rates use the Michigan 2025 population of 10,127,884. County-level rates are not published, so this section does not compare Ottawa County with the state. The property crimes total includes arson, so it is larger than the sum of the property offenses listed above.

Ottawa County court proceedings are held at the Ottawa County Courthouse. Check your notice or case paperwork to confirm the courthouse assigned to your case before you go.

Addresses and phone numbers come from public directory listings and may change, so confirm them with the clerk before you visit.

Michigan cases are divided among the Circuit, District, Probate, and Family Division courts, so check your charge or notice first. Federal cases are heard by the U.S. District Court for Michigan.

Yes, most Ottawa County court records are public, with exceptions set by Michigan Court Rule 8.119 (MCR 8.119), which governs court records and public access to them.

Public records

Most case files in the Circuit, District, and Probate Courts are open to the public, subject to the court rules and any court order. The Michigan Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231 et seq.) also applies to public bodies' records in general.

Restricted or confidential records

Juvenile, sealed, expunged, adoption, mental health, and protective-order-restricted records are not publicly available. Other confidential records are also restricted.

Online access

Statewide court information is available at courts.michigan.gov, which is a statewide site and not a county-specific case search. Online access varies by court and case type, so check with the court that holds the case.

In-person access

Contact the office of the court that holds the record to view or request it. The County Clerk keeps Circuit Court records, and the District and Probate Courts keep their own files.

Fees

Copy fees are set by the court, and this section lists no specific fees. Confirm the cost with the court office before you request copies.

Michigan courts keep their own case information, so identify the court and case type before you search.

1. Identify the case type, such as criminal, traffic, civil, small claims, family law, probate, or juvenile.
2. Go to courts.michigan.gov for statewide court information, and check the county's official website for any county case search.
3. Search by party name or case number when a search is available, and note the case number from the results.
4. Review the case information and confirm which court holds the file.
5. Contact the court office to request documents that are not available online.

Fines and costs for Ottawa County cases are paid through the court that issued the ticket or charge, and the court's official website lists its current options.

1. By phone: Call the District Court or the County Clerk, Clerk of the Circuit Court, using the number on the county's official website.
2. In person: Visit the court office and ask which payment methods it accepts.

Ask whether online, mail, or payment plan options are offered, since none are verified here. Parking tickets are handled by the city or agency that issued them, not by this court's traffic division.