Grand Traverse County Court Records Search: 13th Circuit, 86th District, Probate, MiCOURT & PACER
Use this guide to find the right official route for Grand Traverse County, Michigan court records, including civil, felony, family, divorce, district misdemeanor, traffic, small claims, landlord-tenant, probate, appellate, federal district, and bankruptcy records.
Public-Court-Records.us is independent. This website is not Grand Traverse County, the 13th Circuit Court, the 86th District Court, Probate Court, a Michigan court, a law firm, a government agency, PACER, or a Consumer Reporting Agency. This page is general information only and is not legal advice.
Responsible-use warning: a matching name does not prove identity. A complaint, charge, citation, petition, arrest, indictment, or docket entry does not prove guilt or liability. Do not use this guide for employment, tenant, credit, insurance, licensing, or other FCRA-regulated screening decisions.
Grand Traverse County court records are split by court, record type, and access rule
Grand Traverse County does not operate one universal search that replaces every court office. The 13th Circuit Court covers higher civil matters, felony matters, family cases, domestic cases, and appeals from the District Court. The 86th District Court handles district-level traffic, criminal, civil, small claims, and landlord-tenant matters. Probate Court handles estates, guardianships, conservatorships, wills, trusts, and mental-health jurisdiction.
The Grand Traverse County Clerk is the clerk for the 13th Circuit Court and maintains the circuit and family court records. District Court and Probate Court have their own records routes. Federal district and bankruptcy matters are outside the county system and must be searched through PACER or the correct federal court.
Covers Antrim, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau Counties; the County Clerk maintains the Grand Traverse circuit records.
Grand Traverse location: 280 Washington Street, Traverse City; phone 231-922-4580.
County civil/criminal search page lists in-office records from April 26, 1859 to present.
County records request page lists certified circuit/family copies at $10 plus $1 per page.
Grand Traverse County court record route finder
Select the record type. This helper runs in your browser and does not ask for names, case numbers, birth dates, addresses, citation numbers, or payment details.
Felony and circuit criminal records are tied to the 13th Circuit Court. Use the county search page if available, then contact courtrecords@gtcountymi.gov or 231-922-4710 for official copies, certified records, or older-file help.
Choose the correct Grand Traverse County court or record system
Use this table before searching. It prevents the common mistake of sending a district traffic matter to the Circuit Court, a probate guardianship question to the District Court, or a federal case to the county clerk.
| Need | Correct source | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| Felony criminal case | 13th Circuit Court / County Clerk Circuit & Family Court Records | Use the county Civil & Criminal Records Search page, then contact Circuit & Family Court Records for certified copies, missing records, or older-file review. |
| Circuit civil case over $25,000 or circuit-level civil dispute | 13th Circuit Court / County Clerk Court Section | Search the civil database. For older records, use the public terminal or request research from courtrecords@gtcountymi.gov. |
| Divorce, custody, parenting time, paternity, adoption, PPO, or family matter | 13th Circuit Court Family Division / County Clerk records route | Use Circuit & Family Court Records. Expect privacy limits for adoptions, juveniles, child protective proceedings, and restricted family materials. |
| District misdemeanor, traffic, or ordinance-style matter handled by the 86th District Court | 86th District Court – Grand Traverse | Use the 86th District Court Grand Traverse search/payment portal or contact the court at 231-922-4580. Recent tickets may not appear immediately. |
| Small claims, landlord-tenant, or district civil case | 86th District Court Civil Division | Use the District Court civil route. The court notes that as of September 8, 2026 it is a MiFILE court for attorney filings. |
| Estate, guardianship, conservatorship, trust, will, or involuntary mental-health matter | Grand Traverse County Probate Court | Contact Probate Court at 231-922-6862 or probate@gtcountymi.gov. Some mental-health and guardianship materials may be restricted. |
| Michigan trial-court case lookup by statewide tool | MiCOURT Case Search where supported | Use MiCOURT carefully and read its terms. It does not replace the official record on file with the court and excludes several restricted case types. |
| Michigan appeal | Michigan Courts Case Search / Court of Appeals / Supreme Court | Use the Michigan Courts appellate search route and compare trial-court case numbers with appellate case numbers. |
| Federal civil or criminal case | Western District of Michigan / PACER | Grand Traverse County is in the Western District of Michigan Southern Division at Grand Rapids. Use PACER or the federal court. |
| Bankruptcy case | U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan / PACER | Use the bankruptcy court and PACER. The bankruptcy court lists a Traverse City meeting location, but its staffed Clerk’s Office is in Grand Rapids. |
How to search Grand Traverse County court records without choosing the wrong system
Grand Traverse County provides local online paths for circuit civil and criminal records, 86th District Court records, and record-copy requests. Michigan also provides MiCOURT Case Search for supported trial-court records. These tools are useful, but the court of record remains the source for official answers and certified copies.
Look for “13th Circuit Court,” “86th District Court,” “Probate Court,” “Family Division,” “Court of Appeals,” “Western District of Michigan,” or “Bankruptcy Court.”
A case number or ticket number is safer than a name-only search. Name matches can include different people, businesses, or spelling variations.
For 13th Circuit civil and criminal records, start at the Civil & Criminal Records Search page. Review coverage limits before assuming a no-result search means no case exists.
The 86th District Court warns that recent tickets may not appear immediately and that non-public cases and civil fees may require direct court contact.
Probate Court handles estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, trusts, delayed registration of foreign birth, and involuntary mental-health jurisdiction.
For Circuit & Family Court Records, use the Records Request page. For District Court and Probate Court, contact those offices directly before paying or mailing documents.
Grand Traverse County record custodians: who to contact for what
Maintains 13th Circuit Court civil, criminal, and domestic filings for Grand Traverse County. Use this office for circuit record copies, certified records, public-terminal questions, older records, and register-of-action requests.
280 Washington Street, Suite 206, Traverse City, MI 49684 · 231-922-4710 · courtrecords@gtcountymi.gov
Handles court administration, judges, hearing scheduling, and circuit operations. The court administrator is not the same as the records custodian for case files.
328 Washington Street, Suite 300, Traverse City, MI 49684 · 231-922-4701 · c13court@13thcircuitcourt.org
Handles district-level civil, criminal, traffic, small claims, landlord-tenant, probation, payments, and district court case questions for the Grand Traverse location.
280 Washington Street, Traverse City, MI 49684 · 231-922-4580 · districtcourt@86thdistrictcourt.org
Handles conservatorships, guardianships, decedent estates, involuntary treatment of mentally ill individuals, delayed registration of foreign birth, trusts, and wills.
280 Washington Street, Suite 223, Traverse City, MI 49684 · 231-922-6862 · probate@gtcountymi.gov
Handles divorce, custody, parenting time, paternity, juvenile offenses, abuse and neglect, emancipation, PPOs, name changes, and adoptions. Many records may have privacy limits.
Use the 13th Circuit Court and County Clerk records route for record requests.
Federal civil, criminal, and bankruptcy cases are not county records. Use the Western District of Michigan, Western District Bankruptcy Court, and PACER.
Grand Traverse County federal district venue is in the Western District of Michigan Southern Division at Grand Rapids.
Grand Traverse County court-record copy, certification, and research notes
Fees and copy procedures depend on the court and record type. The clearest published copy schedule is for Circuit & Family Court Records. District Court, Probate Court, appellate, and federal copies may follow separate rules, so verify before paying.
| Request | Officially listed note | Practical step |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Circuit & Family Court record copy | $10 certified copy fee plus $1 per page record. | Send case name, case number, date/title of document, mailing address, and payment instructions as requested by the Clerk. |
| Public terminal review | The public research terminal is available free of charge at the Hall of Justice; copies are listed at $0.50 per page. | Call ahead if researching older files because the office notes restrictions may apply between noon and 2 p.m. |
| Recent Register of Action | Copy of a recent Register of Action is listed at $3. | Email courtrecords@gtcountymi.gov with case name, case number, and what you need. |
| Register of Action from 1994 or earlier | Register of Action from 1994 or earlier is listed at $10. | Ask the office whether the older file is on-site, off-site, or available through the terminal before visiting. |
| 86th District traffic or criminal payment | The 86th District Grand Traverse payment portal warns payments made after 3:45 are applied the next business day and may not prevent late fees. | If the ticket does not appear, contact the court during regular business hours or check the following business day. |
| PACER federal records | PACER pricing verified September 19, 2026: $0.10 per page, $3 cap for many case-specific documents, and fees waived if quarterly usage is $30 or less; a temporary increase to $0.12 per page and a $40 quarterly waiver threshold is announced for January 1, 2027. | Use case number and date filters to reduce unnecessary PACER charges. |
Circuit & Family Court Records copy-cost planning tool
This estimator is only for planning based on the published Circuit & Family Court Records copy references. The official clerk quote or receipt controls the final amount.
Online access limits, Clean Slate, MiCOURT exclusions, and older records
Grand Traverse County and Michigan courts both publish warnings about online coverage and access limits. A “no result” online search does not always mean no case exists. It can mean the record is older, restricted, recently filed, removed from public display, or located in a different court system.
- The county criminal search page says it will not show all cases while the county works to comply with Public Act 193 of 2020 and Michigan Clean Slate.
- The 86th District Court notes limited public website access to criminal cases while records are reconciled.
- Recent tickets or cases may not appear immediately.
- Older circuit files may require in-office, public-terminal, or staff-assisted research.
- MiCOURT information does not replace the official court record.
- Several confidential or restricted case types do not display.
- Some courts display criminal conviction information only within a seven-year sentencing window.
- Bulk downloads, scraping, and misuse are prohibited by MiCOURT terms.
Official Grand Traverse County court-record links and what to do after opening each one
Use these official links for actual record tasks. Each card explains what to click, check, or prepare after opening the source.
Use this as the starting point for Grand Traverse County 13th Circuit civil and criminal record searching.
- Read the criminal-search warning about Clean Slate compliance.
- Review civil database coverage dates.
- Use the linked civil or criminal search option.
- Contact Circuit & Family Court Records if a known record does not appear.
Use this for 13th Circuit and Family Court record-copy instructions.
- Gather plaintiff/defendant names or case name.
- Include the case number if known.
- Identify the document title and date.
- Email courtrecords@gtcountymi.gov or mail the request with payment after confirming the total.
Use this to confirm the Clerk’s role as the 13th Circuit Court clerk and to find Circuit & Family Court Records contact information.
- Find the Circuit & Family Court Records section.
- Use the court-records email and phone for case-file questions.
- Use Vital Records & Elections separately for birth, death, and marriage matters.
- Do not confuse court records with Register of Deeds records.
Use this for court administration, judge, Friend of the Court, and circuit-level court information.
- Review whether the case belongs in the Circuit Court.
- Use court administration for hearing or court-office questions.
- Use the County Clerk Court Section for record files.
- Open the linked 13th Circuit Court Records Search when needed.
Use this for district criminal, traffic, civil, small claims, landlord-tenant, fees, calendars, and district contact information.
- Select the Grand Traverse location if options appear.
- Use Court Cases or payment links only for eligible district matters.
- Email districtcourt@86thdistrictcourt.org for court-specific questions.
- Remember that some criminal case access may be limited while records are reconciled.
Use this for eligible Grand Traverse 86th District traffic and criminal case lookup/payment tasks.
- Confirm the portal says Grand Traverse location only.
- Search by case/ticket number if available.
- If searching by name, enter first name, last name, and date of birth only on the official court portal.
- Contact the court if a recent ticket does not appear.
Use this for district general civil, small claims, and landlord-tenant filing context.
- Confirm whether the matter is district civil rather than circuit civil.
- Review the MiFILE note for attorney filings.
- Use the listed court email for filing or civil-process questions.
- Contact the court before assuming civil fees can be paid online.
Use this for estate, guardianship, conservatorship, trust, will, and mental-health jurisdiction questions.
- Check whether your matter is within Probate Court jurisdiction.
- If a fee is required, mail or bring documents with payment as instructed.
- If no fee is required, use probate@gtcountymi.gov or fax 231-922-4458 when appropriate.
- Do not send cash through the mail.
Use this as a Michigan trial-court search tool when the court and case type are supported.
- Read the terms of service before continuing.
- Select the correct court or search scope.
- Review excluded case types and seven-year criminal sentence filter notes.
- Contact the court of record for official confirmation.
Use this for Michigan appellate case, opinion, and order searching.
- Search by party, attorney, or case information where supported.
- Compare trial-court and appellate case numbers.
- Use appellate court information for orders and opinions.
- Do not assume the trial-court docket contains the full appeal.
Use this for federal district court records and court-location context.
- Confirm the case is federal, not a county case.
- Use PACER for the federal docket and documents.
- Note that Grand Traverse County belongs to the Western District of Michigan Southern Division.
- Contact the federal clerk for federal certified-copy procedures.
Use this for federal district, bankruptcy, and appellate case lookup.
- Use PACER Case Locator if you do not know the specific federal court.
- Use the specific Western District or Bankruptcy Court PACER route for current docket access.
- Review PACER pricing before running searches.
- Remember that federal records are not certified by the county clerk.
Grand Traverse County court-record locations, addresses, phone numbers, and map
Call before visiting to confirm the correct counter, current access rules, payment method, file availability, and whether the record is on-site, off-site, restricted, or available online.
280 Washington Street, Suite 206
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: 231-922-4710
Fax: 231-922-4647
Email: courtrecords@gtcountymi.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Older file research may be restricted during noon–2 p.m. because older files are located away from the main office.
328 Washington Street, Suite 300
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: 231-922-4701
Email: c13court@13thcircuitcourt.org
Use this for court administration and scheduling context, not as a substitute for the County Clerk’s court-record custodian role.
280 Washington Street
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: 231-922-4580
Email: districtcourt@86thdistrictcourt.org
Use this for 86th District traffic, criminal, civil, small claims, landlord-tenant, probation, and payment questions.
280 Washington Street, Suite 223
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: 231-922-6862
Fax: 231-922-4458
Email: probate@gtcountymi.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; the court notes it does not close for lunch.
Court records are not the same as jail, police, vital, or deed records
- Case docket and register of actions.
- Civil complaint, order, judgment, or dismissal.
- Felony filing, plea, sentence, or disposition.
- Divorce, custody, and family court filings where public.
- Certified copies of court orders and judgments.
- Current jail custody or booking status.
- Police incident reports.
- Birth, death, and marriage vital records.
- Deeds, mortgages, liens, and Register of Deeds records.
- Federal district and bankruptcy dockets.
Where Grand Traverse County appeals, federal cases, and bankruptcy records go
Trial-court records, Michigan appellate records, and federal records are separate. Use the trial-court case number to connect related records, but do not assume that a county search includes the full appeal or federal docket.
Use Michigan Courts Case Search for Court of Appeals and Supreme Court records, opinions, and orders. Compare the lower-court case number with the appellate case number.
Grand Traverse County is in the Western District of Michigan Southern Division at Grand Rapids. Use PACER or the Western District court site for federal civil and criminal dockets.
Bankruptcy is federal. Use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan and PACER. The court lists a Traverse City meeting location, but Grand Rapids is the staffed Clerk’s Office.
| Record type | Official route | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Appeal from a Grand Traverse trial case | Michigan Courts Case Search, Court of Appeals, or Supreme Court | Trial and appellate dockets are separate. Compare case numbers and orders carefully. |
| Federal civil or criminal case | Western District of Michigan / PACER | Federal records are not certified by Grand Traverse County offices. |
| Bankruptcy case | Western District of Michigan Bankruptcy Court / PACER | Bankruptcy dockets, claims registers, and bankruptcy documents are federal records. |
| Unknown federal court | PACER Case Locator | After finding the court, use that specific court’s PACER docket for the most current records. |
What to do if a Grand Traverse County court-record search returns no result
- Wrong court: 13th Circuit vs 86th District vs Probate Court.
- Wrong system: county search vs MiCOURT vs PACER.
- Name spelling, middle name, suffix, maiden name, or business-name mismatch.
- Searching traffic or misdemeanor records in the circuit court database.
- Searching federal or bankruptcy records in a county system.
- Clean Slate or set-aside effects on public criminal display.
- Sealed, confidential, juvenile, adoption, PPO-related, or mental-health restrictions.
- Older files that require public-terminal or staff research.
- Recent filing or ticket not yet visible online.
- MiCOURT excluded case type or seven-year criminal display filter.
How to read Grand Traverse County docket fields without over-interpreting them
A register of actions or docket is a timeline of case activity. It may not show every document image, and one entry rarely explains the full legal outcome. Use neutral language and verify final disposition with the official court or clerk.
Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, appellant, appellee, decedent, ward, guardian, conservator, personal representative, debtor, and creditor are legal roles. A role does not automatically imply wrongdoing.
Complaint, petition, motion, summons, notice, hearing, order, judgment, plea, sentence, dismissal, register of action, and satisfaction can appear in a record. Read later entries before drawing conclusions.
Open, pending, closed, disposed, dismissed, reopened, stayed, or adjudicated can mean different things depending on case type. Contact the custodian if the status matters for official use.
Use Grand Traverse County court records carefully
- Do not identify a person from a common name alone.
- Compare court, case number, filing date, party role, docket events, and lawful identifiers.
- Do not assume an arrest, charge, petition, or lawsuit is proof of wrongdoing.
- Do not assume a civil judgment shows current payment status without checking later entries.
- Do not harass, threaten, shame, or retaliate against anyone.
- Do not publish children’s names, addresses, protected health details, or unnecessary sensitive information.
- Do not bypass sealed, expunged, juvenile, adoption, mental-health, PPO, or confidential restrictions.
- Contact the official custodian for corrections, sealing, expungement, and certified-copy needs.
Frequently asked questions about Grand Traverse County court records
What is the official way to search Grand Traverse County court records?
Start with Grand Traverse County’s Civil & Criminal Records Search page for 13th Circuit Court civil and criminal records, the 86th District Court Grand Traverse search portal for district traffic and criminal matters, MiCOURT Case Search when appropriate, and the correct court office when a record is not available online.
Who keeps 13th Circuit Court records in Grand Traverse County?
The Grand Traverse County Clerk is the clerk for the 13th Circuit Court. The Circuit & Family Court Records office maintains court files for 13th Circuit Court civil, criminal, and domestic filings and can be reached at courtrecords@gtcountymi.gov or 231-922-4710.
What records are available in the Grand Traverse County civil records database?
The county states that civil records from 1967 through 1985 contain only index information, while records from 1986 to present include case information and register of actions. In-office records are listed as available from April 26, 1859 to present.
Why might a Grand Traverse County criminal record not appear online?
The county warns that its criminal records search will not show all cases as it works to comply with Michigan Clean Slate law. The 86th District Court also notes limited online access to some criminal cases while records are reconciled. Contact the court or clerk if a known case does not appear.
Where do I search 86th District Court records for Grand Traverse County?
Use the 86th District Court Grand Traverse search and payment portal or the 86th District Court page. The Grand Traverse District Court is at 280 Washington Street, Traverse City, MI 49684, phone 231-922-4580.
How much does a certified Grand Traverse County 13th Circuit record copy cost?
The Records Request page lists certified copies at $10 plus $1 per page for Circuit & Family Court Records. It also lists public terminal copies at $0.50 per page, a recent Register of Action at $3, and a Register of Action from 1994 or earlier at $10.
Can I use MiCOURT for Grand Traverse County court records?
MiCOURT can be useful for supported Michigan trial-court records, but it is not the official record on file with the court. MiCOURT excludes several confidential or restricted case types and says users should contact the court of record with questions.
Where do I find Grand Traverse County probate records?
Use the Grand Traverse County Probate Court for estates, guardianships, conservatorships, trusts, wills, and involuntary mental-health jurisdiction. The Probate Court is at 280 Washington Street, Suite 223, Traverse City, MI 49684, phone 231-922-6862.
Where do I search appeals from Grand Traverse County cases?
Use Michigan Courts Case Search for appellate records and opinions. Trial-court records and appellate records are separate, so compare the trial-court case number with the appellate case number.
Where do I search Grand Traverse County federal or bankruptcy cases?
Federal cases are not held by the county clerk. Grand Traverse County is in the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division at Grand Rapids for federal district court purposes. Bankruptcy cases use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan and PACER.
Official-source review checklist
This guide was reviewed against official Grand Traverse County pages for the County Clerk, Circuit & Family Court Records, Civil & Criminal Records Search, Records Request, 13th Circuit Court, Court Administrator’s Office, Circuit Court Family Division, 86th District Court, 86th District Court Grand Traverse search/payment portal, 86th District Civil Division, Probate Court, MiCOURT Case Search, Michigan Courts Case Search, Western District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan Bankruptcy Court, PACER Case Locator, and PACER pricing. Review date: September 19, 2026.