Ingham County Court Records Search: Circuit, Probate, District, MiCOURT, Copies & Federal Routes
Use this guide to choose the right official search route for Ingham County, Michigan court records. Circuit and Probate records use the Ingham County Court Services search. District records may require MiCOURT or the correct local district court: 54-A Lansing, 54-B East Lansing, or 55th District Court in Mason.
Public-Court-Records.us is independent. This website is not Ingham County, the 30th Judicial Circuit Court, Ingham County Probate Court, 54-A District Court, 54-B District Court, 55th District Court, Michigan Courts, Michigan State Police, PACER, a law firm, a government agency, or a Consumer Reporting Agency. This page is general information only and is not legal advice.
Responsible-use warning: a name match does not prove identity. A complaint, petition, charge, citation, arrest, conviction entry, warrant reference, or docket event must be verified through the court of record before relying on it. Do not use this guide for employment, tenant, credit, insurance, licensing, or other FCRA-regulated screening decisions.
Ingham County court records are split across Circuit, Probate and three District Courts
Ingham County does not have one single local search page for every case type. The county Court Services portal searches 30th Circuit Court and Probate Court records. District court matters depend on location: 54-A District Court serves the City of Lansing, 54-B District Court serves the City of East Lansing, and 55th District Court serves Ingham County areas outside Lansing and East Lansing.
Felony, family, major civil and lower-court appeal records are routed through Circuit Court.
54-A, 54-B and 55th split traffic, misdemeanor, small-claims, civil and landlord-tenant work by location.
The county search states non-criminal Circuit and Probate cases go back to 1986.
The county search states criminal cases go back to 2000.
Ingham County court record route finder
Select the type of record. This helper runs in your browser and does not ask for names, case numbers, dates of birth, addresses, driver license numbers, or payment information.
Felony cases are Circuit Court matters. Use the Ingham County Court Record Search for Circuit records, then verify the official file through the Circuit Court Clerk if you need a disposition or certified copy.
Choose the correct Ingham County court before searching
Most failed searches happen because the user searches the county portal for a district case, searches MiCOURT for a restricted case type, or treats a court docket as a criminal-history report.
| Record needed | Correct court or system | Best first step |
|---|---|---|
| Felony criminal case | 30th Judicial Circuit Court | Use the Ingham County Court Record Search and choose Circuit. Criminal and traffic searches require date of birth. Verify the official record with the Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Civil case over $25,000 or lower-court appeal | 30th Judicial Circuit Court | Use Circuit search by case number or party/business name, then review docket activity and request certified copies from the Clerk if needed. |
| Divorce, custody, support or domestic relations case | 30th Circuit Court Family Division / Circuit Court Clerk | Search Circuit civil/family records when available, but expect confidentiality limits for some family, child, protection and sealed materials. |
| Estate, guardianship, conservatorship or probate case | Ingham County Probate Court | Use the county Probate search or contact the Probate Register’s Office for public terminal review, copies and certification. |
| Traffic, misdemeanor, preliminary felony, small claim, landlord-tenant or lower civil case in Lansing | 54-A District Court | Use MiCOURT and the City of Lansing 54-A District Court resources. Confirm the ticket, complaint or police agency shows Lansing jurisdiction. |
| Traffic, misdemeanor, parking, small claim or landlord-tenant case in East Lansing | 54-B District Court | Use the 54-B public access page and MiCOURT. For copies, submit the court’s file/copy request form with a case number or party name. |
| District case outside Lansing and East Lansing | 55th Judicial District Court | Use the 55th District Court online services or MiCOURT. The 55th court states online cases filed after October 1, 2009 are available, with limited earlier criminal/traffic records. |
| Personal protection order information | Appropriate Ingham court office | Do not expect online results. The county search states PPO case information is not available online pursuant to MCR 3.705. |
| Michigan criminal-history report | Michigan State Police ICHAT | Use ICHAT for public Michigan criminal-history information. Court dockets, jail records, OTIS and ICHAT are different systems. |
| Federal civil, criminal or bankruptcy case | PACER / U.S. District Court or Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan | Use PACER Case Locator if you do not know the federal court. Ingham County federal district matters route to the Western District of Michigan, Lansing courthouse. |
How to use the Ingham County Court Record Search
The Ingham County Court Services record search is the official online search route for 30th Circuit Court and Probate Court records. Public users can begin a search without a monthly account, but the portal states that credit-card payment is required before viewing purchased information.
Confirm you are on courts.ingham.org. Use the Court Record Search route for Circuit and Probate records, not a commercial background-check page.
The search screen asks users to search only one court at a time: Circuit or Probate. Choose based on the case type.
The portal includes an option to search by case number. This is usually more precise than a name-only search.
The portal asks for a first name with at least an initial letter, and a last name or business name with at least two initial letters. The official tip says to leave out punctuation for wildcard business or last-name searching.
For criminal and traffic case searches, date of birth is required. Do not enter sensitive identifiers into non-official people-search or background-check websites.
The portal lists a fee for each name searched and a separate fee for each case summary viewed. A broad name search can cost more than expected.
The county portal warns that criminal record search results may not be specific to the person searched and are not the official record. Review the official court record at the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office when certainty matters.
How to check Ingham County Circuit and Probate court schedules
The Ingham County Court Hearing Schedule tool is separate from the record-search purchase flow. It allows searching 30th Circuit Court and Probate Court dockets by party name or case number, but the schedule is subject to change.
- For Circuit Court name searches, scheduled events within the next two weeks are displayed.
- For Probate Court name searches, scheduled events within the next six weeks are displayed.
- Use party last name plus first name or initial, or use the case number.
- Case-number searching can display past, current and future events for Circuit or Probate matters.
- Check the hearing date, time, judge, location and event type.
- Call the court if a same-day schedule, adjournment or Zoom/in-person instruction is unclear.
Ingham County court search, copy and certification fees to verify
Fee amounts can change, and different courts use different fee pages. The safest workflow is to find the case first, identify the exact record, then ask the proper clerk for a page count and current total before paying.
| Request | Officially listed amount or rule | Practical next step |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court name search in county portal | $11 for each Circuit Court name searched. | Use case number if available and narrow the search before paying. |
| Probate Court name search in county portal | $10 for each Probate Court name searched. | Search Probate separately from Circuit because the portal asks for one court at a time. |
| Case summary viewed in county portal | $2.50 for each case summary viewed. | Confirm the correct case before opening paid summaries. |
| Circuit Court case file copy | $1.50 per page. | A deputy court clerk can perform a page count and advise the fee. |
| Circuit Court transcript copy on file with clerk | $0.90 per transcript page. | Clarify whether you need the filed transcript copy or must contact a court reporter. |
| Circuit Court certification | $10 per record. | Certified copies cannot be emailed or faxed because the embossed seal must be physically present. |
| Probate Court case file copy | $1.50 per page; transcript copies on file are listed at $0.30 per page. | Contact the Probate Register’s Office for fastest service and current delivery options. |
| 55th District Court civil certification | The 55th District civil fee page lists certified copies at $10. | Contact the 55th District Court before ordering because copies, certification and filing fees may differ by request type. |
| PACER federal records | PACER pricing verified September 7, 2026: $0.10 per page, $3 document cap for many case-specific documents, and $30 quarterly fee-waiver threshold. | Use case number and date filters because PACER searches and reports can be billable even when no match is found. |
Ingham court-record cost estimator
This browser-only calculator is a planning aid. The official portal receipt, clerk quote or fee schedule controls the actual charge.
Online access limits, confidential records and restricted Michigan case types
Online case search is not the same as the official court file. Michigan and Ingham County sources both warn that nonpublic information is not available through public search tools. Some records require proper identification, clerk review, party status, court authorization, or in-person inspection.
- PPO case information is not available online under MCR 3.705.
- Victim information is suppressed.
- Criminal and traffic searches require date of birth.
- Criminal records shown online go back to 2000.
- Other Circuit and Probate online records go back to 1986.
- MiCOURT states that adoption, juvenile and child protective proceedings, juvenile guardianships, mental illness, name changes, PPOs, ERPOs, wills and several other case types are not displayed.
- Some courts use a seven-year criminal sentence filter.
- Bulk downloads and automated scraping are prohibited.
- The court of record remains the official source.
Official Ingham County court-record links and what to do after opening each one
Use these official routes instead of random commercial people-search pages. Each link below includes a next-step micro-guide.
Use this hub for Circuit and Probate court records, hearing schedules, daily schedules and payments.
- Confirm the page is on courts.ingham.org.
- Choose Court Record Search for Circuit or Probate records.
- Choose Court Schedule Search for upcoming hearings.
- Use Court Payments only for supported Circuit and Probate payments.
Use this for 30th Circuit Court and Probate Court record searching.
- Select only one court: Circuit or Probate.
- Use case number if available.
- For name searching, enter first name or initial and last name or business name.
- Review fees before viewing results or case summaries.
Use this for Circuit and Probate event searching by name or case number.
- Search by party last name plus first name or initial, or by case number.
- Check date, time, court, judge, location and event type.
- Remember the schedule is subject to change.
- Call the court for same-day or unclear hearing instructions.
Use this for official Circuit Court file custody, filing-hour, office-location and contact information.
- Confirm the Lansing or Mason office location before visiting.
- Check official filing hours and public notice language.
- Use the Clerk for official court-file and certified-copy questions.
- Do not submit ordinary pleadings by email or fax unless the court specifically permits it.
Use this for Circuit Court copy requests, certification, page fees and request methods.
- Prepare the case number, party names, filing year and exact document title.
- Ask for a page count and total fee.
- Choose mail, email, fax, phone or in-person request if available for that record.
- Use mail or in-person pickup for certified copies because embossed seals cannot be emailed or faxed.
Use this for probate, estate, guardianship, conservatorship and Probate Register record access.
- Use the online record-search link when appropriate.
- For public case review, visit the Probate Register’s Office during public filing hours.
- For copies, provide the case name, case number if known and document title.
- Use ProbateCourtRecords@ingham.org for fastest record-request service when the page directs users there.
Use this for district cases from Ingham County areas outside the cities of Lansing and East Lansing.
- Confirm the location tied to the ticket, complaint or charge.
- Open Online Services for court records, calendar and traffic review.
- Use MiCOURT if the page routes you to statewide case search.
- Call 517-676-8400 for court-specific access or copy questions.
Use this for 55th District Court record, calendar and traffic review links.
- Read the court’s online coverage note.
- Use Court Records for case search.
- Use Court Calendar for scheduled hearings.
- Use Online Traffic Case Review only for eligible traffic matters.
Use this for City of Lansing district matters, including many traffic, criminal, civil, landlord-tenant and small-claims issues.
- Confirm your ticket or complaint occurred within Lansing jurisdiction.
- Use the court’s civil or criminal/traffic department pages as applicable.
- Use MiCOURT for public case lookup when routed there.
- Contact the court before relying on a same-day hearing, warrant, payment or record status.
Use this for East Lansing district matters, including traffic, civil, criminal, parking and landlord-tenant cases.
- Confirm your matter belongs to East Lansing.
- Use the Court Case Inquiry or MiCOURT route when provided.
- Use the correct division phone or email for civil, criminal, traffic, parking or probation.
- Check business hours because the court closes daily from noon to 1 p.m.
Use this for 54-B online viewing and copy-request instructions.
- Open the linked MiCOURT page for online public viewing.
- Use the File / Copy Request Form for public record copies.
- Provide a specific case number or party name.
- Confirm copy timing and per-page charges before requesting more than five copies.
Use this for Michigan trial-court public case search, including many district court case types.
- Read and accept the MiCOURT terms only if you agree.
- Select the correct court, such as D54A, D54B or D55.
- Search by case number when possible.
- Contact the court of record for official records, older matters or filtered results.
Use this for Michigan Supreme Court and Court of Appeals case information.
- Use this when an Ingham trial case has an appellate docket.
- Search by party, attorney or appellate case details where supported.
- Compare the lower-court case number to the Ingham trial case.
- Do not assume the trial-court docket contains the full appeal.
Use this for official Michigan public criminal-history information, not court docket searching.
- Read what ICHAT includes and excludes.
- Use the subject’s required identifying information only on the official MSP system.
- Remember ICHAT excludes warrant information, federal records, tribal records, traffic records, juvenile records, local misdemeanors and suppressed records.
- Use the court of conviction for the actual court file.
Use this for federal district court location information tied to Ingham County matters.
- Confirm the case is federal, not Michigan state court.
- Use PACER for federal docket and document access.
- Use the Lansing courthouse information for location and clerk contact routing.
- Contact the federal court for federal-copy or case-specific questions.
Use this for federal district, bankruptcy and federal appellate records.
- Use PACER Case Locator if you do not know the federal court.
- Use the specific federal court for the most current docket.
- Review PACER pricing before opening documents.
- Remember state and county search tools do not contain federal cases.
Ingham County court locations for records and copy help
Many searches can start online, but certified copies, sealed-record questions, older files, court-specific payment questions and public terminal review may require contacting the court directly. Call before visiting to confirm the correct office, hours, security screening, payment methods and whether the record is held at that location.
Veterans Memorial Courthouse
313 W Kalamazoo St, 1st Floor
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 517-483-6500
Fax: 517-483-6401
Hours listed: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Handles official Circuit Court records, docketing, case-file custody, copy requests and certification for Circuit matters.
Probate Register’s Office
Veterans Memorial Courthouse
313 West Kalamazoo Street
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 517-483-6300
Fax: 517-483-6150
Email: ProbateCourtRecords@ingham.org
Use for Probate Court records, public case review, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, copies and certified Probate records.
700 Buhl Avenue
Mason, MI 48854
Phone: 517-676-8400
Fax: 517-676-8208
Hours listed: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Serves Ingham County areas outside Lansing and East Lansing for many district civil, criminal, traffic and landlord-tenant matters.
6th Floor City Hall
124 W Michigan Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
Main phone commonly listed by court location pages: 517-483-4433
Serves City of Lansing district matters. Verify department, room, hours and case access before visiting.
101 Linden Street
East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: 517-351-7000
Hours listed: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–noon and 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Serves City of East Lansing district matters, including traffic, civil, criminal, parking, small claims and landlord-tenant cases.
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
113 Federal Building
315 W Allegan Street
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 517-377-1559
Use only for federal district court matters. Federal records are searched through PACER or the federal court, not Ingham County Court Services.
Do not search the wrong Ingham County District Court
Ingham County district court routing depends on the city or county area tied to the ticket, complaint, charge or rental property. District cases are often traffic, misdemeanor, civil infraction, landlord-tenant, small-claims or lower civil matters.
Use for City of Lansing cases. Check the ticket, complaint, violation location, arresting agency or court notice before using 54-A resources.
Use for City of East Lansing cases. The court lists public online viewing through MiCOURT and requires a file/copy request form for copies.
Use for Ingham County areas outside Lansing and East Lansing. The court states that cases filed after October 1, 2009 are available online, with limited earlier criminal/traffic coverage.
Michigan appellate, criminal-history, jail, OTIS and federal records are separate systems
A court docket is not the same as a background check, jail roster, prison record, appellate docket or federal case file. Use the correct official source based on the record type.
| Need | Official route | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan Court of Appeals or Supreme Court case | Michigan Courts Case Search | Compare the lower-court case number to the Ingham County trial case. Appeals have separate docket entries. |
| Michigan criminal-history check | Michigan State Police ICHAT | ICHAT is not a full court-file search and does not include every record type. |
| Current or recent prison/parole/probation supervision under MDOC | Michigan Department of Corrections OTIS | OTIS is not a complete criminal-history report and should be verified through MSP or the court file. |
| Federal civil or criminal case | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan and PACER | State and county portals do not contain federal district court records. |
| Bankruptcy case | U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan and PACER | The Lansing bankruptcy location is not staffed with court employees; use official bankruptcy court contact instructions for case information or copies. |
| County administrative records | Ingham County FOIA process when applicable | The county FOIA page states that court records are not obtained through FOIA and users should contact the court directly. |
How to request certified Ingham County court records
A screenshot, search-result page or downloaded docket is not a certified court record. Certification must come from the court clerk or register that maintains the original file.
Use Circuit/Probate Court Record Search, MiCOURT or the correct district court route to identify the case number, court and case type.
Ask for the judgment, order, register of actions, final disposition, letters of authority, divorce judgment, sentencing document or other exact record you need.
Use the Circuit Court Clerk for Circuit records, Probate Register for Probate records, 54-A for Lansing district records, 54-B for East Lansing district records, or 55th for district records outside Lansing and East Lansing.
Do not mail a guessed amount. Ask whether payment is accepted by cash, check, money order, credit/debit card or online payment.
Circuit certified copies have an embossed seal and cannot be emailed or faxed. Use in-person pickup or mailing with a self-addressed, prepaid envelope when required.
What to do if an Ingham County court-record search returns no result
- Wrong court: Circuit, Probate, 54-A, 54-B or 55th.
- Wrong location: Lansing, East Lansing or county area outside those cities.
- Name spelling, initials, maiden name, suffix, business punctuation or DBA mismatch.
- Searching a restricted case type online.
- Using name search when a case number is available.
- Circuit or Probate online coverage may not include older records before the published coverage dates.
- MiCOURT may filter some criminal convictions or not display certain case types.
- Sealed, expunged, juvenile, confidential and PPO records may not be visible.
- Federal or bankruptcy records belong in PACER, not county search.
- Michigan criminal-history searches belong with MSP ICHAT, not a court docket screen.
How to read Ingham County docket fields without over-interpreting them
A court docket is a record of case activity. It does not always explain what happened in court, whether a debt was paid, whether a judgment was satisfied, whether a conviction was set aside, or whether a party received notice.
Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, appellant, appellee, decedent, personal representative, guardian, ward, debtor and creditor are roles. A role does not always mean wrongdoing.
Complaint, petition, summons, motion, notice, order, hearing, judgment, dismissal, plea, sentence, continuance and satisfaction entries should be read in context.
Open, pending, closed, disposed, dismissed, reopened, inactive or stayed can mean different things by case type. Ask the court for official clarification when status matters.
Use Ingham County court records carefully
- Do not identify a person from a common name alone.
- Compare court, case number, party role, filing date, case type and docket entries.
- Do not assume an arrest, charge, ticket or complaint is a conviction.
- Do not assume a civil judgment shows current payment status.
- Do not harass, threaten, shame or retaliate against anyone.
- Do not republish children’s names, addresses, protected health details or unnecessary sensitive data.
- Do not bypass sealed, expunged, juvenile, PPO or confidential restrictions.
- Contact the official custodian for corrections, sealing, set-aside, expungement and certified-copy needs.
Frequently asked questions about Ingham County court records
What is the official way to search Ingham County court records?
For 30th Circuit Court and Probate Court records, start with the Ingham County Court Services Court Record Search. For district court matters, use MiCOURT Case Search or the correct local district court page: 54-A for Lansing, 54-B for East Lansing, or 55th District Court for areas of Ingham County outside Lansing and East Lansing.
Can I search Ingham County court records by name?
Yes. The Ingham County Court Record Search supports name and business-name searching for Circuit and Probate records, with first name, last name or business name, party type, and case type fields where applicable. Criminal and traffic searches require date of birth. A name match alone is not identity proof.
How much does the Ingham County Circuit or Probate online record search cost?
The Ingham County Court Record Search lists an $11 fee for each Circuit Court name searched, a $10 fee for each Probate Court name searched, and a $2.50 fee for each case summary viewed. Verify the current charge on the official portal before purchasing results.
How far back do online Ingham County Circuit and Probate records go?
The official Ingham County search screen states that criminal cases go back to 2000 and all other Circuit and Probate cases go back to 1986. Older records may require direct contact with the Clerk, Probate Register, public terminal access, or a manual record request.
Are personal protection order records available online in Ingham County?
No. The Ingham County Court Record Search states that, pursuant to MCR 3.705, personal protection order case information is not available online. Contact the appropriate court directly if you are an authorized party seeking information.
Which Ingham County district court handles my traffic, misdemeanor, small claims, or landlord-tenant case?
Use 54-A District Court for City of Lansing cases, 54-B District Court for City of East Lansing cases, and 55th District Court for Ingham County areas outside Lansing and East Lansing. Check the ticket, complaint, address, police agency, or hearing notice before searching.
How do I get certified copies of Ingham County Circuit Court records?
Request certified copies from the 30th Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. The official copy page lists $1.50 per page for copies, $0.90 per page for transcript copies, and $10.00 per record for certification. Certified copies cannot be emailed or faxed because the embossed seal must be physically present.
How do I get copies from Ingham County Probate Court?
Contact the Probate Register’s Office. The official Probate Court page states that public case records may be reviewed at the Probate Register’s Office during public filing hours and that copies are $1.50 per page, transcript copies are $0.30 per page, and certification is an additional $10 per record.
Is an Ingham court docket the same as a Michigan criminal background check?
No. Court dockets and criminal-history background checks are different. For Michigan public criminal-history information, use Michigan State Police ICHAT. ICHAT does not include every record type, including federal records, tribal records, traffic records, juvenile records, local misdemeanors, warrant information, and suppressed records.
Where do I search Ingham County federal or bankruptcy records?
Use PACER and the federal court that handled the case. Ingham County is served by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan at the Lansing courthouse. Bankruptcy records use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan and PACER.
Official-source review checklist
This guide was reviewed against official Ingham County Court Services, Ingham County Court Record Search, Ingham County Court Hearing Schedule, 30th Judicial Circuit Court, Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Circuit copies and fee pages, Ingham County Probate Court, 55th Judicial District Court, 55th District Court Online Services, City of Lansing 54-A District Court resources, City of East Lansing 54-B District Court resources, MiCOURT Case Search, Michigan Courts appellate case search, Michigan State Police Criminal History Records, Western District of Michigan federal court, Western District of Michigan bankruptcy court, and PACER resources. Review date: September 7, 2026.