Livingston County Public Records /Livingston County Court Records

Livingston County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Livingston County in 2026

LivingstonCountyRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to court records in Livingston County. Members of the public seeking court records may find case-related data including docket entries, party names, case types, hearing dates, and disposition information, subject to applicable access restrictions under Michigan law. The following record categories may be available through official channels:

Criminal case records (felony, misdemeanor, and ordinance violations)
Civil case records (contract disputes, personal injury, collections)
Family court records (divorce, custody, support)
Probate records (estates, guardianships, conservatorships)
Traffic and infraction records
Small claims court records
Juvenile court records (subject to significant restrictions)

Court records in Livingston County may be searched through several official methods. Each method carries its own access conditions, fees, and practical limitations.

1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Livingston County Clerk's Office maintains official court records for circuit court matters. Staff can assist members of the public in locating case files by party name, case number, or filing date. Identification may be required for certain requests.

2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access computer terminals are available at the Livingston County Courthouse. These terminals allow in-person review of case index information and, in some instances, document images without charge.

3. Online Court Search Michigan's Odyssey Case Management System and the Michigan Courts Case Search portal allow members of the public to search for case information by party name or case number across participating courts.

4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The Michigan One Court of Justice website provides statewide access to court information, including links to individual court portals, judicial directories, and case search tools maintained by the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO).

5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public may submit written requests to the Livingston County Clerk's Office. Requests should include the full name of a party, approximate filing date, and case number if known. Fees for copies and certified documents apply.

Livingston County Clerk's Office 200 E. Grand River Ave. Howell, MI 48843 Phone: (517) 546-0500 Livingston County Clerk

Are Court Records Public In Livingston County

Court records in Livingston County are public records under current Michigan law. The Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL § 15.231 et seq., establishes the general right of public access to government records, including court documents. Additionally, the Michigan Supreme Court's administrative orders and court rules govern access to judicial records specifically.

The following categories of records are at present open to public inspection:

Case docket entries and indexes
Party names (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent)
Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
Filed pleadings, motions, and responses
Court orders and judgments
Sentencing entries and probation orders
Probate inventories and orders (subject to limited exceptions)

Certain records are confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted under Michigan law and court rules. These include:

Juvenile delinquency and child protective proceedings records
Adoption records and related filings
Mental health commitment records
Records sealed by court order
Expunged criminal records under MCL § 780.621
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth in certain filings
Certain domestic violence and personal protection order records

A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While a member of the public may inspect a broader range of documents at the courthouse public terminal or clerk's counter, online systems may display only index-level information or exclude document images for restricted case types.

What Are Court Records in Livingston County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with a legal proceeding. In practical terms, a court record encompasses everything generated from the moment a case is filed through its final disposition and any subsequent appeal.

A docket entry is a chronological log of actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and issued by the court. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the state against an individual accused of a crime. Filed pleadings are the initial documents that open a case, whereas final judgments represent the court's ultimate resolution.

Public filings are accessible to any member of the public under applicable law, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public view by court order or statute. Trial court records are maintained at the originating court level, while appellate records are held by the Michigan Court of Appeals or the Michigan Supreme Court.

In Livingston County, the following offices and systems maintain court records:

Livingston County Clerk's Office — maintains circuit court records for civil, criminal, family, and probate matters
53rd District Court — maintains district court records for misdemeanors, civil infractions, small claims, and limited civil matters
Michigan Court of Appeals — maintains appellate records for cases appealed from Livingston County circuit court
State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) — oversees statewide case management systems

Court records are created when a party files an initial pleading or complaint. The clerk assigns a case number, opens a file, and begins a docket. As the case proceeds, each filing, order, and hearing entry is added to the docket and case file. Upon final disposition, the record is closed and transferred to the appropriate retention schedule.

53rd District Court 204 S. Highlander Way Howell, MI 48843 Phone: (517) 548-1000 53rd District Court

What's Included in a Livingston County Court Record?

A court record in Livingston County may include a range of documents and data entries depending on the case type, court division, and applicable public-access rules. The following information commonly appears within a court record:

Case identification: case number, court name and division, filing date
Party information: names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and attorneys of record
Case classification: case type (civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic) and current status
Docket entries: a chronological log of all filings, hearings, and court actions
Hearing information: scheduled and past hearing dates, continuances, and courtroom assignments
Filed documents: complaints, petitions, answers, motions, responses, notices, affidavits, and supporting exhibits (where not restricted)
Court-issued documents: orders, judgments, decrees, minute entries, writs, and warrants
Outcome information: dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
Financial and administrative data: filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, bond information, and payment status where publicly displayed

The following categories are commonly excluded or restricted from public court records:

Sealed filings and orders entered under seal
Expunged criminal matters
Juvenile delinquency and child protective services files
Adoption records
Protected personal identifiers (Social Security numbers, financial account numbers)
Certain exhibits containing sensitive personal or medical information
Records subject to protective orders issued by the court

Types of Courts in Livingston County

Livingston County is served by a multi-tiered court structure under the Michigan One Court of Justice system. Each court level has defined jurisdiction and maintains its own official records.

Circuit Court — 44th Judicial Circuit The 44th Judicial Circuit Court is the general-jurisdiction trial court for Livingston County. It hears felony criminal cases, major civil disputes involving amounts over $25,000, family law matters (divorce, custody, support, paternity), juvenile proceedings, and probate matters. The Livingston County Clerk's Office serves as the official record keeper for circuit court filings.

53rd District Court The 53rd District Court is a limited-jurisdiction court handling misdemeanor criminal cases, civil infractions, traffic violations, small claims cases (up to $6,500), and civil cases involving amounts up to $25,000. The district court clerk maintains official records for these proceedings.

Probate Court Livingston County Probate Court operates as a division of the circuit court and handles matters involving decedents' estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental health proceedings. Probate records are maintained by the Probate Court clerk.

Michigan Court of Appeals Cases appealed from Livingston County circuit court are heard by the Michigan Court of Appeals. Appellate records are maintained separately from trial court records.

What Types of Cases Do Livingston County Courts Hear

Livingston County courts collectively hear the following case types:

Felony criminal: circuit court (arraignment through sentencing)
Misdemeanor criminal: district court
Civil (general jurisdiction): circuit court for claims exceeding $25,000
Civil (limited jurisdiction): district court for claims up to $25,000
Small claims: district court for claims up to $6,500
Family law: circuit court (divorce, custody, parenting time, support, PPOs)
Juvenile: circuit court/family division (delinquency, child protective proceedings)
Probate: probate division (estates, guardianships, mental health)
Traffic and infractions: district court
Appeals: Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court

44th Circuit Court / Livingston County Courthouse 204 S. Highlander Way Howell, MI 48843 Phone: (517) 546-3750 44th Circuit Court

How to Search Livingston County Court Records for Free?

Members of the public may access certain Livingston County court records at no cost through the following methods:

Free Access Methods:

In-person inspection at the clerk's office: Members of the public may inspect court records at the Livingston County Clerk's Office or the 53rd District Court clerk's counter during regular business hours without charge. No fee is assessed for viewing records on-site.
Courthouse public access terminals: Computer terminals located at the courthouse allow free index-level searches and, in some cases, document viewing.
Michigan Courts Case Search: The Michigan Courts Case Search portal provides free online access to case index information for participating courts statewide.

Services That Require Payment:

Service	Typical Fee
Standard paper copies	$1.00 per page
Certified copies	$10.00 per document (plus copy fees)
Electronic copies (where available)	Varies by court
Research by clerk staff	Varies; may apply for extensive requests

Fee schedules are established under Michigan court rules and the applicable clerk fee statutes. The Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Office publishes current fee schedules for circuit and district courts. Members of the public seeking certified copies should contact the relevant clerk's office directly to confirm current fees prior to submitting a request.

How Long Does Livingston County Keep Court Records?

Retention periods for court records in Livingston County are governed by the Michigan Trial Court Case File Management Standards and retention schedules issued by the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO). Retention periods vary by case type and record category.

Under current retention rules, the following general schedules apply:

Felony criminal case files: Retained permanently or for extended periods, particularly where a sentence of imprisonment was imposed
Misdemeanor criminal case files: Retained for a minimum of several years post-disposition; specific periods vary by offense classification
Civil case files: Retained for a minimum period following final judgment, with longer retention for cases involving real property or significant monetary judgments
Probate records: Many probate records, including wills and estate inventories, are retained permanently
Family court records: Retained for extended periods, particularly where minor children are involved
Traffic and infraction records: Retained for shorter periods, subject to SCAO schedules
Docket books and minute records: Retained permanently in most jurisdictions

Paper files may be destroyed after imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the imaging meets SCAO standards. Destruction of a paper file does not eliminate the record; the imaged or archived version remains the official record.

A distinction exists among destruction, archival retention, sealing, redaction, and expungement. Destruction removes a record from existence after its retention period expires. Archival retention moves a record to long-term storage. Sealing restricts access without destroying the record. Redaction removes specific information from a document while retaining the remainder. Expungement, available under MCL § 780.621, results in the setting aside of a criminal conviction and the restriction of related records from public view.

Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the State Archives of Michigan. The State Archives of Michigan holds historical judicial records transferred from county courts.

How To Find a Court Docket in Livingston County

A court docket is a chronological index of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from a full case file in that it records what happened and when, rather than containing the actual documents filed. A docket entry notes that a motion was filed; the case file contains the motion itself.

Dockets for Livingston County cases may be accessed through the following channels:

Michigan Courts Case Search Portal The Michigan Courts Case Search system allows members of the public to search for docket information by party name or case number across participating Michigan courts. Search results display case index data including party names, case type, filing date, and docket entries where available.

Clerk's Office In-Person Request Members of the public may request docket information directly from the Livingston County Clerk's Office or the 53rd District Court clerk. Staff can print or display docket entries for a specific case upon request. A case number or party name is sufficient to initiate a search.

Courthouse Public Terminals Public access terminals at the Livingston County Courthouse provide docket-level search capability during courthouse business hours.

Step-by-Step Docket Search via Michigan Courts Case Search:

Navigate to the Michigan Courts Case Search portal
Select the court type and county (Livingston)
Enter the party name or case number in the search fields
Review the case index results for matching records
Select a case to view available docket entries and case status

A court docket at present contains the following types of information:

Filing date and case number
Party names and attorney information
Chronological list of all filings and court actions
Hearing dates, continuances, and adjournments
Motion filings and ruling entries
Minute entries from hearings
Status updates and case disposition

A docket does not include full document images in all instances, sealed entries, exhibits filed under restriction, confidential attachments, or the text of filed pleadings unless the court's electronic system provides document-level access. Motion calendars and daily hearing rosters may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse. The Michigan Supreme Court's administrative orders govern the scope of public docket access across all Michigan trial courts.