Calhoun County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Boasting 19 townships, four incorporated cities, and four villages within its boundaries, Calhoun County in Michigan has a population of over 134,000, and its county seat is in Marshall. The Circuit Court, a District Court, and a Probate Court make up the Calhoun County trial court system. Although the circuit court has universal jurisdiction over all cases, it often only takes on cases that fall outside other courts' jurisdiction. Probate and district courts only have limited authority over particular kinds of cases.

The Calhoun County Circuit Court considers cases involving misdemeanors and felonies. It handles equity matters, appeals of decisions made by administrative agencies, juvenile cases, domestic relations, and general civil issues involving more than $25,000. A Family Division handles cases on domestic relations and minors as well as name changes, adoption, divorce, paternity, abuse prevention, child protection, and juvenile delinquency. It has a Friend of the Court (FOC) body, which helps the court administer these cases. The FOC is part of the Circuit Court and is supervised by the chief judge. The Calhoun County Probate Court handles matters about will probate, estate and trust administration, guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions, name changes, and the care and protection of individuals with mental or physical impairment. The Calhoun County District Court handles misdemeanors, preliminary hearings for felonies, and the majority of traffic violations. The county district court has an Online Plea system, which allows defendants to request electronic entry of a guilty plea without having to appear in person for a pretrial or trial. However, only certain misdemeanor offenses are eligible.

About 3,121 cases are handled by the Calhoun County court system annually, which is a good sign of the county's expanding legal system. The high crime rate in the county, around 2,329.10 per 100,000 residents, is evidence of the need for a strong legal system. Its court records are maintained by the Calhoun County Circuit Court Clerk. You can look up criminal and civil court cases, including felony records, in person at the Court Clerk's office in Battle Creek. Online access to records is not available.

In summary, the Calhoun County court system is a crucial component of the county's management and is dedicated to upholding justice in a variety of legal cases. The county's judicial system, which consists of the Circuit Court, district court, and probate court, enables it to handle the variety of cases it faces.