How to Search Wexford County Court Records
Most Wexford County court records start with one statewide tool. Michigan's trial courts share an online case lookup, and the Wexford County website links to it under "Record Search." That lookup can reach civil, traffic, criminal, family, and probate cases where the local court takes part. Coverage is not the same for every case type. Some files stay at the courthouse counter only.
Gather what you know before you start. A full name or a case number speeds the search. Wexford County case numbers follow short patterns such as 21-3634-FY-1 or 2021-29873-DM. The portal matches a case number that contains your entry. It matches names that begin with what you type.
The statewide lookup opens on the MiCOURT Case Search page, which serves every Michigan county.
Because the same portal covers the whole state, the court filter matters when you narrow a Wexford County search. Pick the right court first, then add a name or number.
- Open the MiCOURT Case Search page and choose the court or courts you want.
- Enter a party name or a case number. Use a last name for a name search.
- Add a case type or date filter to trim a long result list.
- Open a case to read its register of actions and hearing history.
- Ask the clerk of the holding court when you need a certified copy.
The portal accepts several search styles. The table below lists the fields you will see and how each one behaves.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court | Selection | Yes in practice | Pick the Wexford County court or courts to search where available. |
| Case Number | Text | Optional if a name is used | Matches any case number that contains the value entered. |
| First Name | Text | Optional | Begins-with match on a participant's first name. |
| Last Name | Text | Needed for a name search | Begins-with match on a participant's last name. |
| Filters | Dropdown | No | Refine by case type or date where the interface offers it. |
The Wexford County Judicial System
Wexford County sits inside Michigan's One Court of Justice. Three trial courts do the local work. The 28th Circuit Court is the broadest court. It hears felony crimes, civil claims over $25,000, family matters, and appeals from other courts or agencies. The 84th District Court handles the smaller and earlier stages of most cases.
The 28th Circuit is a multi-county circuit shared with Missaukee County, so judges travel between the two. Wexford County sessions sit in Cadillac, while Missaukee sessions sit in Lake City. Hon. Jason J. Elmore serves as Chief Circuit Court Judge. Hon. Edward D. Van Alst presides over the Family Division and also serves as Judge of Probate. Corey J. Wiggins is the 84th District Court judge.
Case flow: District Court › Circuit Court › Court of Appeals › Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan's public materials explain the same three-court trial structure that shapes Wexford County records.
The Michigan Courts trial-court overview confirms the circuit, district, and probate split that Wexford County follows. The table below compares what each local court hears.
| Court | What It Handles | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| 28th Circuit Court | Felony crime, civil over $25,000, family division, appeals | (231) 779-9490 |
| 84th District Court | Misdemeanors, early felony stages, civil under $25,000, small claims, landlord-tenant, traffic | (231) 779-9515 |
| Wexford County Probate Court | Estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, mental-health treatment | (231) 779-9510 |
| 28th Circuit Family Division | Divorce, custody, support, juvenile, adoption, name change, family PPO | (231) 779-9490 |
Wexford County Courthouse and Court Offices
Most Wexford County court business runs through one building in Cadillac. The 28th Circuit Court, 84th District Court, Probate Court, and Prosecuting Attorney all list the same East Division Street address. The County Clerk counter for circuit filings sits one floor below the courtroom, on the second floor of the historic side of the courthouse. County offices open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Circuit Court closes from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch.
The Wexford County website gathers court links, notices, and the courthouse address in one place.
The Wexford County official homepage posts closure notices worth checking before any visit. The cards below list the main courthouse offices.
Wexford County Courthouse
437 East Division Street
Cadillac, MI 49601
(231) 779-9453
28th Circuit Court
437 E. Division St.
Cadillac, MI 49601
(231) 779-9490
circuitcourt@wexfordcounty.org
84th District Court
437 E. Division St.
Cadillac, MI 49601
(231) 779-9515
ddecator@wexfordcounty.org
Wexford County Probate Court
437 East Division Street
Cadillac, MI 49601
(231) 779-9510
fax (231) 779-9485
Types of Court Records Available in Wexford County
Wexford County court records cover a wide range of case types. Each court produces its own set. Circuit files hold serious crimes, larger civil claims, and divorce. District files hold misdemeanors, small money disputes, and traffic. Probate files hold estates and guardianships. The kind of record you need points you to the right court and clerk.
Michigan's central case-search gateway helps map where a Wexford County record lives.
The Michigan Courts case-search gateway also links appellate opinions and orders that can touch a Wexford County appeal. The main local record groups break down like this.
- Criminal records - felony files in Circuit Court and misdemeanor files in the 84th District Court, with charges, pleas, and sentences.
- Civil records - money and property disputes, split between circuit claims over $25,000 and district claims under that line.
- Family and divorce records - divorce, custody, support, and paternity handled by the Circuit Court Family Division.
- Probate records - estates, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships kept by the Wexford County Probate Court.
- Traffic records - civil infraction tickets and hearings processed through the District Court traffic division.
What Wexford County Court Records Show
A Wexford County court record is built from small, repeated fields. Docket samples from the county show names, case numbers, short case-type codes, hearing codes, and times. A full case file adds more. Criminal files reach bond terms, pleas, and sentences that a bare docket line does not show.
Court-approved forms shape much of what ends up in a file. The state maintains the official set.
The Michigan SCAO forms library supplies the district, circuit, probate, and family forms filed in Wexford County. The table below reads a typical record field by field.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | The unique case identifier, such as 21-3634-FY-1. |
| Case Type Code | A short code for the case category, like FY, FD, or DM. |
| Parties | Names of the people or agencies in the case, unless sealed. |
| Hearing Code / Description | The scheduled event, shown as a code or a short phrase. |
| Date and Time | When a hearing or paper deadline falls. |
| Bond | Release terms and any amount set in a criminal matter. |
| Disposition and Sentence | The outcome and any penalty once the court enters it. |
Note: County docket pages do not define every hearing code, so confirm an unfamiliar abbreviation with the court office before you rely on it.
Wexford County Court Record Terms
Wexford County court records lean on a fixed set of legal words. A few short definitions make a docket easier to read. The terms below appear across circuit, district, and probate files.
- Arraignment
- The first criminal court appearance, where charges, rights, penalties, and bond are addressed.
- Bindover
- The transfer of a felony from District Court to Circuit Court after a judge finds probable cause.
- Bond
- A release condition or sum set to secure a defendant's return to court.
- Disposition
- The current or final outcome of a charge or a case.
- Docket
- The schedule or register of case events and hearings.
- Misdemeanor
- A lower-level crime handled in the 84th District Court.
- Register of actions
- The chronological list of case events that most online searches show.
- Set aside
- The Michigan process that makes an eligible conviction nonpublic for most purposes.
Public Access Laws for Wexford County Court Records
Two systems govern access to Wexford County court records. County administrative files fall under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. Court case files fall under Michigan court rules, which the clerks apply. That split matters. A FOIA request is not always the right first tool for a case file, though it works well for county administrative records.
The state sets out its access policy in plain statute language.
The statute page shows the public-policy statement that opens the law. The key citations behind Wexford County access sit in the callout below.
Key Statutes:
Michigan Code § 15.231 - declares a public policy favoring access to records of government affairs and official acts.
Michigan FOIA (Attorney General guide) - explains that a written request can inspect or copy most public records of a public body.
Michigan Court Rule 8.119 - places court records in the clerk's charge and sets access under court rules, not just FOIA.
Michigan Code § 780.621 - lets eligible people apply to set aside certain convictions, though not every conviction qualifies.
Michigan Clean Slate - sets automatic set-aside of some convictions after waiting periods, making them nonpublic for most users.
For county administrative records, Wexford County accepts written requests through a public portal.
The Attorney General FOIA guide mirrors the county process. A request must be written and must describe the record well enough to find it. Wexford County can submit one through its JustFOIA portal, by letter, by fax, or by email. The county answers within five business days, with a possible ten-business-day extension. Fees may cover labor, copies up to ten cents per standard page, media, and mailing, and a deposit is possible when the estimate tops fifty dollars.
Restricted Wexford County Court Records
Not every Wexford County court record is open. The Family Division handles juvenile delinquency, child neglect and abuse, and adoption. Those files are usually nonpublic. The Probate Court handles involuntary mental-health treatment, and those records stay closed for health and privacy reasons. The county probate and family docket even labels some entries "NON-PUBLIC" so the boundary is visible.
Court rules control how a clerk shares or withholds a file.
The Michigan court records rules also allow a clerk to redact protected personal details from an otherwise public Wexford County file. Sealed and set-aside convictions form another closed group. To clear an eligible conviction, a Wexford County resident should first pin down the exact case and conviction, then check eligibility under Michigan's set-aside and Clean Slate rules. An application usually needs forms, fingerprints, a filing in the convicting court, service on required agencies, and sometimes a hearing. When a case was confidential from the start, the path is a court order or an eligible-party request, not a public lookup.
Specialty Programs and Community Corrections
Wexford County does not run a separately branded drug court, sobriety court, or veterans treatment court page. It does run court-adjacent programs that shape bond terms and criminal records. Wexford and Missaukee share a Community Corrections office at the courthouse. It provides pretrial monitoring for the 84th District Court and the 28th Circuit Court.
These programs often set the conditions a defendant must meet while a case is open. Failing them can add new charges. The office runs several monitoring tracks.
- Drug and alcohol testing - random tests keyed to an assigned number and a daily call-in system.
- Soberlink monitoring - a device that checks alcohol use day by day.
- GPS monitoring - an ankle unit that tracks location under court order.
- Rehabilitation monitoring - checks on attendance and compliance with ordered treatment.
Wexford County Sheriff and Jail
The Wexford County Sheriff's Office and jail sit apart from the courthouse, at 1015 Lincoln Street in Cadillac. Sheriff Trent Taylor and Undersheriff Jeffrey Harnish lead a staff that handles law enforcement, corrections, and animal control. The office line is (231) 779-9216. The jail line is (231) 779-9217. The administrative office is closed to the public on Wednesdays, so call before a visit.
No official Wexford County online jail roster was found on the county or sheriff pages. Current custody questions go to the jail by phone. For sentenced state prisoners, parolees, and probationers, use the MDOC OTIS locator, which excludes county jail inmates. For custody alerts, Michigan VINE sends notifications. The Wexford County Sheriff's Office site links jail services. A Michigan Sheriff Connect mobile app exists, but no Wexford-specific app-only lookup was confirmed. For the full custody picture, see the Wexford County inmate records page, and for active warrants see the warrant records page.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Records
Three record types cross between the County Clerk and the courts. The Wexford County Clerk issues marriage licenses and holds marriage certified copies. Divorce belongs to the Circuit Court Family Division, and a certified judgment routes through the County Clerk. The Probate Court keeps estate and guardianship files. Each path has its own office and its own fee.
For the full marriage and divorce process, see the Wexford County marriage and divorce records page, and for estates and guardianships see the probate records page. A few probate words come up often.
- Testator
- The person who makes a will.
- Executor
- The person named to gather and settle a deceased person's estate.
- Conservator
- Someone the court appoints to manage the property and finances of a protected person.
- Guardian
- Someone the court appoints to make personal-care decisions for a protected person.
Wexford County Court Records Fees
Fees at the Wexford County Clerk vary by service. Filing a new case costs more than copying an old one. Certified copies carry a first-page fee plus a smaller charge for each added page. The list below draws from the county clerk fee schedule, and the court can confirm a current amount before you pay.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| New Circuit Court case | $175 |
| Divorce with minor children, custody, or support | $255 |
| Circuit Court motion | $20 |
| Certified copy (circuit) | $10 first page, $1 each additional |
| Photocopies | $1 per page |
| Marriage license | $20 residents, $30 out-of-state |
| Marriage certified copy | $15 first, $5 each additional |
| Genealogy search | $5 first three years, $2 each additional year |
Wexford County Court Record Accuracy
Online Wexford County court records can lag behind the paper file. A clerk enters events over time, so a fresh filing may not show at once. A docket line is a summary, not the full file. The court office holds the complete record and can confirm a balance, a disposition, or a hearing that an online view leaves unclear.
The state also publishes case-processing data for the courts that serve Wexford County.
The Michigan interactive court data dashboard tracks incoming cases, pending caseloads, and processing times for the Wexford and Missaukee courts.
Note: Confirm any name, charge, or outcome with the originating Wexford County court office before you act on an online record.
History of Wexford County Courts
Wexford County's courts grew inside Michigan's One Court of Justice. The 28th Circuit pairs Wexford with Missaukee because rural circuits often span more than one county, and judges ride between county seats. Sessions have long split between Cadillac and Lake City.
Two changes reshaped the local courts. In 1998, state law created the Family Division of Circuit Court and moved juvenile, adoption, and name-change matters out of Probate Court. In Wexford County, as in much of northern Michigan, the Probate Judge became Presiding Judge of the Family Division. The Wexford and Missaukee Office of Public Defender opened on October 1, 2018, as one of the first of its kind in the region, giving eligible defendants appointed counsel after a court finds them unable to afford an attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Wexford County court records online?
Start with the MiCOURT Case Search portal, which the Wexford County site links as "Record Search." Pick the court, then enter a last name or a case number. Civil, traffic, criminal, family, and probate cases may appear where the local court takes part. Some documents are not posted online, so the courthouse clerk counter remains the backup.
Which court holds the record I need?
The 28th Circuit Court holds felony, larger civil, and divorce files. The 84th District Court holds misdemeanors, small claims, landlord-tenant, and traffic. The Wexford County Probate Court holds estates, guardianships, and conservatorships. Matching the case type to the court points you to the correct clerk and phone line.
Are Wexford County court records free to view?
Searching the statewide portal is free. Fees appear when you order copies. A certified circuit copy runs $10 for the first page and $1 for each added page, and plain photocopies run $1 per page. The clerk can confirm a current fee before you pay.
How do I get a certified copy?
Contact the clerk of the court that holds the file. Circuit and divorce copies route through the County Clerk. Marriage certified copies come from the Clerk by mail, email, online payment, or in person. Bring or state the names and case details so staff can locate the right record.
Can I find a Wexford County jail roster online?
No official Wexford County online jail roster was located. Call the jail at (231) 779-9217 for current custody. Use MDOC OTIS for state prisoners and parolees, and Michigan VINE for custody alerts. The county inmate records page walks through each of these channels in more detail.
What records are confidential in Wexford County?
Juvenile delinquency, child neglect and abuse, adoption, and involuntary mental-health cases are usually nonpublic. Sealed and set-aside convictions are also closed for most purposes. The probate and family docket marks protected entries as "NON-PUBLIC." Access to these files needs a court order or an eligible-party request.
How do I request county records that are not court files?
Use the Michigan Freedom of Information Act process. Wexford County accepts a written request through its JustFOIA portal, by letter, by fax, or by email. The request must describe the record clearly. The county answers within five business days, with a possible ten-business-day extension.