Detroit Family Court Records

Family court records for Detroit residents are filed and maintained at the Wayne County Circuit Court Family Division, located in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in downtown Detroit. This court handles all divorce, custody, child support, paternity, and related family matters for people who live in Detroit and throughout Wayne County. The local 36th District Court does not handle these cases.

Where Detroit Family Court Records Are Filed

All family court cases originating in Detroit go to the Wayne County Circuit Court, Third Judicial Circuit. The Family Division of that court sits inside the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center at 2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226. You can reach the Family Division directly at (313) 224-5271. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

The Third Judicial Circuit is the busiest circuit court in Michigan. It handles tens of thousands of family cases each year for all of Wayne County, including Detroit. Divorce filings, custody petitions, paternity actions, support modifications, and personal protection orders all go here. This is the office that creates and stores the official case files.

The Wayne County Circuit Court also runs a separate records portal called Odyssey Public Access (OPA). Public kiosks are available at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. These let you search case records without waiting in line at the clerk's window. For more about how Wayne County handles family cases, visit the Wayne County Family Court Records page.

The 36th District Court and What It Handles

Detroit also has the 36th District Court at 421 Madison Street, Detroit, MI 48226. The records line is (313) 965-4153. This court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, civil claims under $25,000, and landlord-tenant disputes. It does NOT handle divorce, custody, child support, paternity, or any other family law matters.

If you need family court records, the 36th District Court cannot help you. Go to the Wayne County Circuit Court Family Division instead. The two courts share the same general area of downtown Detroit but are separate institutions with separate case systems and separate records.

The 36th District Court does maintain its own public records. You can search those records on its website at 36thdistrictcourtmi.gov. But those are not family court records. They will not show divorce judgments, custody orders, or support cases.

The 36th District Court website gives a good overview of district court services in Detroit. The image below shows the court's homepage.

The 36th District Court serves Detroit residents for criminal and civil matters, but family law cases go to the Wayne County Circuit Court.

Searching Detroit Family Court Records Online

The main tool for searching Michigan family court records online is MiCOURT Case Search, the statewide portal run by the Michigan Supreme Court. You can search by party name or case number. The system pulls records from circuit courts across the state, including Wayne County. Case information, docket entries, and hearing dates all show up in search results.

Wayne County also runs Odyssey Public Access at 3rdcc.org. This is the Third Circuit's own portal for searching court records. Public kiosks at the courthouse give free access to this system. You can use it to find case details, review docket history, and confirm case status without speaking to a clerk.

To search effectively, you need at least one party's full name. A case number makes searches faster. The year of filing helps narrow results when a name is common. Some records are sealed or restricted and will not appear in any public search. Those include adoption cases, juvenile cases, and some protection order details.

The image below shows the Detroit records request page at the 36th District Court, which handles non-family civil and criminal records separately from family court filings at the Circuit Court.

The 36th District Court records request process is for district court matters only. Family court record requests go through the Wayne County Circuit Court clerk's office.

Copy Fees and Costs at Wayne County Circuit Court

Getting copies of family court records in Detroit costs money. The Wayne County Circuit Court charges $0.10 per page for plain photocopies. Certified copies cost $10.00 to $20.00 per document depending on the type. Informational copies run $2.00 to $5.00 per page. Filing a new divorce case costs $446.00 at the time of filing.

In-person viewing of a case file is free. You can come to the courthouse during business hours, request the file at the clerk's window, and review documents at a public viewing area without paying. You only pay if you want copies to take with you.

Payment methods accepted at the Wayne County Circuit Court clerk's office include cash, check, and credit card. Checks should be made payable to the Wayne County Circuit Court. Call ahead at (313) 224-5271 to confirm current fees before your visit, since fee schedules can change.

The Wayne County court records portal below shows general access to Wayne County court information, including contact details for different divisions.

The Wayne County court website provides access to court records, clerk contact information, and guidance on requesting documents from the Family Division.

In-Person Access and Mail Requests

To view or get copies of Detroit family court records in person, go to the Wayne County Circuit Court clerk's office at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Avenue. Bring a photo ID. Tell the clerk the name of the case or the case number. Staff will pull the file and let you review it. Bring your own paper and pen to take notes for free, or pay for copies.

You can also submit records requests by mail. Send a written request to the Wayne County Circuit Court clerk at the Woodward Avenue address. Include the full names of both parties, the approximate year of filing, and a case number if you have one. State how many copies you need and whether you want them certified. Include a check or money order for the estimated copy cost. Plain copies are $0.10 per page. Allow extra time for mailed requests. The court will contact you if the fee needs to change before sending the copies.

For general guidance on finding Michigan family court records, the Michigan Courts Public Records page at in.gov/courts/public-records and the SCAO forms library have resources that apply statewide. SCAO forms include standard divorce, custody, and support forms used in all Michigan circuit courts.

Restricted Records and Privacy Rules

Not all Detroit family court records are open to the public. Michigan law closes certain categories of records to protect privacy. If you search and do not find a record, it may exist but be sealed or restricted rather than missing.

Adoption records are confidential under MCL 710.67. Only parties named in the adoption, or people with a court order, can access them. Juvenile court records are restricted under MCL 712A.28. Personal protection order records have limits under MCR 3.705. Judges can also seal individual cases or specific documents within a case file for other reasons.

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act does not apply to court records. Court records are governed instead by Michigan Court Rules, specifically MCR 8.119, which sets out what is public and what is not. For general records from government agencies, FOIA still applies, but the circuit court itself follows the court rules rather than FOIA.

If you believe a record exists but cannot find it, contact the Wayne County Circuit Court clerk at (313) 224-5271 and ask whether the case is restricted or sealed. They can confirm whether a case exists without revealing the contents of a sealed file.

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities also have family court records information.