Saginaw County Family Court Records

Saginaw County family court records are filed and maintained at the 10th Circuit Court in the Saginaw County Governmental Center in downtown Saginaw, Michigan. The 10th Circuit's Juvenile and Family Division handles divorce, custody, child support, paternity, guardianship, and adoption cases for residents of Saginaw County. You can search case data through MiCOURT for free, access the county's Odyssey Public Access portal, or go to the courthouse in person to review files and request certified copies.

10th Circuit Court and Clerk's Office

The 10th Circuit Court is located at Room 101, 111 South Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602, inside the Saginaw County Governmental Center. The main phone is (989) 790-5251 and fax is (989) 790-5254. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The 10th Circuit's Juvenile and Family Division has sole jurisdiction in Saginaw County over juvenile delinquency cases, adoptions, and guardianship petitions, in addition to standard domestic relations matters like divorce and child custody.

The Saginaw County Clerk operates from the same Governmental Center. The clerk's office holds vital records including marriage certificates, which Saginaw County has on file going back to 1867. That's one of the longer historical records in the state. If you're tracing older family matters or doing genealogical research tied to Saginaw County, the clerk's office is your best starting point. Staff can tell you what's available and in what format before you make the trip.

A name search fee applies when you don't have a case number. The first name searched costs $10.00, and each additional name in the same request costs $1.00. Once documents are found, standard copy fees apply: $1.00 per page, and certified copies carry an additional $10.00 document fee. Knowing your case number in advance will save you both time and money.

Searching Saginaw County Family Court Records Online

Saginaw County uses the Odyssey case management system, which feeds into Michigan's statewide MiCOURT Case Search portal. MiCOURT is free, runs 24 hours a day, and covers the 10th Circuit along with all other participating Michigan courts. You can search by party name, case number, attorney name, or business name. Results include case numbers, filing dates, party names, scheduled hearings, current status, and the register of actions. Document images are not available through MiCOURT. For actual copies of orders, judgments, or pleadings, contact the circuit court directly.

The Saginaw County website at saginawcounty.com provides department contact information, court details, and links to the local Odyssey Public Access portal. The Odyssey portal sometimes has more current data than MiCOURT for very recent filings, so checking both is worthwhile if you're looking for something filed in the past few weeks.

The Saginaw County homepage is the main entry point for court records access, clerk services, and online search tools for Saginaw family court cases.

The Saginaw County website links to the court's Odyssey Public Access portal and provides contact information for the 10th Circuit Court and the Friend of the Court office. Check here first for addresses, hours, and phone numbers before making a trip downtown.

Types of Family Court Records in Saginaw County

The 10th Circuit Family Division maintains records for all domestic relations cases filed in Saginaw County. A typical divorce file contains the complaint, proof of service, financial disclosure forms, any temporary orders issued while the case is pending, and the final judgment of divorce. If minor children are involved, the file also includes a parenting time schedule and a child support order. Cases that went to trial will have additional materials such as transcripts, exhibit logs, and expert reports. Contested cases can grow into substantial files spanning multiple volumes.

Paternity cases have their own file structure. The complaint, any genetic testing order if parentage was disputed, the order of filiation once paternity is confirmed, and the resulting child support order all go into the paternity file. After the case closes, the Saginaw County Friend of the Court takes over monitoring and enforcement of child support. The FOC keeps separate records from the main circuit court file. Need payment histories or enforcement records? Contact the FOC office directly. State-level guidance on Friend of the Court services is available through the Friend of the Court Bureau.

Guardianship petitions filed in Saginaw County also go through the 10th Circuit's Family Division. Those records follow the same public access rules as other family matters, with limited exceptions for materials sealed by specific court order.

How to Request Records from the 10th Circuit

In-person viewing of Saginaw County family court records is free under MCR 8.119. You only pay when you request physical copies. Mail requests go to: Saginaw County 10th Circuit Court, Room 101, 111 South Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602. Include the full names of both parties, the case number if known, the approximate year filed, and a description of the specific documents you need. Attach a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment for estimated copy costs. Call (989) 790-5251 to confirm current fees before mailing.

Copy fees are $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $10.00 per document plus the per-page fee. When the clerk must search by name rather than case number, the $10.00 search fee for the first name applies. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

SCAO-approved forms required for Saginaw County circuit court filings are at courts.michigan.gov/scao-forms. The court requires standard forms for most family division filings. Non-standard forms may be rejected.

Michigan Law and Saginaw County Records Access

Family court records in Saginaw County are public under MCR 8.119, which prohibits courts from charging a fee for in-person viewing. Copy fees are governed by MCL 600.2546. Michigan courts are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act under MCL 15.232, so a FOIA request won't work here. If a court denies a records request improperly, the right remedy is a motion filed with the court. Full text of all Michigan statutes is at the Michigan Legislature website. The statewide Michigan Courts site at courts.michigan.gov has the full SCAO forms library, court directory, and guidance on accessing records statewide.

Nearby Counties

Family court records near Saginaw County may also be filed in neighboring counties.