Sanilac County Family Court Records

Sanilac County family court records are filed and maintained at the 24th Judicial Circuit Court and the Sanilac County Clerk's office in Sandusky, Michigan. The Sanilac County Clerk serves as the clerk of the 24th Circuit Court, including its Family Division, which handles divorce, custody, child support, paternity, and other domestic relations cases. You can search case information through MiCOURT at no charge, visit the Sandusky courthouse in person, or submit a written request for copies of specific documents.

24th Circuit Court and County Clerk

The Sanilac County Clerk and 24th Circuit Court are located at 60 West Sanilac Road, Room 203, Sandusky, MI 48471. The clerk's office phone is (810) 648-3212 and fax is (810) 648-5466. The Friend of the Court office can be reached at (810) 648-4866. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Note the 4:00 PM closing time, which is earlier than many Michigan county courthouses. If you're driving in from outside the county, plan to arrive well before 3:30 PM to have enough time to get what you need.

The Sanilac County Clerk's role as clerk of the 24th Judicial Circuit Court means one office handles both vital records and circuit court filing functions. The clerk maintains marriage, birth, and death records for the county, as well as all circuit court case files including family division matters. This consolidated structure is common in Michigan's smaller counties and generally makes it easier to track down records because you're working with one office instead of two.

Sanilac County has a separate fee schedule for vital records. Marriage records cost $15.00 for the first certified copy, and $5.00 for each additional copy of the same record. Circuit court copies are $1.00 per page, and certified copies of court documents carry a $10.00 document fee in addition to the per-page rate. Call the clerk at (810) 648-3212 to confirm current fees before sending payment.

Searching Sanilac County Family Court Records Online

Sanilac County participates in Michigan's statewide MiCOURT Case Search system. MiCOURT is free, available 24 hours a day, and covers the 24th Circuit along with participating courts across Michigan. Search by party name, case number, attorney name, or business name. Results include case numbers, filing dates, party names, upcoming hearings, current case status, and the register of actions. Document images are not available through MiCOURT. For actual copies of filings, contact the 24th Circuit Court directly.

The Sanilac County government website at sanilaccounty.gov provides department contacts and court information. The clerk's office page at sanilaccounty.gov/departments/county_clerk is the main resource for records requests, fee schedules, and contact details for the 24th Circuit Court and Family Division. Check there before submitting a request to make sure you have the right forms and the current fee amounts.

Sanilac County is a rural thumb-area county with a smaller case volume than larger Michigan counties. Records searches at the Sanilac clerk's office tend to be straightforward when you have party names or a case number.

The Michigan SCAO forms page has all approved forms required for filing in Sanilac County's 24th Circuit Court Family Division, including divorce, custody, child support, and paternity forms.

Types of Family Court Records in Sanilac County

The 24th Circuit Family Division maintains case files for every domestic relations matter filed in Sanilac County. A divorce file typically contains the complaint for divorce, proof that the other party was served, financial disclosure statements, any temporary orders entered while the case was active, and the final judgment of divorce. Cases involving minor children add a parenting time schedule and child support order to the file. If the divorce was contested and resulted in a hearing, the file also includes transcripts and exhibit documentation.

Paternity filings have their own file structure. The complaint, any DNA testing order if parentage was in dispute, the order of filiation once paternity is established, and the resulting child support order all go into the paternity file. After the case closes, the Sanilac County Friend of the Court takes over monitoring and enforcement of child support. The FOC at (810) 648-4866 keeps separate records from the circuit court file. Payment histories and enforcement records are at the FOC, not the clerk's office. General FOC guidance is at the Friend of the Court Bureau.

Guardianship petitions filed through the circuit court also become part of the public record under the same access rules as other family matters, except for any portions the court has specifically ordered sealed.

How to Request Sanilac County Court Records

You can get Sanilac County family court records in person, by mail, or by phone. In-person viewing is free under MCR 8.119. The courthouse is at 60 West Sanilac Road, Room 203, Sandusky, MI 48471. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Bring photo ID and your case number if you have it. If you only have the party names, the clerk can search by name.

Mail requests go to the same address. Include the full names of both parties, the case number if known, the approximate year the case was filed, and a clear description of the specific documents you need. Attach a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment. Circuit court copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $10.00 per document plus the per-page fee. For vital records, marriage records are $15.00 for the first copy and $5.00 for each additional copy. Call (810) 648-3212 to confirm fees and any specific procedures before mailing your request.

SCAO forms for 24th Circuit Court filings are at courts.michigan.gov/scao-forms. Standard forms are required for most family division filings.

Michigan Law and Sanilac County Records Access

Sanilac County family court records are public under MCR 8.119. Courts cannot charge fees for in-person viewing. Copy fees are governed by MCL 600.2546. Michigan courts are exempt from FOIA under MCL 15.232. If a court records request is denied, the right remedy is a motion to the court, not a FOIA appeal. Full text of Michigan statutes is at legislature.mi.gov. The statewide Michigan Courts site at courts.michigan.gov has SCAO forms, the court directory, and records access guidance for Sanilac County and all Michigan courts.

Nearby Counties

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