Bay County
Bay County, Michigan, was formed in 1857 and named after Saginaw Bay. It has a population of 103,856, according to the 2020 US census. Of its 630 square miles total area, its water bodies cover 188 square miles (30%). Bay City is its largest city and county seat. The people of Bay County are served by Circuit, District, and Probate Courts.
The 18th Judicial Circuit Court hears all criminal and civil cases except those specifically given to other courts in the county by Michigan laws. It hears all felonies, serious misdemeanors, and all civil cases with claims exceeding $25,000. It also handles appeals from lower courts, local government boards, and some state administrative agencies. It has a family division that handles domestic relations and juvenile matters, including paternity, child protective orders, child neglect, child abuse, and juvenile delinquency cases.
The Bay County 74th District Court handles all minor misdemeanors, civil cases with claims under $25,000, landlord/tenant relations, small claims up to $7,000, most traffic violations, county ordinance violations, and preliminary felony hearings.
The Bay County Probate Court handles adoptions, delayed foreign birth registration, estate and trust administration, and the appointment of guardianships and conservatorships for both adults and minors. It also deals with people's commitment to mental health facilities.
In Bay County, public court records include court transcripts, warrants, court filings, writs, depositions, proceedings, orders, and court rulings from the county's courts. The Bay County Clerk's Office maintains all records from the Circuit Court and makes them available to the public. Clerks from the District and Probate courts maintain their records.
Unless sealed by court orders, the following categories of court records are accessible in Bay County:
- Probate Case Records
- Criminal Case Records
- Traffic Violation Records
- Family Case Records
- Civil Case Records
Bay County public court records are available on the Michigan Court Case Search website. Users must enter the case details and select Bay County from the list of counties to obtain the required court records. Case numbers and names can be used to search for the county's public court records, and the search results are available for free download.
