Delta County
Organized in 1861, Delta County is in the Upper Peninsula, along the northern shoreline of Lake Michigan. It is recognized as the fifth-largest county by land area, which totals 1,771 square miles. The name Delta County is taken from the Greek letter Delta, and the county seat is established in Escanaba.
Delta County has three trial courts—Circuit Court, Probate Court, and District Court. The 47th Circuit Court has the broadest powers in the court system and serves the county residents by handling all felony cases, civil claims for amounts more than $25,000, and appeals from other trial courts. The Family Division of the Circuit Court hears all cases related to divorce, paternity, emancipation of minors, child abuse and neglect, and adoptions.
The 94th District Court addresses a wide range of legal matters and is the closest court to the people. District judges determine civil cases with claims up to $25,000, landlord-tenant disputes, traffic violations, and misdemeanor criminal cases punishable by up to one year in jail.
The main function of the Delta Probate Court is to administer the trusts and estates of deceased persons. It also appoints guardians and conservators for minors and orders treatment for mentally ill and developmentally disabled persons.
Delta County court records are documents received by the county courts that are available for public inspection unless restricted by law or court rule. To protect the privacy of the parties involved, certain records, such as juvenile records, mental health records, adoption records, and records related to violations of personal protection orders, are not accessible to the public.
The County Clerk maintains these records and is responsible for disseminating them to the public promptly. At the Clerk's Office, the public may review court records in the following case categories:
- Domestic cases (divorce/family)
- Criminal cases
- Probate cases
- Civil cases
- Traffic cases
Delta County courts do not provide remote access to case information. However, the County Clerk's Office is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 310 Ludington Street, Escanaba, MI 49829.
