Oakland County
Approximately 1.3 million people call Oakland County home. The county was carved from Macomb County on 28th March 1820, in Territorial days, and spans 907 square miles, comprising 62 cities, townships, and villages. Oakland County is named for the description by early explorer and geologist Hubbard of the multiple oak openings in the county.
The Oakland County Court system comprises the Circuit Court, District Court, and Probate Court. Commonly known as the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, Oakland Circuit Court operates three divisions, namely the Family, Civil/Criminal, and Business divisions. The Family Division primarily hears domestic cases involving child support, divorce, juvenile delinquency matters, guardianship proceedings, child abuse and neglect cases, adoption matters, and paternity issues.
In Oakland County, all Circuit Court criminal and civil cases are handled by the Civil/Criminal Division. The division hears civil cases with alleged damages under $25,000 and criminal cases involving serious felony and misdemeanor charges, including capital offenses. Civil cases handled by the division may include those involving personal injury, land disputes, medical and professional malpractice, car accidents, and written agreements. The Business Division of the Oakland Circuit Court, which was created by Public Act 333 of 2012, oversees civil cases between corporate entities and/or businesses.
The District Courts in Oakland hear a good number of minor criminal cases, DUI cases, and matters involving traffic enforcement. The county's Probate Court has two divisions: Mental Health and Estates. The Mental Health Division oversees cases involving adult guardianships for persons with developmental facilities and mental health commitment hearings. On the other hand, the Estate Division presides over cases concerning Will safekeeping, decedent estates, adult conservatorships/guardianships, and minor guardianships/conservatorships for legally incapacitated persons.
Oakland County public court records are information and documents not considered confidential maintained by the county courts in connection with judicial proceedings. These records are stored and maintained by the Legal Records Division of the Clerk/Register of Deeds Office. The office maintains the following public court records and makes them available on request:
- Domestic cases
- Civil cases
- Business Court cases
- Felony criminal cases
Interested individuals can also search Oakland County public court records online using the Oakland Court Explorer. They can opt to receive copies of requested records by email or email. Standard copy fees include $1 per page and a $10 certification fee. A service fee, starting from $2.50, applies once the order is finalized.
