Alcona County Public Records

Alcona County public records are maintained by the County Clerk and Register of Deeds at 106 5th Street in Harrisville. You can search court cases, property documents, vital records, and other official records through the county offices or online tools linked on this page.

Alcona County Clerk and Public Records Office

The Alcona County Clerk and Register of Deeds share a single office at 106 5th Street in Harrisville. Clerk Stephany Eller handles elections, vital records, and general county business. Register of Deeds Melissa A. Cordes manages all property records. Both offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with a lunch break from noon to 1:00 PM.

This combined setup makes Alcona County efficient for records requests. You can handle property documents and vital records in one stop. The mailing address for the Clerk is PO Box 308, and the Register of Deeds uses PO Box 269, both in Harrisville, MI 48740. For FOIA requests, contact the Clerk's office directly. They can direct you to the right department for any specific record type.

Alcona County Court Records

Alcona County is part of the 23rd Circuit Court, a multi-county court that covers Alcona, Arenac, Iosco, and Oscoda counties. The circuit court handles felony criminal cases, civil cases over $25,000, and family law matters. The 81st District Court handles misdemeanors, small claims, and civil cases under $25,000. You can reach the Circuit Court at (989) 724-6807 and the District Court at (989) 724-9500.

Michigan's statewide case search tool, MiCOURT, lets you look up Alcona County court cases online at no cost. You can search by name, case number, or attorney bar number. The system shows party names, docket entries, case status, and scheduled hearings. Some case types are not public, including juvenile records, adoptions, and mental health cases. For certified copies of any court document, you must contact the court clerk directly.

Note: Court records from MiCOURT do not include date of birth information as of April 2022, per Michigan Court Rule 1.109.

Alcona County Property Records

The Alcona County Register of Deeds records all real property documents in the county. This includes warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, land contracts, mortgages, liens, easements, and subdivision plats. Records go back to 1980 for online images and index data. In-person access to older documents is available at the Register of Deeds office.

Online property record searches are available through Tapestry, a pay-per-search service, and Laredo, a subscription-based platform used by title companies and attorneys. Both are accessed through the county website. You can search by grantor or grantee name, document number, document type, recording date, consideration value, or legal description. Copies cost $1 per page; certified copies are $5 extra.

The Tapestry land records portal allows one-time searches without a subscription. The county website at tapestry.fidlar.com provides access to Alcona County property records online.

Property searches through Tapestry return results by name, document type, or recording date and can be used for deed research, lien checks, and title work.

Criminal History Public Records in Alcona County

The Michigan State Police maintains criminal history records for all 83 counties, including Alcona. The Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) lets you search by name for $10 per search. ICHAT includes felony convictions and serious misdemeanors but does not cover traffic offenses, juvenile records, or local misdemeanors.

The Alcona County Sheriff's Office is located at 214 W Main St in Harrisville. You can reach them at (989) 724-6271 for general inquiries or (989) 724-9570 for the jail. Inmate records are handled through the Sheriff's Office. For those searching for individuals under MDOC supervision, the free Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) covers parolees and current prisoners statewide.

The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry is free to search at mspsor.com. You can search by name, ZIP code, or address to find registered offenders near any location in Alcona County.

Vital Records in Alcona County

The Alcona County Clerk maintains birth, death, and marriage records going back to 1869. To get a certified copy, you can visit the office in person during business hours, send a mail-in request with a completed form and valid ID, or submit an email request. The office does not conduct genealogy research on your behalf but will help you locate materials during your visit.

For older records or more complete statewide access, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services handles vital records going back to 1867. You can order through MDHHS Vital Records by mail, in person, or online through VitalChek. The first certified copy costs $34; additional copies of the same record are $16 each. Birth records less than 100 years old require proof of eligibility such as being the named person, a parent, or legal representative.

FOIA Requests in Alcona County

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.231 et seq., gives the public the right to request records from government agencies. In Alcona County, FOIA requests go to the County Clerk's office or the specific department that holds the records you need. The request must be in writing and describe the records you want.

Agencies have 5 business days to respond to a FOIA request. They can extend this by up to 10 additional business days if needed. The response may grant the request, deny it, or grant it in part. Copying fees apply for physical copies. Labor costs are capped at 6 times the state minimum hourly wage under MCL 15.234. Fee waivers are available if you receive public assistance or can show financial hardship.

Note: You can appeal a fee or deposit decision under MCL 15.240a if you believe the charge is excessive.

Cities in Alcona County

Alcona County is a rural county in northeast Michigan. Harrisville serves as the county seat and the main location for all county records and court services. Other communities include Lincoln, Barton City, and Hubbard Lake. None of these communities reach the population threshold for a dedicated city records page, but all residents file records through the county offices in Harrisville.

Nearby Counties

Alcona County borders several northeast Michigan counties. If you need to check records in a neighboring area, use the links below.