Public Records in Chippewa County

Chippewa County public records are maintained by the County Clerk and Register of Deeds in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. This is one of the largest counties in the Upper Peninsula, and its records go back to before Michigan became a state. You can search court cases, property documents, vital records, and criminal history through county offices and state online systems.

Chippewa County Clerk and Public Records Office

The Chippewa County Clerk is located at 319 Court Street in Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. The Clerk's office phone is (906) 635-6300. The Register of Deeds is at the same address at (906) 635-6312. Fax for the Clerk is (906) 635-6338. Email for the Register of Deeds is ccrod@chippewacountymi.gov. The current County Clerk is Sharon Kennedy. The county website is at chippewacountymi.gov. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Chippewa County is one of the largest counties by land area in the Upper Peninsula. Some of its public records predate Michigan's first state constitution of 1835. The county uses a flat $30 recording fee for all documents regardless of page count, which differs from the per-page fee structure used in most Michigan counties. The online property records index is updated every Monday morning. Property Fraud Alert service is available at no charge.

The site links to the free online records index and department contact information for Chippewa County.

Chippewa County Court Records

Court records in Chippewa County fall under the 50th Circuit Court, the 91st District Court, and the Chippewa County Probate Court. The District Court is at the same address as the county building on Court Street. The District Court phone is (906) 635-6320 and fax is (906) 635-7605. District Court Clerk is Kim Forsythe. Circuit court handles major civil and criminal cases plus family law. Probate handles estates and guardianships.

Case information is searchable through MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/. This free tool lets you search by name, case number, or bar number and shows docket entries and case status. Full case files are only available in person at the courthouse. Certified copies require a written request to the appropriate court clerk. Chippewa County has some of Michigan's oldest court records, with some files predating the 1835 state constitution.

Note: Juvenile records, adoption files, mental health cases, and personal protection orders are not public through the online system.

Criminal History and Corrections Records

ICHAT is the main tool for criminal history searches in Chippewa County. Each search costs $10 at apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT/. The Michigan State Police runs this system from the Criminal Justice Information Center. ICHAT covers felony convictions and serious misdemeanors from all 83 Michigan counties but excludes traffic offenses, local misdemeanors, and juvenile records.

For corrections records, the free OTIS system at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2/otis2.aspx covers current state prisoners, parolees, and active MDOC probationers. Records are removed three years after discharge. The Michigan offender database also links through Vinelink for notifications. The Michigan Sex Offender Registry at mspsor.com is also free and covers all counties.

Chippewa County Property Records

The Register of Deeds at 319 Court Street in Sault Ste. Marie handles all property documents for Chippewa County. Records include warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, mortgages, liens, land contracts, and UCC filings. The county offers a FREE online Register of Deeds Name Index Search. You can search by document number, name, or description. Computer images are available from October 2010 forward. Historic images are being added over time.

Chippewa County uses a flat $30 recording fee for all documents, regardless of how many pages they are. Most Michigan counties charge per page, so this flat fee can be lower for multi-page documents. Copy fees are $1.00 per page with a $5.00 per-transaction charge. The index is updated every Monday morning, so very recent recordings may not show up until the following week. Property Fraud Alert is a free service available through the Register of Deeds.

Note: UCC filings for business personal property are also searchable through the Chippewa County Register of Deeds.

Vital Records in Chippewa County

The County Clerk at 319 Court Street handles vital records requests for Chippewa County. The office holds birth, death, and marriage records for events in the county. Requests can be made in person during business hours or by mail. Online orders are also available through the statewide system. Bring a valid ID for in-person visits. Mail requests need a copy of your ID with payment.

For statewide vital records access, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services handles requests at michigan.gov/mdhhs. Michigan vital records cover births, deaths, marriages, and divorces going back to 1867. The state charges $34 for the first certified copy and $16 for each additional copy of the same record. Contact the Chippewa County Clerk at (906) 635-6300 for current county-level fees and request forms.

FOIA and Public Records Requests

Under Michigan's FOIA law at MCL 15.231, any person can request and inspect public records held by Chippewa County offices. Submit a written request to the appropriate department. For Clerk records, contact the County Clerk at 319 Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. The county must respond within 5 business days and can extend that by up to 10 more days for complex requests.

Fees may cover copying costs and staff labor for large searches. Free inspection is available for those who only want to view records. Fee waivers are available under MCL 15.234 for those on public assistance or showing financial hardship. The Michigan Legislature website at legislature.mi.gov has the full text of the FOIA statutes.

Cities in Chippewa County

Sault Ste. Marie is the county seat of Chippewa County and the only city in the county. It is located on the St. Marys River at the border with Canada. All county public records offices are located in Sault Ste. Marie. Other communities in the county include Kinross, Rudyard, Pickford, and Dafter townships.

Nearby Counties

Chippewa County is in Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula, sharing borders with Canada and several other UP counties.