Clinton County Public Records

Clinton County public records are held by the County Clerk and Register of Deeds in St. Johns, Michigan. You can search court cases, property records, vital records, and other official documents through county offices or online databases. This guide covers how to find and request records from Clinton County.

Clinton County Clerk and Public Records Office

The Clinton County Clerk is at 100 East State Street, Suite 2500, in St. Johns, MI 48879. The Clerk's phone is (989) 224-5140. The Register of Deeds is at the same address at (989) 224-5270. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The current County Clerk is Diane Zuker. The Register of Deeds is Debra A. Sutherland. The county website is at clinton-county.org.

Clinton County uses a modern Tyler Host online system for land records, making it one of the better-organized county property record systems in mid-Michigan. The county also offers Fraud Guard, an identity protection service for property owners. Clinton County is just north of Lansing and serves a growing population with strong online records access. Contact the Clerk at (989) 224-5140 for questions about any record type held at the office.

The site links to the online land records system and department pages for the Clinton County Clerk and Register of Deeds.

Clinton County Court Records

Clinton County has its own Circuit Court, District Court, and Probate Court. All courts are located in or near the county building in St. Johns. Circuit court handles major civil and criminal cases, family law, and appeals. District Court covers misdemeanor criminal, civil under $25,000, and traffic cases. Probate handles estates, guardianships, and mental health petitions.

Case information is available through the free statewide MiCOURT system at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/. Search by party name, case number, or attorney bar number. The system shows docket entries and case status. Full case files require an in-person visit to the courthouse. Certified copies must be formally requested through the court clerk. Private cases such as adoptions, juvenile records, and mental health files are not publicly available online.

Note: Per Michigan Court Rule MCR 1.109, date of birth information was removed from public court records in the online system as of April 2022.

Criminal History Records

ICHAT lets you search criminal history for Clinton County residents. Each search costs $10 and is available at apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT/. ICHAT is run by the Michigan State Police and covers felony convictions and serious misdemeanors from all 83 counties. It does not include minor misdemeanors, traffic offenses, juvenile records, or records from other states.

The Michigan Department of Corrections OTIS database is free at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2/otis2.aspx. It covers current and former state prisoners, parolees, and active MDOC probationers. Records are removed three years after discharge. The Michigan Sex Offender Registry is free at mspsor.com and searchable by name, address, or ZIP code for any county in the state.

Clinton County Property Public Records

The Register of Deeds at Suite 2500 in St. Johns handles all property records for Clinton County. Documents include deeds, mortgages, liens, land contracts, and plats. The online Clinton County land records system runs at clintoncountymi-recorder.tylerhost.net/recorder/web/. Search by grantor or grantee name, recording date, document number, or book and page. Records are available from June 19, 1964 forward. Limited back indexing exists for records before December 15, 1965. Older records may need to be accessed in person.

The system allows searching by name, document number, and recording date for deeds, mortgages, and other land records filed with the Clinton County Register of Deeds.

Copy fees for most records are $1 per page. UCC filings and plat copies cost $2 per page. Certified copies add a $5 fee per document. Fraud Guard is a free identity protection service that notifies you when documents are recorded in your name in Clinton County.

Vital Records in Clinton County

The County Clerk at 100 East State Street in St. Johns handles vital records requests for Clinton County. The office holds birth, death, and marriage records for events in the county. Requests can be made in person during office hours or by mail. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID for in-person requests. Call (989) 224-5140 for current fees and form requirements before submitting your request.

For statewide vital records, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services handles orders at michigan.gov/mdhhs. State 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. Online orders through VitalChek carry additional processing fees.

FOIA and Public Records Access

Michigan's FOIA statute at MCL 15.231 gives any person the right to request public records from Clinton County government offices. Submit a written request to the relevant department. For Clerk records, contact the County Clerk at 100 East State Street, Suite 2500, St. Johns, MI 48879. The standard response time is 5 business days. The county can extend this by 10 more days for larger or more complex requests.

Fees cover the cost of copying and any staff time for large searches. Free inspection is available if you do not need printed copies. Fee waivers are available under MCL 15.234 for those receiving public assistance or showing financial hardship. Each county department manages FOIA requests for its own records. For court records, contact the appropriate court clerk directly.

Cities in Clinton County

St. Johns is the county seat of Clinton County and the location of all main public records offices. Other communities in the county include DeWitt, Fowler, Ovid, St. Louis (not to be confused with the Gratiot County city), and Elsie. All court, property, and vital records for these communities are handled through county offices in St. Johns.

Nearby Counties

Clinton County is in mid-Michigan, just north of Lansing. It shares borders with Ingham, Eaton, Ionia, Gratiot, and Shiawassee counties.