Houghton County Public Records

Houghton County public records are held by the County Clerk and Register of Deeds at the Houghton County Courthouse on East Houghton Avenue. This Upper Peninsula county covers the Keweenaw Peninsula and includes Michigan Tech University. You can search court records, property documents, and vital records through county offices or online tools.

Houghton County Clerk and Public Records Office

The Houghton County Clerk serves as the main office for public records requests. County Clerk Jennifer Lorenz oversees the office at 401 E. Houghton Avenue. The clerk stores election records, board of commissioners minutes, vital records, and court files. Most requests are handled in person or by mail during regular business hours.

The Register of Deeds, led by Mary Schoos, handles all real property documents for Houghton County. This includes deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and mineral rights filings. The county has a long history with copper mining, so mineral rights records go back well into the 1800s. Property records are available from 1847 to the present. The office can be reached by calling 906-482-1311.

The Houghton County website at houghtoncounty.net provides information about county departments and services. You can reach the clerk at 906-482-1150.

The Houghton County website gives you details on all departments and allows you to learn what records are available before you visit. The county seat of Houghton sits on the Portage Lake Waterway and serves as the main hub for public records access in this region.

The county site links to offices for the clerk, courts, sheriff, and other departments where you can file requests or find records.

Houghton County Circuit Court Public Records

The Houghton County Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $25,000, and family cases including divorce and custody. The court is part of the 12th Judicial Circuit. Court records for Houghton County are searchable through the MiCOURT statewide portal. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney bar number.

All three Houghton County courts share the same address at 401 E. Houghton Avenue. The circuit court phone is 906-482-8125. The courts cover civil cases, criminal cases, family law, and probate. Most case records are public under Michigan Court Rule 8.119, which says court records are open to the public unless sealed by court order or protected by statute.

To search Houghton County court cases online, visit the MiCOURT case search portal. This free tool shows party names, docket entries, and case status. Note that juvenile, adoption, and mental health records do not appear in MiCOURT results. Also, date of birth data was removed from public display as of April 1, 2022 under MCR 1.109.

For certified court record copies, you must contact the clerk of the court directly. Fees apply for certified documents. You can request records by mail or in person at the courthouse.

Houghton County Property Records

The Register of Deeds office at 401 E. Houghton Avenue maintains all real property records for Houghton County. Records go back to 1847, making this one of the more historically deep property record collections in the Upper Peninsula. You can search by property address, owner name, or parcel number.

Houghton County has an unusually large collection of mineral rights records due to its copper mining heritage. The Keweenaw Peninsula was the heart of American copper production in the 1800s. As a result, the Register of Deeds holds a large volume of mining claim filings, mineral rights conveyances, and related property documents that go back well over 150 years.

Property documents available include deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, surveys, and mineral rights filings. Contact the office at 906-482-1311 for fee information and to confirm current access options.

Document types on file include deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, surveys, and mineral rights records. For online tax data and basic property info, the county equalization office provides some search tools as well. Call the office first to confirm what is available online before making a trip.

Criminal History and Inmate Public Records

Michigan offers two main tools to search criminal history records linked to Houghton County. The Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) is run by the Michigan State Police. It costs $10 per search and covers felony convictions, serious misdemeanors, and arrest records from all 83 counties. Visit apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT to search.

For current inmate information, the Michigan Department of Corrections runs a free tool called OTIS (Offender Tracking Information System). It covers people in state prisons, on parole, or under MDOC supervision. Search at mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis2. Results include custody status, offense details, and supervision information. Records are kept for three years after the discharge date.

For local jail records in Houghton County, contact the Houghton County Sheriff at 906-482-2101. The sheriff's office is at 403 E. Houghton Avenue, just next door to the courthouse. Local misdemeanor records and warrant information are not part of ICHAT and must be requested directly from the sheriff or local court.

Vital Records in Houghton County

Birth, death, and marriage records for Houghton County go back to 1867 for births and deaths, and to 1855 for marriages. These are kept at the County Clerk's office and can be requested in person or by mail. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) also holds certified copies of statewide vital records through its Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics.

To order vital records from the state, visit michigan.gov/mdhhs. The fee for the first certified copy is $34. Additional copies of the same record cost $16 each. You can also order online through VitalChek. In-person requests at the county clerk's office may follow a different fee schedule, so call ahead.

Birth records less than 100 years old require proof of eligibility. You must be the person named on the record, a parent listed on the record, a legal guardian, or an authorized heir. Divorce records from 1897 forward are available through the state vital records office as well.

FOIA Requests and Public Records Access

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, under MCL 15.231, gives everyone the right to request public records from government bodies. The law covers all writings created or held by a public agency. Houghton County processes FOIA requests through the County Clerk's office at 401 E. Houghton Avenue.

You must submit a written request that describes the records you want. The county has 5 business days to respond. They can grant the request, deny it, or ask for up to 10 more days. Fees are based on actual copying costs and the labor needed to find and review records. Labor is capped at 6 times the state minimum hourly wage. Fee waivers are available if you receive public assistance or can show financial hardship.

For state-level public records law information, the Michigan Legislature site at legislature.mi.gov has the full text of the FOIA statutes under MCL 15.231 through 15.246. You can review what agencies must provide, what records are exempt, and how to appeal a denial.

Cities and Communities in Houghton County

Houghton County includes the cities of Houghton and Hancock, along with smaller communities on the Keweenaw Peninsula. All public records for residents of these areas are held at the county courthouse in Houghton.

The county seat of Houghton is home to Michigan Technological University, which adds a significant number of students and associated records activity to the county. The city of Hancock sits just across Portage Lake from Houghton. Other communities include Calumet, Laurium, and Lake Linden. None of these communities exceed the threshold for a dedicated city records page, but all residents access county public records through the same offices described on this page.

Nearby Counties

Houghton County sits on the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula. If you are looking for records from a neighboring county, the links below go to those county pages.