Michigan Public Records

Michigan offers a wide variety of records available to the public as an open records state. Available are Michigan birth records, death, marriage and divorce records through the Department of Community Health. However, birth records are restricted to authorized recipients. However, anyone may verify a vital record without receiving a copy. Other Michigan public records include access to court records. Many courts offer online access to civil and criminal court records, as well as divorce records. Michigan court records can also be requested in person from the court that handled the case. Michigan criminal records are available to the public online through the State Police website, although only conviction information is open to the public. Explore the Archives of Michigan’s public records, including military records, cemetery and vital records. The Library of Michigan holds obituaries and additional Michigan cemetery records, military and vital records.

About Michigan Public Records

Michigan is an open records state, and subsequently, most of its records are widely available to the public. However, Michigan birth records are protected for 100 years from date of issue. After this, anyone may request them. Also part of Michigan public records are death, marriage and divorce records, which are not restricted. For a smaller fee, anyone may request a verification of record, including restricted Michigan birth records, since no record copy is distributed. The Department of Community Health, the state repository for vital records, offers Michigan birth records, death and marriage records as early as 1867 and divorce records as early as 1897.

Searching Michigan Gov Public Records

The Michigan Administrative Office of the Courts operates One Court of Justice, a website that provides an overview of the Michigan court system.  This website lists the role each court plays, as well as contact information. There is also a trial courts directory that can be narrowed down to include all state courts that offer online access to Michigan court records. The list is quite extensive. Although there is no central online access to Michigan gov public records, this directory with links is an invaluable resource.

Available online for most of these courts are civil and criminal court records, as well as divorce records. These can be viewed online, although access to a complete case record means contacting the court that handled the case. If your court isn’t listed as offering online access to Michigan gov public records, you can still view Michigan court records in person. Also available online is access to Michigan criminal records through the State Police, which is available to anyone.

Performing an Historic Michigan Public Records Search

The Archives of Michigan is connected, physically, to the Library of Michigan, although they operate independently. They are located in Lansing and welcome visitors. The Archives offers access to Michigan military records pertaining to early territorial conflicts, the Civil War, Spanish American War, and World Wars I and II. The Library offers access to Michigan military records that cover the Revolutionary War, Indian Wars, Mexican War, War of 1812, Civil War and both World Wars. A Michigan public records search should include both facilities for a broader view of records available.

The Archives also offers Michigan cemetery records, with some related specifically to the Civil War. The Library also offers cemetery records in Michigan. The Library also offers online access to search the available records collections to determine what specific records are housed there. Vital records and obituaries will also turn up in a Michigan public records search of the Library. Neither facility requires an admittance fee, and the Archives accepts limited research requests for a fee for those who can’t visit.