Named after Samuel Ingham, Ingham County was established in 1829 and organized nine years later. According to the 2020 census, it has an estimated population of 284,900 and a land area of 556 square miles. Although Lansing, Michigan's state capital, is located in the county, its county seat is Mason. Thus, Lansing is the only state capital in the US that is not also a county seat.

Courts in Ingham County

The Ingham County court system comprises circuit, district, and probate courts. The 30th Judicial Circuit Court is the highest court in the county, and it handles cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. It operates through two basic divisions. The General Trial Division handles all felonies and civil cases with claims in excess of $25,000. The Family Division has jurisdiction over domestic matters, including juvenile delinquency matters, adoptions, divorces, annulment, emancipation, and child protection.

Ingham County 55th Judicial District Court handles most misdemeanors, civil cases with claims under $25,000, and preliminary hearings for felony cases. It also hears traffic violations and municipal ordinance infractions. It has a Small Claims Division with a simplified procedure that hears civil cases with under $5,000 claims.

The 54-A District Court - Lansing and 54B District Court - East Lansing attend to the cities of Lansing and East Lansing, respectively. They handle misdemeanors, landlord/tenant relations, civil cases with claims less than $25,000, and felony preliminary hearings in the cities.

Ingham County Probate Court supervises estates and trusts, files and keeps wills, and appoints guardians and conservators for minors and adults. It also handles commitment to mental health institutions.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Ingham County

Public court records in Ingham County are court documents available to anyone to inspect and request copies. These records include court filings, proceedings, writs, warrants, and judgments. The Ingham County Clerk serves as the Clerk of the Circuit Court and is responsible for maintaining its records in compliance with county and state laws. Court administrators maintain public court records for other courts in the county.

Ingham County provided a Court Records Search portal for the public to find public court records from the Circuit and Probate Courts. Public court records from the district courts can be found on the MiCOURT Case Search portal. In addition to online access, members of the public can visit the locations of the various courts in Ingham County to view and request copies of the records of cases heard in those courts.

Types of Public Court Records in Ingham County

The following types of court records are available to the public in Ingham County unless sealed by court orders:

• Criminal Court Records
• Family Court Records
• Civil Court Records
• Probate Court Records

Confidential Court Records in Ingham County

In Ingham County, confidential court records are court records sealed by default under Michigan law or by specific court orders. Court records are sealed for privacy or security reasons and can only be accessible to authorized persons or by court orders. The following are usually excluded from public court records:

• Most juvenile delinquency records
• Adoption records
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
• Medical and mental health records
• Records of victims of domestic and sexual violence
• Identifying information about confidential informants in criminal prosecutions

Part or all of an Ingham County court record may also be sealed if it contains sensitive information such as:

• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Individual or corporate tax records
• Intellectual proprietary.

Juvenile Delinquency in Ingham, MI

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Ingham County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Michigan often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 1410 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Ingham County. Of that total, 53% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 753 court cases. Another 47% were dependency cases that accounted for 657 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Ingham County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Ingham County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Ingham County, MI

https://www.michigan.gov/

County Seat:	Mason
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1838
Total Square Miles:	561
2019 Population:	290,186
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	PO BOX 319 County Courthouse Mason , MI 48854-0319 http://www.ingham.org/

Ingham County, MI Courts