Named after Martin Van Buren before he became U.S. president, Van Buren County, Michigan, was formed in 1829 and organized in 1837. It has a total area of 1,090 square miles and a population of about 75,587 people. Its county seat is Paw Paw, while its largest city is South Haven.
Courts in Van Buren County
The Van Buren County court system comprises circuit, district, and probate courts. The 36th Judicial Circuit Court is the highest court in the county, and it handles cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. It has original jurisdiction over all felonies, serious misdemeanors, and civil cases with claims above $25,000. The Family Division has jurisdiction over domestic matters, including annulment, juvenile delinquency, adoptions, divorces, emancipation, and child custody cases.
The Van Buren County 7th Judicial District Court handles civil cases with claims under $25,000, most misdemeanors, and felony preliminary hearings. It also hears traffic offenses and municipal ordinance violations.
Lastly, the Van Buren County Probate Court administers estates and trusts, files and keeps wills, and appoints guardians and conservators for minors and adults. It also handles commitments to mental health institutions.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Van Buren County
In Van Buren County, public court records are court documents available to anyone to inspect and request copies. These records include court filings, proceedings, writs, warrants, and verdicts. The Van Buren County Clerk maintains the court records of the Circuit Court, while court administrators maintain those for other courts in compliance with county and state laws.
Public court records from the Circuit, District, and Probate Courts can be viewed via the 36th Circuit Court Case Search, 7th District Court Case Search, and Van Buren County Probate Court Case Search portals, respectively. In addition to online access, members of the public can visit the various courts in Van Buren County to view and request copies of their records.
Types of Public Court Records in Van Buren County
The people's knowledge of and trust in the judicial system in Van Buren County is improved because of their access to public court records. Unless sealed by court orders, Van Buren County makes the following types of court records available to the public:
- Criminal Court Records: includes warrants, details about charges, court proceedings, and verdicts for misdemeanors and felonies
- Family Court Records: includes custody judgments, divorce decrees, emancipation, maintenance orders, and annulments
- Civil Court Records: includes product liabilities, libel, breaches of contracts, trade secrets, employment disputes, automobile negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, business torts, contract indebtedness, slander, and mortgage foreclosures
- Probate Court Records: includes documentation of wills, guardianships, trusts, and estates
Confidential Court Records in Van Buren County
Certain court records in Van Buren County are sealed to preserve privacy, protect sensitive information, or the interest of justice. These records are either sealed by court orders or by default under Michigan law. Unlike public court documents, which are accessible to the public, confidential court records are not. They can only be examined by authorized persons or by specific court orders. The following are usually excluded from public records in Michigan:
- Most juvenile delinquency records
- Adoption records
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
- Medical and mental health records
- Unprosecuted charges
The following are also concealed from public view in Van Buren County:
- Social Security number
- Driver’s license number
- Bank account details
- Identifying information about jurors
- Identifying information about confidential informants in criminal prosecutions.
Juvenile Delinquency in Van Buren, MI
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Van Buren 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 416 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Van Buren County. Of that total, 85% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 355 court cases. Another 15% were dependency cases that accounted for 61 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Van Buren County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Van Buren County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 9,339 |
| Dependency | 1,581 |
| Status | 693 |
Government of Van Buren County, MI
| County Seat: | Paw Paw |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1829 |
| Total Square Miles: | 1,090 |
| 2019 Population: | 75,353 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |
| County Contact: | 219 E Paw Paw St
County Courthouse Paw Paw , MI 49079-1441 https://www.vbco.org/ |
Van Buren County, MI Courts
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Van Buren County Circuit Court
Address: 212 E. Paw Paw Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079
Phone: 269-657-8218