Charlevoix County Circuit Court Overview
In Michigan, the circuit court is the trial court of general jurisdiction. It carries broad constitutional power over the most serious and highest-value cases in the county. The 33rd Circuit Court serves Charlevoix County from the county building in the City of Charlevoix. It hears felony charges, civil claims worth more than $25,000, and domestic relations matters through its Family Division. The same court also reviews appeals from the district court and the probate court, along with appeals from several administrative agencies.
Because its reach is so wide, the circuit court touches many kinds of records. A single term can hold a felony trial, a business lawsuit, a divorce, and an agency appeal. The court shares the 301 State St. building with the district court and the probate court, so many visitors pass through one entrance for very different matters. The County Clerk serves as the official keeper of circuit court files, which shapes how the public later finds them. That single point of custody makes the clerk's office a natural first stop for older circuit files.
Charlevoix County Trial Courts List
Charlevoix County runs three trial courts, and each handles a different slice of the caseload. The circuit court takes the felonies, the larger civil suits, and the family cases. The district court takes traffic, misdemeanors, small claims, and civil matters up to the statutory limit. The probate and family court handles estates, guardianships, and juvenile matters. All three sit at the same downtown address, though they keep separate offices and phone lines.
| Court | Handles | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33rd Circuit Court | Felonies, civil over $25,000, divorce, appeals | 301 State St., Charlevoix, MI 49720 | 231-547-7243 |
| 90th District Court | Traffic, misdemeanors, small claims, civil to $25,000 | 301 State St., Charlevoix, MI 49720 | 231-547-7227 |
| Probate and Family Court | Estates, guardianships, juvenile, name changes | 301 State St., 2nd floor, Charlevoix, MI 49720 | 231-547-7214 |
Michigan does not use justice, JP, or municipal courts in this county, so these three courts carry the full local caseload. Anyone unsure which court holds a file can reach the countywide court line for routing help. Because all three courts share one building, visitors enter from the back parking lot and then find the right office inside. That shared setup keeps circuit, district, and probate business under a single roof.
Circuit Court vs District and Probate
The three courts split the work by case type, dollar amount, and the people involved. The circuit court owns the top tier of civil and criminal matters. The district court handles the high-volume, lower-stakes docket. The probate and family court manages estates, guardianships, and juvenile cases. The table below lays out where each court's authority begins and ends in Charlevoix County.
| Circuit Court | District Court | Probate & Family Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Limit | More than $25,000 | Up to $25,000 | Estates and guardianship matters |
| Criminal Jurisdiction | Felonies and certain serious misdemeanors | Misdemeanors and preliminary exams | Juvenile delinquency |
| Family Cases | Yes, through the Family Division | No | Juvenile and guardianship |
| Appeals Path | To the Michigan Court of Appeals | Up to the circuit court | To the Michigan Court of Appeals |
The clearest divide runs between the district court and the circuit court. A misdemeanor stays in district court, while a felony moves up to the circuit court after a preliminary exam. Money drives the civil split, with $25,000 as the line. Juvenile and estate matters follow their own track through the probate and family court.
How a Case Moves Through Charlevoix County
Most cases follow a set path once they open. A criminal case usually starts with an arrest or a complaint, followed by a charging review in the prosecutor's office. Prosecuting Attorney Christopher "Kit" Tholen decides which charges to bring for the State of Michigan. Misdemeanors and the early steps of felonies begin in the district court. Felonies then move up to the circuit court after a bindover, while civil suits open by complaint and travel a separate route.
The county prosecutor lays out these steps in plain terms for the public. You can review them on the Charlevoix County court proceedings page, which walks through arraignment, exam, and trial stages. The image below reflects that criminal case path from charge to disposition.
Each stage adds documents to the case file, from the complaint to the final order. The register of actions records those steps in date order for later lookup. At arraignment, the court sets bond and reads the charges, and the defendant enters a plea. A preliminary exam then tests whether enough evidence exists to send a felony up to the circuit court. Only after that bindover does the circuit court take the felony for trial and sentencing.
Criminal flow: Arrest or Complaint › District Court Arraignment › Preliminary Exam › Bindover to Circuit Court › Circuit Arraignment › Pretrial › Plea or Trial › Sentencing › Court of Appeals
Civil flow: Complaint Filed › Answer › Discovery › Motions › Mediation or Settlement › Trial › Judgment › Appeal
Sentencing in a felony case happens at the circuit court, since that is where the case ends up after bindover. A losing party may then appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals, with further review possible in the Michigan Supreme Court. To track scheduled hearings along the way, the court dockets page lists upcoming circuit court dates.
Charlevoix County Circuit Court Divisions
The circuit court works through three broad divisions. The civil division hears money disputes over $25,000, property claims, zoning, malpractice, and labor matters. The criminal division handles felonies and certain serious misdemeanors that carry heavier penalties. The Family Division takes divorce, custody, parenting time, paternity, and personal protection matters. Each division builds its own set of records, and each follows its own confidentiality rules.
Juvenile and child-protection matters connect the circuit court to the probate and family court. The court system brands local juvenile work under the 33rd Circuit Court Family Division, even though the probate court runs much of the day-to-day handling. The county prosecutor explains the juvenile side for parents and the public. The Charlevoix County juvenile delinquency proceedings page covers how those cases begin and move.
Juvenile files carry the tightest access limits under state law, so most stay closed to the general public. Family and support files often route to the Friend of the Court for enforcement and case management. The civil division, by contrast, produces mostly open records. Complaints, answers, motions, orders, and money judgments in circuit civil cases stay public unless a judge seals part of the file. That mix means the same court can hold a wide-open contract suit and a tightly sealed juvenile matter at once.
Charlevoix County 33rd Judicial Circuit
The 33rd Circuit Court is the general-jurisdiction trial court for Charlevoix County. It sits at the county building downtown and shares the address with the district and probate courts. Its authority covers felonies, higher-value civil suits, domestic relations, and appeals from the lower courts and administrative agencies. The court staff also includes a Drug and DWI Court Project Coordinator, a sign that problem-solving court work runs alongside the regular docket.
Records generated by the circuit court flow to the County Clerk, the county's official record keeper. That office holds circuit court case files, along with vital records and other county documents. For newer files, the county document portal offers an online search, while Michigan's statewide case search covers cases across the state. The county clerk counter remains the fallback for older or paper-only records.
Note: The county has discussed vacating its downtown building and relocating the courts to a new courthouse on Garfield Street, though 301 State St. remains the current address.
Charlevoix County District Court and Magistrate
The 90th District Court sits directly below the circuit court and carries the county's heaviest caseload. It handles most traffic violations, civil claims up to $25,000, landlord-tenant disputes, misdemeanor criminal cases, and small claims. District court judges are elected to six-year terms. Dean Viles serves as Court Administrator and ADA Coordinator, and Katrina Martin serves as Attorney Magistrate. Michigan has no justice, JP, or municipal courts in Charlevoix County, so the district court and its magistrate fill that lower-court role.
The district court publishes contact details, fee sheets, and hearing access on its own county page. You can view it through the Charlevoix County 90th District Court page, which lists its phone line and public information. The image below reflects that district court page and its role in the local system.
The court also posts Zoom room codes for the judge and the attorney magistrate, so some hearings run online. The magistrate can handle informal hearings, small claims, and many traffic matters, which frees the district judge for heavier cases. Small claims and landlord-tenant disputes move quickly here, and the court publishes a fine sheet for common traffic tickets. Appeals from the district court move up to the circuit court, keeping both courts tied together in the same building.