Search Montcalm County Clerk Records

About the Montcalm County Clerk's Office

Kristen Millard serves as the Montcalm County Clerk, an elected office that also carries the title of Clerk to the 8th Judicial Circuit Court. That dual role matters for records. The same office that runs county elections and issues vital records also holds the official case files for the county's general trial court. There is a single County Clerk in Montcalm County, so there is no separate circuit clerk to track down.

The office splits its work into two lanes. One lane handles Circuit Court records, filings, and certified case copies. The other lane handles vital records and elections, including birth, death, and marriage certificates. Both lanes work out of the same Montcalm County building in Stanton, but they use different phone numbers and email inboxes, so it helps to aim your request at the right desk from the start.

Montcalm County's County Clerk page lists the current clerk, the staff roster, vital-record fees, and the office email addresses.

That page is the quickest way to confirm current contact details before you call, since the Montcalm County Clerk's office updated its email domain in 2026.

What the Montcalm County Clerk Handles

The Montcalm County Clerk's duties reach across courts, records, and civic functions. On the court side, the office receives new filings, keeps the register of actions, issues process, collects fees, and produces certified copies for the public. On the county side, the same office maintains vital records and runs elections. Understanding the full list helps you decide whether the clerk holds your record or whether it lives with another court or agency.

• Accepts case initiations and filings in Circuit Court domestic, felony, and large civil matters.
• Maintains the official Circuit Court record and issues certified case copies.
• Files and processes Personal Protection Orders for the Circuit Court.
• Issues marriage licenses and certified marriage copies.
• Keeps birth and death records and issues certified vital-record copies.
• Accepts passport applications and takes passport photos.
• Administers county elections and voter records.

Records that fall outside the Montcalm County Clerk's counter include misdemeanor and traffic files, which sit with the 64B District Court, and estate or guardianship files, which sit with the Probate Court. Sheriff and police records are agency records rather than court records, so those follow a separate request path covered further down.

Montcalm County Circuit Court Records Lane

The Circuit Court lane is where the office acts as Clerk to the court. Case initiations and filings for domestic matters, civil claims over $25,000, and felony matters all take place in this part of the office. Personal Protection Orders are filed here as well. Reach this desk at 989-831-3520, by fax at 989-831-3525, or by email at Clerk@montcalmcountymi.gov.

For public case lookup, the Montcalm County Clerk points people to MiCOURT Case Search, the statewide Michigan judiciary portal. It is free, and depending on the court searched it can return civil, criminal, domestic, and probate cases. Non-public files never appear there, so some records still require a trip or a written request to the clerk. The office also links the Circuit Court Calendar, which is fed by the court docketing system. A hearing will not show on that calendar if the proper notice was not filed, and calendar questions go to the Judicial Assistants rather than the clerk's records desk.

Montcalm County's Circuit Court Clerk page spells out the record-copy fees and links the Circuit Court Calendar.

That same page is the right starting point when you need a certified Montcalm County circuit record or want to check a scheduled hearing before visiting Stanton.

Montcalm County Vital Records and Elections

The second lane covers vital records and elections. Vital records include birth certificates, death records, and marriage records held by the county. This desk answers at 989-831-7339, faxes at 989-831-7474, and takes email at Vitals@montcalmcountymi.gov. Certified vital-record fees changed on October 1, 2025, so confirm the current amount before sending payment.

Death records run back many decades in Montcalm County, and marriage records are also available through the clerk. Birth records carry the tightest access rules because they identify living people, so the Montcalm County Clerk limits who can order a certified birth certificate.

Note: The vital-records and elections desk uses a different phone line and inbox than the Circuit Court records desk, so route birth, death, and marriage requests to the vital-records lane.

How to Request a Certified Copy in Montcalm County

A certified copy is a copy the Montcalm County Clerk authenticates for official use, such as a court proceeding, a name change, or a benefits claim. A plain copy is fine for personal reference, but courts and agencies usually require certification. The steps below apply to Circuit Court case copies; vital-record copies follow a similar path through the vital-records desk.

1. Identify the case. Have the case number ready, or the party names and approximate year if you do not have the number.
2. Confirm which court holds the file. Circuit felony, domestic, and large civil files are with the County Clerk, while 64B District files are requested from the District Court clerk.
3. Contact the Montcalm County Clerk in person, by phone, or in writing. Staff assist with the Review Record or Copy Request form used for these orders.
4. Submit the request with payment. Circuit certified copies cost $10 for the first page plus $1 for each additional page.
5. Pick up the copy or wait for mail delivery. District certified orders and registers of action are typically ready within two business days.

Note: Uncertified copies printed from an online portal are not accepted as certified records, so order a certified copy from the Montcalm County Clerk whenever an official use requires one.

Montcalm County Clerk Records Request Fields

Whether you ask in person, by phone, or in writing, the Montcalm County Clerk needs enough detail to locate the exact file. The more precise the request, the faster staff can pull it and quote the fee. The table lists the fields a Montcalm County Clerk records request typically uses.

Some records carry access limits. A name-change order, for example, may be released only to the person whose name was changed, or to the petitioner when the case involved a minor.

Montcalm County Clerk Fees

Fees depend on the record type and whether you need certification. Court copies and vital-record copies use different fee schedules, so the table below groups the most common charges the Montcalm County Clerk collects. Confirm current amounts with the office, since the vital-record fee changed in late 2025.

Certified marriage copies follow the vital-record pricing, at $20 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy of the same record. Passport application fees payable to the federal government are separate from the $18 the Montcalm County Clerk charges for the photo.

Passport Services at the Montcalm County Clerk

The Montcalm County Clerk's office is an acceptance agent for U.S. passport applications, which are executed at the Circuit Court Clerk's side of the office. Staff review the application, witness the required oath, and forward the packet for federal processing. The office also takes the passport photo on site for $18, which spares a separate trip to a photo counter.

Note: Passport applicants should confirm office hours and any appointment preference before arriving, since the acceptance process takes longer than a routine copy request.

Montcalm County Marriage Records

Marriage licenses are issued by the Montcalm County Clerk, not the District Court, and certified marriage copies are open to the public. To apply for a license, one applicant must live in Montcalm County unless both live out of state and plan to marry in the county. Applicants bring photo identification, know their parents' full names and birth states, and provide Social Security numbers. The resident license fee is $20, and a $10 waiver removes the standard three-day wait.

To obtain a certified copy of a marriage record filed in Montcalm County, you can apply in person, mail a written request with the fee, email the certified-copy application with a card authorization, or pay through the GovPayNow portal. For the online option, enter the names of the marriage applicants and the year of marriage under the "Other" event type. Divorce records are a different animal. Those are Circuit Court files, so search MiCOURT and request copies from the Circuit Court records lane rather than the vital-records desk. Both paths are covered in more depth on the Montcalm County marriage and divorce records page.

FOIA Requests vs Montcalm County Clerk Requests

People often file a Freedom of Information Act request for something the Montcalm County Clerk can hand over directly, and the reverse also happens. The dividing line is simple. Court case files are records of the court, so you request them from the clerk that maintains the file. Records held by an executive agency, such as the Sheriff's Office, are agency records that move through the county FOIA process instead.

Michigan's FOIA policy under MCL 15.231 favors broad access to government records, while MCL 15.243 lists the exemptions that allow certain material to be withheld or redacted. County FOIA requests must be written and can be mailed, hand delivered, faxed, or emailed to foia@montcalmcountymi.gov. Montcalm County tells requesters not to pay until they are told the charge.

Montcalm County's FOIA page explains the submission channels and payment steps.

Use that page when the record you want is a police report or another agency file rather than a court case, since the District Court does not provide police reports.

Filing Cases in Montcalm County

Filing methods depend on the court and the case type. The Montcalm County Clerk accepts Circuit Court case initiations and filings at the counter and by mail at 639 N State Street, Stanton, MI 48888. Personal Protection Orders and domestic matters start here as well.

For 64B District Court civil cases, filing moved online. A local administrative order effective October 1, 2024 requires civil case filings with the District Court to go through MiFILE and TrueFiling, and that mandate reaches non-attorney filers, not just lawyers. The District Court keeps a public workstation in its lobby for people who need to e-file but lack a computer, with staff available to help with the workstation itself. Court staff cannot give legal advice or prepare documents. The full circuit filing picture, including judges and divisions, is described on the Montcalm County Circuit Court page.