Divorce records in St. Joseph County, Michigan, are available through several channels. StJosephMICourt.us allows you to find public information regarding divorce records in the county. Additionally, you can contact the county court that issued the decision, the County Clerk's office, or the Michigan Department of Vital Records. Each of these resources provides access to different types of documents—from court cases to divorce certificates.
St. Joseph Divorce Records Search
In St. Joseph County, divorce records are maintained by two main institutions. The County Clerk — 45th Circuit Court Division is the official custodian of all court cases, including civil and family matters. This is where divorce decrees, property settlement agreements, child custody orders, and related documents are located.
The second channel is the Michigan Department of Vital Records, which maintains a registry of divorce certificates. A certificate is a shortened document that confirms the fact of divorce, whereas a full court case contains all the details of the proceedings.
The collection of divorce records in the county includes:
- Divorce decrees/judgments
- Divorce certificates
- Settlement agreements
- Custody and support orders
- Related procedural documents (motions, stipulations)
County Clerk — 45th Circuit Court Division
Where Divorce Records Are Filed in St. Joseph
Divorce cases in Michigan are handled by the Circuit Court, the court of general jurisdiction of first instance. For St. Joseph County, this is the 45th Circuit Court. Once the judge signs the final Judgment of Divorce, the document is recorded in the County Clerk's register at the same court.
The state of Michigan also receives notification of each divorce. Based on this notification, the Department of Vital Records creates a divorce certificate, which is stored at the state level. Therefore, depending on the specific document you need, contact the appropriate institution.
If you need the full court case (text of the decision, agreements, custody orders) — contact the County Clerk at the 45th Circuit Court:
If you need a divorce certificate (a short document confirming the fact of divorce) — contact the Michigan Vital Records:
You can start an online search for case information through MiCOURT Case Search — a statewide portal for searching Michigan court cases. Note that the amount of information available through the portal may vary depending on the type of case and the rules of the specific court.
You can order a divorce certificate by mail through the official mail order page on the Michigan state website. Anyone can request verification of a divorce record, but a certified copy is usually obtained only by the parties involved or their legal representatives.
Necessary forms and documents for various court divisions in St. Joseph County are available on the county's official website.
Divorce Record Search Fees, Copy Costs, and Processing Times in St. Joseph
| Service | Fee | Typical Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Certified copy of divorce certificate (Michigan Vital Records) | $26.00 | 3–6 weeks (by mail) |
| Verification of divorce record (Michigan Vital Records) | $12.00 | 3–6 weeks (by mail) |
| Copy of court document (County Clerk — 45th Circuit Court) | $1.00 per page | Typically 1–5 business days |
| Certification fee (County Clerk) | $10.00 | Typically 1–5 business days |