Washtenaw County Circuit Court Overview
The Washtenaw County Circuit Court is the primary trial court for the county. Michigan's court map lists it as the 22nd Circuit Court. Locally, the county brands it the Washtenaw County Trial Court. The main courthouse stands at 101 E Huron Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Court mail usually goes to P.O. Box 8645, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8645. The main Trial Court line is 734-222-3270. Circuit courts are Michigan's broad trial courts, so this one carries a wide docket.
The civil and criminal division sits at the heart of the court. It hears civil cases worth more than $25,000. It handles felonies and certain serious misdemeanors. It also reviews appeals that come up from the district and probate courts. Under the same roof, the Trial Court runs a family division, a juvenile division, the Friend of the Court, and a probate division. The official court divisions page lays out what each part covers, and the Trial Court landing page gives the main contacts.
District courts are a separate layer. They serve as the front door for most everyday cases before anything reaches the circuit level.
District Courts in Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County runs three district court systems, and each one covers a different part of the map. The county-operated 14A District Court spreads across four locations. The 14B District Court belongs to Ypsilanti Township. The 15th Judicial District Court serves the City of Ann Arbor. District courts handle misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail. They take civil infractions and traffic tickets, civil claims of $25,000 or less, small claims, and landlord-tenant disputes. They also run the early stages of felony cases before those cases move up.
The county's 14A District Court page introduces the largest of the three systems.
The 14A District Court is county-operated, which sets it apart from the township and city courts that handle Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor cases. Its four courthouses share one docket system but sit in different communities.
14A District Court Locations
The 14A District Court reaches communities across the county through four courthouses. A traffic ticket or misdemeanor filed in one of these areas is heard at the matching location, not at the downtown circuit courthouse. Checking the address on a citation or notice before traveling saves a wasted trip.
| Court | City | Address |
|---|---|---|
| 14A-1 | Ann Arbor | 4133 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 |
| 14A-2 | Ypsilanti | 415 W Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 |
| 14A-3 | Chelsea | 122 S Main Street, Chelsea, MI 48118 |
| 14A-4 | Saline | 1000 N Maple Road, Saline, MI 48176 |
Case lookups and docket calendars for all four 14A locations run through the court's 14A online resources page. That page also links online misdemeanor pleas and ability-to-pay forms. The 14A-1 courthouse in Ann Arbor can be reached at 734-971-6050, and the 14A-4 Saline location at 734-429-2504.
Note: The 14A online resources page separates docket and calendar links by location, so pick the courthouse that matches the citation before searching.
The 14B District Court in Ypsilanti Township
The 14B District Court belongs to Ypsilanti Township. It sits at 7200 S Huron River Drive, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, inside the township Court and Civic Center. This court handles misdemeanors, traffic civil infractions, municipal civil infractions, civil cases of $25,000 or less, and landlord-tenant matters for the township.
The township's 14B District Court page lists its case types and payment options.
For 14B tickets, payment can be made by mail, in person, through the outside drop box, or online, which gives residents several ways to resolve a citation.
The 15th Judicial District Court
The 15th Judicial District Court serves the City of Ann Arbor from the Ann Arbor Justice Center downtown. It hears Ann Arbor civil cases, traffic and criminal misdemeanors, ordinance violations, civil infractions, and felony matters before bindover. The court's main line is 734-794-6750.
Ann Arbor's 15th Judicial District Court home page connects to case search and online services.
Its online case search runs on a state-hosted system that hides private details like date of birth and never lists non-public cases. Older cases closed before August 5, 2006 are not in the online search, so those require contacting the court directly.
The 15th District also sets a firm rule for missed hearings. Failure to appear results in an arrest warrant and a $60 warrant fee. Acting fast on a missed date keeps that fee and the warrant off a person's record.
Traffic and Payments at Washtenaw County District Courts
Most traffic cases in the county are district court records, not circuit court records. The court printed on the ticket controls where to pay, contest, or request a copy. An OWI or a felony can move a driving case into circuit criminal jurisdiction, but routine tickets stay at the district level.
The 14A traffic information page explains how to handle a 14A citation.
Across the three systems, payment channels include cash, check or money order, card, mail, drop box, and online options, depending on the court.
Court records and driver records are two different files. The district court keeps the ticket, hearing, plea, fines, and disposition. The Michigan Secretary of State keeps the license status, points, and suspensions. Hearing dates are easiest to confirm through the Washtenaw County court dockets for each location.
Verify before you travel. Confirm the court and location printed on a citation first. Many cases are heard at a 14A, 14B, or 15th District location instead of the downtown circuit courthouse.
Washtenaw County Trial and District Court Directory
A single directory helps sort out which court holds which records. The circuit and probate divisions share the Huron Street courthouse. The district courts spread across the county. Copy requests for circuit files run through the Trial Court Records Department, the same office that handles clerk of the court functions.
| Court | Location / Address | Phone | Handles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washtenaw County Trial Court / 22nd Circuit Court | 101 E Huron Street, Ann Arbor; mail P.O. Box 8645, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8645 | 734-222-3270 | Circuit civil, felonies, family, juvenile, probate, Friend of the Court, problem-solving programs |
| Probate Court | 101 E Huron Street, Room 1104, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1446 | 734-222-3072 | Estates, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health, wills |
| 14A-1 District Court | 4133 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 | 734-971-6050 | Misdemeanors, civil infractions, traffic |
| 14A-2 District Court | 415 W Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 | via 14A District Court | Ypsilanti-area 14A docket and calendar |
| 14A-3 District Court | 122 S Main Street, Chelsea, MI 48118 | via 14A District Court | Chelsea 14A docket and calendar |
| 14A-4 District Court | 1000 N Maple Road, Saline, MI 48176 | 734-429-2504 | Saline 14A location |
| 14B District Court | 7200 S Huron River Drive, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 | via Ypsilanti Township | Misdemeanors, traffic, civil claims up to $25,000, landlord-tenant |
| 15th Judicial District Court | Ann Arbor Justice Center, downtown Ann Arbor | 734-794-6750 | Ann Arbor civil, traffic and criminal misdemeanors, ordinance violations, felony before bindover |
The circuit court records counter is the place to order copies of civil and criminal case files.
Washtenaw County Trial Court
101 E Huron Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1446
734-222-3270
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Circuit Court vs District Court vs Probate Court
Michigan sorts trial work into three courts, and the county has no separate county court to add to the mix. Each court owns a defined slice of cases. Knowing the split points a filer or a records seeker to the right counter.
| Circuit Court | District Court | Probate Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil cases | Over $25,000 | $25,000 or less, small claims, landlord-tenant | Estate value based |
| Criminal cases | Felonies and serious misdemeanors | Misdemeanors up to one year, felony proceedings before bindover | None |
| Appeals heard | Appeals from district and probate courts | None | None |
| Core matters | Family, juvenile, Friend of the Court | Traffic, civil infractions, ordinance cases | Estates, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health, wills |
| Where it sits | 101 E Huron Street | 14A, 14B, and 15th courthouses | 101 E Huron Street, Room 1104 |
Probate Court is a division of the same Trial Court, not a surrogate or orphans court. The Probate Court page covers estates, guardianships, and wills for safekeeping.
How a Washtenaw County Case Moves Through the System
A serious criminal case does not start and end in one courtroom. It climbs a ladder of courts, each with a defined job. Understanding the path shows why a felony can begin at a district counter yet finish far above it.
Felony path: District Court › Preliminary Exam & Bindover › Circuit Court › Michigan Court of Appeals › Michigan Supreme Court
A felony charge is filed first in district court. After a preliminary exam, the judge decides whether enough evidence exists to bind the case over to circuit court. The 22nd Circuit Court then handles arraignment, pretrial, trial, and sentencing. A party who loses may appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals, and from there ask the Michigan Supreme Court to hear the case.
Most district court matters never leave that level. A traffic ticket, a small claim, or a one-year misdemeanor is resolved where it starts. Appeals from district and probate cases go to the circuit court rather than straight to the appellate courts. Statewide public case data for participating courts is searchable through MiCOURT Case Search.
Divisions of the Washtenaw County Trial Court
The Trial Court is more than a criminal and civil docket. It gathers several specialized divisions inside the Huron Street complex, which keeps most county-level matters in one place.
- Civil and criminal division: felonies, serious misdemeanors, and civil cases over $25,000.
- Family division: divorce, custody, parenting time, name changes, and personal protection orders.
- Juvenile division: delinquency, child protective cases, adoption, and termination of parental rights.
- Friend of the Court: enforcement of custody, parenting time, and support orders.
- Probate division: estates, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health, and wills.
The civil and criminal division is the main venue for circuit-level records. The Friend of the Court is a statutory agency of the circuit court that assists with domestic relations disputes. Each division keeps its own files, so a request should name the division along with the case number.
Note: Public case documents are not posted online in Washtenaw County, so copies of circuit court files must be ordered from the Records Department for a fee.
Problem-Solving Courts in Washtenaw County
Beyond the standard divisions, the Trial Court runs treatment-based programs for people whose cases trace back to deeper issues. The Problem-Solving Courts and Special Programs division oversees several of them. These programs aim to cut repeat court involvement rather than simply move a case along.
Recovery Court is an 18-month, five-phase program for nonviolent adults with substance use disorders. Family Treatment Court runs a 12-month, four-phase track tied to family and child welfare cases. The Specialized Alternative to Sentencing Support, known as SASS, offers family-based sentencing alternatives. Progress in any of these can shape a case's disposition and sentence.
The court also uses Peacemaking, a traditional Native American approach focused on healing and restoring relationships rather than a standard adversarial hearing. Behind the scenes, the court's Central Assignment office handles scheduling and case evaluation. It was developed in 1988 after a court reorganization plan reshaped how the county assigns and moves cases.