Branch County Traffic Court Records
Branch County traffic court records are processed and maintained by the 3B District Court, Branch County Division, located at the Branch County Courthouse in Coldwater. If you were issued a traffic citation in Branch County or need to look up a court case, the 3B District Court holds those records. You can search online through MiCOURT for free, contact the court by phone or mail, or visit the courthouse in person. This page explains the court structure, how to search records, what those files contain, and how to get copies.
Branch County Overview
3B District Court - Branch County Division
The 3B District Court, Branch County Division, handles all traffic matters in Branch County. The court is at the Branch County Courthouse, 31 Division Street, Coldwater, MI 49036. This is where all civil infraction cases, misdemeanor traffic violations, and related matters from Branch County are processed. The Branch County Circuit Court handles felony-level traffic offenses when charges are elevated beyond the district court's jurisdiction.
The 3B District covers Branch County as its own division. The clerk's office at the courthouse handles record requests, hearing schedules, and fine payments. Branch County's main county website is at countyofbranch.com. The site has contact information for court departments and county offices. If you are looking for a specific case or need to file a response to a citation, calling the clerk's office first is the best step.
Branch County sits in southwest Michigan near the Indiana border. All traffic citations issued anywhere in the county are processed at the single Coldwater courthouse. There is no branch location for the 3B District Court in Branch County.
| Court | 3B District Court (Branch County Division) |
|---|---|
| Address | Branch County Courthouse, 31 Division St., Coldwater, MI 49036 |
| County Website | countyofbranch.com |
| Hours | Monday through Friday (call to confirm) |
| Copy Fee | $1.00 per page (plain); $10.00 + $1.00/page (certified) |
The Branch County Sheriff maintains records related to traffic stops and arrests in the county. Contact the sheriff's office through the county website for enforcement-side records.
Search Branch County Traffic Records Online
The free MiCOURT public case search is the main online tool for looking up Branch County traffic court records. No account is needed. Go to micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/ and select the 3B District Court from the court list. Search by party name, case number, or citation number. The system returns results that include the case type, charge description, filing date, all docket entries, hearing dates, and the final disposition.
MiCOURT pulls live data from the courts but does not show everything. Sealed cases are excluded. Expunged records under the Clean Slate law no longer appear. Cases resolved under MCL 333.7411 (drug cases dismissed) and HYTA cases are hidden from public view. Dates of birth stopped appearing in public search results on April 1, 2022, following MCR 1.109. These rules apply across all Michigan courts, including the 3B District in Branch County.
E-filing is handled through MiFILE. Check that site to confirm whether the 3B District Court (Branch County Division) accepts electronic filings. Traffic fine payments can be made online through the Michigan courts ePay system.
The Michigan courts official website at courts.michigan.gov is a good starting point. The screenshot below shows the Michigan courts homepage, which links to MiCOURT and other resources relevant to Branch County cases.
The Michigan courts site at courts.michigan.gov links to MiCOURT, MiFILE, the ePay fine portal, and the full trial courts directory for Branch County and all other Michigan counties.
What Branch County Traffic Court Files Contain
Traffic case records in Branch County start with the citation and grow with each step the case takes through the 3B District Court. The file includes the charge, the date and location of the stop, the officer's information, and the agency involved. From there, each docket entry adds to the record. Continuances, hearing requests, payment entries, and correspondence all get logged.
The disposition closes the record. It shows whether the person paid the fine, appeared at a hearing, or failed to respond. If the person was found responsible, the fine and any other orders appear in the file. For misdemeanor traffic charges, including reckless driving under MCL 257.626 or OWI under MCL 257.625, the record includes the plea, the sentence, and any conditions like probation or required treatment.
Traffic records from Branch County do not include your driver's license point totals. Points are tracked by the Secretary of State and are separate from the court file. If you need to see your point balance, you have to contact the Secretary of State directly.
The Michigan State Police ICHAT system provides criminal history data, which can include serious traffic convictions from the 3B District Court in Branch County.
Responding to a Traffic Ticket in Branch County
Civil infraction tickets in Branch County must be answered within 14 days. The deadline and your options are printed on the ticket itself. Missing that window is a real problem. The court enters a default, and the Secretary of State is notified, which can lead to license suspension and automatic points.
Three responses are available. The first is paying the listed fine, which is an admission of responsibility. It is the quickest way to close the case, but it puts points on your driving record. The second option is admitting responsibility with an explanation. You send a written statement to the magistrate explaining your situation. The magistrate may reduce the fine based on what you write, but the admission still stands and points are assessed. The third path is denying responsibility and asking for a hearing. You can choose an informal hearing before a magistrate (no attorneys, faster process) or a formal hearing before a judge where the officer must show up. Attorneys can appear at formal hearings. If the informal hearing goes against you, you have 7 days to request a formal hearing to appeal.
Michigan courts do not have a diversion system for traffic cases. There is no deal where you take a class and the ticket gets wiped from the court record. That said, the Secretary of State runs separate programs where completing a driver improvement course may result in point removal from your driving record. That is not something the 3B District Court controls.
Note: First-time offenders should ask the court clerk about any available local programs before deciding how to respond to a citation.
Getting Copies of Branch County Traffic Records
The 3B District Court clerk's office at the Coldwater courthouse provides copies of Branch County traffic court records. In-person requests are handled during regular business hours. Mail-in requests are accepted but take longer. Include the case number or the name and approximate date of the case when requesting by mail. Send requests to Branch County Courthouse, 31 Division St., Coldwater, MI 49036.
Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $10.00 for the first page and $1.00 per page after that. If you need a transcript of a court hearing, transcript fees under MCL 600.2543 are $3.75 per page for the original and $0.90 per page for additional copies. There is a $50.00 minimum per transcript. Call the court to confirm current payment methods before visiting.
Government records from Branch County that are not court records can be requested under MCL 15.231, Michigan's FOIA law. The county must respond within 5 business days. People who qualify as indigent can have the first $20.00 in fees waived. Court records subject to court rules rather than FOIA are still available through the clerk using the standard copy fee schedule.
Points and Your Michigan Driving Record
When the 3B District Court reports a traffic outcome for a Branch County case, the Michigan Secretary of State assigns points to the driver's record. The court does not set or remove those points. That function belongs entirely to the state agency.
Michigan point values by violation: OWI, reckless driving, fleeing police, leaving the scene of an accident, and manslaughter with a vehicle are each 6 points. Speeding 16 or more mph over the limit is 5 points. Going 11 to 15 mph over is 4 points. Speeding 1 to 10 mph over the limit, running a red light, improper passing, and failing to stop for a school bus are each 3 points. Other moving violations are 2 points. If you reach 12 points within a two-year period, the Secretary of State will schedule a reexamination of your driving privileges.
To view your driving record and point total, contact the Secretary of State at michigan.gov/sos or call (517) 322-1624. A court-approved driver improvement course may result in point removal through the Secretary of State, but that process is separate from anything that happens in the Branch County courtroom.
Cities in Branch County
Coldwater is the county seat and home of the 3B District Court. No cities in Branch County reach the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. All traffic matters in Branch County are handled at the Coldwater courthouse regardless of where in the county the citation was issued.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Branch County. Each has its own district court for local traffic cases.