Clinton County Traffic Court Records
Clinton County traffic court records are managed by the Clinton County District Court, located at the Clinton County Courthouse in St. Johns. If you received a traffic citation anywhere in Clinton County or need to look up a case, this is the court that holds those files. You can search cases online through Michigan's free MiCOURT system or use the county's own court case inquiry tools. This page covers how to find Clinton County traffic records, what those records contain, how to respond to a ticket, and how to get copies.
Clinton County Overview
Clinton County District Court - St. Johns
The Clinton County District Court is located at the Clinton County Courthouse, 100 E. State Street, St. Johns, MI 48879. This court handles all civil traffic infractions and misdemeanor traffic violations filed in Clinton County. For felony-level traffic offenses, such as OWI causing serious injury, those cases move up to the Clinton County Circuit Court, which operates in the same courthouse.
Clinton County is a mid-Michigan county positioned between Lansing to the south and Saginaw to the north. It borders Ingham, Eaton, Ionia, Gratiot, Shiawassee, and Saginaw counties. Note: Clinton County is a separate jurisdiction from Clinton Township in Macomb County, which is a different location entirely. If you have a case from Clinton Township, that is handled by courts in Macomb County, not here.
The county website at clinton-county.org has court contact details and case inquiry links. The county offers two online case inquiry tools: a circuit court inquiry at clinton-county.org/306/Circuit-Court-Case-Inquiry and a district court inquiry at clinton-county.org/496/Court-Case-Inquiry. Court hours are Monday through Friday; call to confirm current times before visiting.
| Court | Clinton County District Court |
|---|---|
| Address | Clinton County Courthouse, 100 E. State Street, St. Johns, MI 48879 |
| County Website | clinton-county.org |
| Circuit Case Inquiry | Circuit-Court-Case-Inquiry |
| District Case Inquiry | Court-Case-Inquiry |
| Hours | Monday through Friday (call to confirm) |
Search Clinton County Traffic Records Online
Three search options are available for Clinton County traffic court records. The first is MiCOURT, Michigan's free statewide case search system. Go to micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/ and select Clinton County. Search by name, case number, or citation number. MiCOURT covers civil infraction traffic cases and criminal traffic matters that are public record across all Michigan courts.
The second option is Clinton County's own district court case inquiry at clinton-county.org/496/Court-Case-Inquiry. This covers cases at the district court level, which includes most standard traffic violations and civil infractions. The third option is the circuit court case inquiry at clinton-county.org/306/Circuit-Court-Case-Inquiry, which covers felony traffic cases and higher-level matters.
MiCOURT returns case type, filing date, charge, status, docket entries, and hearing dates. Some records are not visible online. Sealed cases don't appear. Clean Slate expungements remove records from view. Cases under MCL 333.7411 and HYTA are also excluded. Dates of birth are hidden per MCR 1.109 since April 2022. If you can't find a case through any online tool, call the clerk's office at the St. Johns courthouse directly.
The screenshot below shows the Clinton County circuit court case inquiry portal, which is one of two online search tools Clinton County provides for looking up local court records.
The Clinton County Circuit Court Case Inquiry portal shown above lets you search circuit-level cases from the county website. For standard district court traffic cases, use the district inquiry link or MiCOURT.
What Clinton County Traffic Court Records Contain
A traffic case record in Clinton County tracks the full life of the case. It starts with the citation: the date of the stop, the officer's badge and name, the specific charge, and the location of the alleged violation. From there, every docket entry gets logged as the case progresses through the court.
The disposition is the case outcome. It shows whether the person paid the fine, had a hearing, or defaulted. If a hearing was held, the result is part of the record. Fines assessed and any court orders also appear in the file. For criminal traffic matters, the record includes charge details, any plea, and the sentence. The case file does not show driver's license points. Points are a separate matter handled entirely by the Michigan Secretary of State, not the Clinton County courts.
Under MCR 8.119, Michigan court records are generally public. However, sealed cases, expungements, and certain diversion records are restricted. The court clerk can tell you what is available for a specific case before you submit a formal request.
Responding to a Traffic Ticket in Clinton County
When you get a civil infraction ticket in Clinton County, you have 14 days to respond. Your choices are listed on the ticket itself. Do not ignore the deadline. If you fail to respond, the Clinton County District Court enters a default judgment, which means a conviction goes on your record through the Secretary of State and your license may be suspended.
You have three ways to respond. Pay the fine and admit responsibility. This is the fastest path. Write an explanation to the magistrate admitting responsibility but asking for the fine to be reduced based on your circumstances. The magistrate may lower the fine, but points are still added. Or deny responsibility and request a hearing. Two hearing types exist. An informal hearing is before a magistrate with no attorneys involved. A formal hearing is in front of a judge, the officer must appear, and you can bring an attorney. If you lose the informal hearing and want to fight it further, you have 7 days to request a formal one.
Michigan courts cannot take traffic cases under advisement. There is no program where completing a class makes the ticket disappear on the court side. That said, court-approved driver improvement programs may allow the Secretary of State to remove points through its own separate process. Contact the Clinton County District Court clerk to ask what programs are available.
Note: An informal hearing result can be appealed within 7 days by requesting a formal hearing. After a formal hearing, you can appeal to the circuit court.
Getting Copies of Clinton County Traffic Records
To get copies of traffic court records from Clinton County, contact the district court clerk at the Clinton County Courthouse, 100 E. State Street, St. Johns, MI 48879. Walk-in requests are handled during regular business hours. Mail requests take more time. Include the full name on the case, the case number if available, and the approximate date of the violation.
Standard copy fees apply statewide. Regular copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $10.00 for the first page plus $1.00 for each additional page. Certified copies are needed for legal proceedings, Secretary of State hearings, and court appeals. Hearing transcripts fall under MCL 600.2543, which sets the fee at $3.75 per page for the original and $0.90 per page for a copy, with a $50.00 minimum. Call the court before you go to confirm what payment methods are accepted.
FOIA requests for Clinton County government records go through the county website at clinton-county.org. Under MCL 15.231, the county has 5 business days to respond to a proper request. The first $20 in fees is waived for people who qualify as indigent. Court records held by the clerk are separate from general county FOIA and must go through the court directly.
Points, Driving Records, and Clinton County
Traffic convictions in Clinton County generate points on your Michigan driving record through the Secretary of State. The Clinton County District Court reports conviction data to the state, and the Secretary of State updates your record. Courts have no authority to reduce or waive points. Point values are set by Michigan law and are uniform across every county in the state.
Common point values: OWI under MCL 257.625, reckless driving, fleeing police, leaving an accident scene, and vehicular manslaughter each carry 6 points. Speeding 16 or more mph over the limit brings 5 points. Going 11 to 15 mph over is 4 points. Speeding 1 to 10 mph over, disobeying a traffic signal, improper passing, and failing to stop for a school bus are each 3 points. All other moving violations carry 2 points. If you reach 12 points within two years, the Secretary of State schedules a mandatory reexamination, which may result in license restrictions or suspension.
To check your current driving record and point total, contact the Michigan Secretary of State at michigan.gov/sos or call (517) 322-1624. For e-filing in Clinton County, check whether the district court is enrolled at MiFILE.
The Michigan Secretary of State site shown above is where Clinton County traffic convictions appear on your driving record after the court reports them. Use it to request your record or respond to any notice tied to a case in Clinton County.
Cities in Clinton County
St. Johns is the county seat and the location of the Clinton County District Court. Other communities in Clinton County include DeWitt, Bath Township, and Fowler. No cities in Clinton County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. All traffic cases filed in the county are handled at the St. Johns courthouse regardless of where in the county the citation was issued. Note: Clinton Township in Macomb County is a separate location and is not part of this county.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Clinton County. Each has its own district court handling local traffic cases.