Traffic Court Records in Houghton County

Houghton County traffic court records are processed by the 97-2 District Court, which operates out of three locations across the county. The main courthouse is in Houghton, with branches in L'Anse and Eagle River. Traffic cases from across the county start in district court, and you can search Houghton County traffic court records using MiCOURT online, the Houghton County Public Index, or by visiting or calling one of the three courthouse locations. The court has self-service kiosks at the Houghton location for name-based lookups.

97-2 District Court - Houghton County Traffic Cases

The 97-2 District Court has its main location at 401 E. Houghton Avenue, 3rd Floor, Houghton, MI 49931. The court clerk is Donna Mollanen, and the magistrate and admin contact is Ginger Sulisz at (906) 482-1285. The main court number is (906) 482-4980. This is the primary location for traffic cases in the Houghton area. The court handles civil cases up to $25,000, small claims, misdemeanors, traffic violations, and felony arraignments and preliminary exams.

The L'Anse branch is at 16 N. 3rd Street, L'Anse, MI 49946, and can be reached at (906) 524-6100. Magistrate Cindy Lundy handles matters at that location. The Eagle River branch is in Eagle River, MI 49924 at (906) 337-2229, where Magistrate Richard Thomas presides. If you got a ticket in the Keweenaw, Baraga, or Ontonagon area, check which branch handles your case before traveling. Each branch processes traffic matters for its geographic area.

The Houghton courthouse also has self-service kiosks on site. These allow name-based searches of court records without waiting for staff. This is a useful option if you need a quick lookup during business hours.

Search Houghton County Traffic Court Records Online

There are two main online tools for searching Houghton County traffic court records. The first is MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search. This is Michigan's statewide free case lookup system. You can search by name or case number and see basic case details, hearing dates, and disposition. No login or fee is needed for a basic search.

The second option is the Houghton County Public Index at michigan.thepublicindex.org. This resource is specific to Houghton County and focuses on circuit court records. It is especially useful for cases that went beyond the district court level, such as felony driving matters. The circuit court is the 12th Circuit Court, also located at 401 E. Houghton Avenue. These two tools together give solid coverage of Houghton County traffic court records online.

The Public Index is a useful supplement to MiCOURT for finding Houghton County cases that reached circuit court level.

Houghton County Traffic Ticket Response Options

If you receive a traffic citation anywhere in Houghton County, you have 14 days to respond. Three options are available. You can admit responsibility and pay the fine. You can admit with explanation and appear before a magistrate at the branch court closest to where you were cited. Or you can deny the ticket and request a hearing.

Hearings in Houghton County come in two forms. An informal hearing is before a magistrate and does not involve attorneys. A formal hearing is in front of a judge and both sides may bring legal representation. The officer who issued the ticket must also appear at a formal hearing. If the officer does not show, the case may be dismissed. Michigan law prohibits courts from taking traffic matters under advisement. That means the court enters a ruling, and the record reflects it. There is no way to delay the outcome to protect your driving history through the court system.

Points on your license are set by the Michigan Secretary of State based on the court's report of your case outcome. The court does not control points.

Houghton County Traffic Record Copy Fees

The 97-2 District Court charges $1 per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost $10 for the first page and $1 per page after that, following the statewide standard under MCL 600.2543. The same statute sets transcript fees at $3.75 per page for the original, $0.90 per copy page, with a $50 minimum for transcript orders. The Houghton court has noted a $10.00 base fee for certified copies, which is consistent with the state standard.

For FOIA requests under MCL 15.231, the court must respond within 5 business days. People who demonstrate financial hardship with a signed affidavit can get the first $20 in fees waived. Records sealed under Clean Slate, HYTA, or MCL 333.7411 are not available through FOIA. Contact the main court at (906) 482-4980 for records requests, or contact the appropriate branch if your case was handled there. The circuit court (12th Circuit) is reached through the main building at the same Houghton address.

MiCOURT is updated by the court and covers public traffic cases from all three branches of the 97-2 District Court.

Michigan Points System and Houghton County Driving Records

Every traffic conviction in Houghton County gets reported to the Michigan Secretary of State. The SOS then adds points to your driving record based on the violation type. The point values are set by state law and are the same across all 83 Michigan counties. OWI, reckless driving, fleeing police, leaving an accident scene, and manslaughter with a vehicle are each 6 points. Speeding 16 or more mph over is 5 points. Speeding 11 to 15 mph over is 4 points. Running a red light, stop sign, improper passing, passing a school bus, or speeding 1 to 10 over are each 3 points. All other moving violations are 2 points.

Hitting 12 points in any 2-year period triggers a reexamination by the Secretary of State. If your license is suspended as a result, you need to clear all pending cases in the county courts, pay reinstatement fees, and get a clearance form from the court. You carry that form for two months while the Secretary of State processes the reinstatement. Contact the SOS at 517-322-1624 or at michigan.gov/sos for driving record details.

Check the MiFILE available courts list to confirm whether the 97-2 District Court accepts e-filed documents for your matter.

Problem-Solving Courts and Other Resources

Michigan operates a network of problem-solving courts that may be relevant for drivers facing charges tied to substance use or mental health concerns. These include drug courts, DUI courts, and mental health courts. Info on these programs is at courts.michigan.gov/administration/court-programs/problem-solving-courts. Not every county has all types, so check with the 97-2 District Court or the 12th Circuit Court to see what is available in Houghton County.

The Michigan Courts trial court directory at courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts lists all district courts with their addresses and phone numbers. ICHAT, the state's criminal history tool at michigan.gov/ichat, charges $10 per search and returns criminal history records maintained by the Michigan State Police. ICHAT covers more than just traffic records and includes misdemeanor and felony convictions reported statewide.

courts.michigan.gov is the official source for Michigan court rules, MCR 1.109 privacy rules, and FOIA procedures that apply to traffic record access.

Cities in Houghton County

Houghton County includes the City of Houghton, the City of Hancock, and smaller communities across the Keweenaw Peninsula area. All traffic matters in the county go through the 97-2 District Court's three-branch system. No cities in Houghton County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page, but all traffic court records are accessible through the court locations listed above or through MiCOURT online.

Nearby Counties

Houghton County is in the Upper Peninsula and is surrounded by three neighboring counties. Each has its own district court for traffic matters.