Genesee County 7th Circuit Court Overview
The 7th Judicial Circuit Court is the general-jurisdiction trial court in Genesee County. The court hears civil cases with claims of more than $25,000, all felony criminal cases, divorce, paternity, adoptions, PPOs, emancipation, infectious-disease treatment and testing, safe delivery of newborns, name changes, juvenile delinquency, juvenile guardianship, and child abuse and neglect. It also hears appeals from other trial courts and administrative agencies.
The Circuit Court is part of Michigan's One Court of Justice system. The Michigan Supreme Court sits at the top, followed by the Michigan Court of Appeals. Genesee County trial-court appeals go into the Michigan appellate system through the Court of Appeals before any further Supreme Court review.
Searching 7th Circuit Court Records
Public search runs through MiCOURT C07. Search by case number for the fastest hit, or by party name with date of birth where available. The Circuit Court Legal Records Division is the public access point for civil, criminal, and domestic case filings and is the office to contact for certified copies, sealed-case review, or document requests not available in the public portal.
The image below shows the MiCOURT case search page for Genesee County 7th Circuit Court.
That page is the front door to every public Genesee County felony, civil, and family case file held by the 7th Circuit Court.
Circuit Legal Records Division
The Legal Records Division is the records office for the 7th Circuit Court. It sits at 900 South Saginaw Street, Room 202, Flint, MI 48502. The Legal Records phone is 810-257-3220, fax 810-424-4455, email clerkslegalstaff@geneseecountymi.gov. Staff receive filings and provide information and referral to other court offices. The division retains records under SCAO standards.
For 7th Circuit Court case-file requests, the Legal Records Division is the office to contact. The division also handles certified copies, requests for older case files, and routing for filings that may need to move to the Probate Court or 67th District Court.
Circuit Court Divisions and Locations
The 7th Judicial Circuit Court operates from the Historic Genesee County Courthouse plus nearby buildings. The table below lists the main court locations and offices associated with the Circuit Court.
| Office / Division | Address | Phone | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7th Circuit Court Main | 900 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502 | 810-257-3220 | General jurisdiction trial court. |
| Legal Records Division | 900 S. Saginaw St., Room 202, Flint, MI 48502 | 810-257-3220 | Civil, criminal, domestic filings. |
| Family Division / Friend of the Court | 630 S. Saginaw St., Suite 2500, Flint, MI 48502 | 810-257-3300 | Divorce, custody, support, paternity. |
| Specialty Court Services | 900 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502 | SpecialtyCourtReferrals@GeneseeCountyMI.gov | Veterans, Mental Health, Adult Felony Recovery, Family Dependency Treatment. |
| Legal Resource Center | 900 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502 | Linked from court site | Self-help resources for pro se filers. |
Circuit Court vs. District Court vs. Probate Court
Genesee County's three trial courts handle different parts of the caseload. The comparison below covers the main jurisdictional lines that separate the 7th Circuit Court from the 67th District Court and the Genesee County Probate Court.
| 7th Circuit Court | 67th District Court | Probate Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MiCOURT Code | C07 | D67 | P25 |
| Civil Jurisdiction | Over $25,000 | Under district-court limit | Estate / protective |
| Criminal Jurisdiction | All felonies after bindover | Misdemeanors + preliminary felony | None |
| Family | Divorce, custody, PPO, juvenile | None | Adoptions, guardianship of minors |
| Specialty Courts | Veterans, MH, Drug, FDTC | Sobriety Court | Mental Health Treatment |
| Records Office | Legal Records Division | 67th District Records | Probate Records Office |
How a Case Moves Through the Genesee County System
Criminal and civil cases follow different paths through Genesee County's trial courts. The short flow below shows where the Circuit Court fits in both tracks.
Felony criminal flow: Arrest › 67th District Court Arraignment › Preliminary Examination › Bindover › 7th Circuit Court Arraignment › Pretrial › Trial › Sentencing › Court of Appeals
Civil flow (over $25,000): Complaint Filed in Circuit Court › Answer › Discovery › Mediation / Facilitation › Motion Practice › Trial › Judgment › Court of Appeals
Divorce flow: Complaint Filed in Circuit Family Division › Temporary Orders › Friend of the Court Referral › Mediation / Settlement › Trial or Judgment › Post-Judgment Motions
Circuit Specialty Courts
The Specialty Court Services office runs four problem-solving courts in Genesee County. Each focuses on treatment and accountability instead of standard punishment. Programs are funded with a mix of federal and state grants and follow Michigan SCAO best-practice standards and All Rise key components.
- Veterans Treatment Court - For military veterans facing criminal charges, with service-related trauma, PTSD, or substance-use disorders.
- Mental Health Court - For defendants whose justice involvement is tied to severe and persistent mental-health conditions.
- Adult Felony Recovery Court - Drug Court for felony charges related to substance use.
- Family Dependency Treatment Court - For parents with substance-use disorders at risk of losing custody.
Referrals go to SpecialtyCourtReferrals@GeneseeCountyMI.gov within seven days of the prior pretrial hearing, with the SCAO Specialty Court Referral Fillable PDF and police reports attached.
Self-Help and Legal Resources
The Circuit Court runs a Legal Resource Center for pro se filers. Statewide self-help resources include Michigan Legal Help, Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, the State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service, and the Genesee County Bar Association. The Circuit Court also publishes ADA and interpreter request information for court users who need accommodation. Security screening at the courthouse entry is published on a dedicated Circuit Court security page.
The image below links to the Circuit Court Legal Resource Center page.
That center is the right starting point for Genesee County residents who plan to represent themselves in Circuit Court.
History of the Genesee County Circuit Court
The Michigan Territorial Legislative Council recognized Genesee County as a governmental body in 1835. Courthouse Square has housed the Circuit Court since 1838, when Wait Beach deeded a two-acre parcel for a courthouse and public square. The present historic courthouse is the 1926 building. It is on the national and state registers of historic sites, and the Circuit Court home page says the structure will mark its centennial in 2026. The 1926 building contained three monumental murals by Edgar Spier Cameron, restored beginning in 2003 by local Flint artist Stefan Davidek and his family.
Appeals from the 7th Circuit Court
Appeals from final orders of the 7th Circuit Court go to the Michigan Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in the Michigan judiciary. Further review by the Michigan Supreme Court is discretionary. Appeals from 67th District Court matters generally go to the Circuit Court first, which means the 7th Circuit Court serves as an appellate court for many District Court decisions before any further appellate review.
The Circuit Court also hears appeals from county administrative agencies in some matters. The specific scope of administrative-agency appeals is set by Michigan statute and varies by agency.