Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site on September 23, 2026.
Van Buren County, Michigan, has about 76,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Van Buren County Circuit Court and the District Court, and the file of each case, kept by the County Clerk, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, directory links, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Van Buren County public records, Van Buren County arrest records, Van Buren County warrants, Van Buren County inmate search, Van Buren County criminal records, Michigan arrest records and Michigan inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Van Buren County
In Van Buren County, the Van Buren County Circuit Court hears felonies, civil cases over $25,000, divorces and family matters.
Below it, the District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims and civil cases up to $25,000.
Divorces go to the Circuit Court's family division, and the file stays with the County Clerk.
The County Clerk keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.
Looking Up a Case from Van Buren County
For Van Buren County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/CourtDisplay/Display/public/J39VW7Gr-Ea... (page title: Welcome to Van Buren County! | Court Display), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Statewide, MiCOURT Case Search is the Michigan courts' statewide case search; not every court has joined.
The Michigan court page SearchSystems verified is at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search.
What Reaches the Court from Van Buren County
Together, the nine agencies in Van Buren County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 713 arrests to the FBI that year; the Prosecuting Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Van Buren County Circuit Court or the District Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at vanburencountymi.gov/departments/departments-offices/prosecuting-at... (page title: Prosecuting Attorney | Van Buren County), phone (269) 657-8200, 219 E Paw Paw Street Paw Paw, MI 49079-1429, Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM - 5 PM, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Van Buren County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Van Buren County criminal records, Van Buren County divorce records, Van Buren County traffic tickets, Van Buren County DUI and Van Buren County property records.
More Official Court Pages for Van Buren County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Van Buren County and Michigan. These court pages from its Van Buren County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- 2021 Data: Van Buren County (courts.michigan.gov)
- 36th Circuit Court (vanburencountymi.gov)
- County Courts (vanburencountymi.gov)
- Judge Kathleen M. Brickley (micourt.courts.michigan.gov)
- Juvenile Court (vanburencountymi.gov)
- Michigan, Pay a Ticket Online (e.courts.michigan.gov)
- Probate Court (vanburencountymi.gov)
Cities in Van Buren County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Van Buren County Circuit Court or the District Court.
The cities and towns in the county are South Haven, Paw Paw, Mattawan, Hartford, Bangor, Lawton, Decatur, Lawrence, Gobles, Bloomingdale and Breedsville.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Van Buren County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at micourt.courts.michigan.gov. Statewide, MiCOURT Case Search is the Michigan courts' statewide case search; not every court has joined.
Which court hears felonies in Van Buren County?
The Van Buren County Circuit Court, which hears felonies, civil cases over $25,000, divorces and family matters. The District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims and civil cases up to $25,000.
Who keeps the court records in Van Buren County?
The County Clerk. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Michigan?
Yes: MiCOURT Case Search, the Michigan courts' statewide case search; not every court has joined.
Is this the official Van Buren County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.