Branch County Circuit Court Overview
Michigan runs a unified court system introduced as "One Court of Justice" in 1963, with one supreme court, one court of appeals, and a set of trial courts. The circuit court is the state's trial court of general jurisdiction, and Branch County is served by the 15th Circuit Court. It hears the cases that fall outside the limited authority of the district and probate courts, from felonies to divorce.
The 15th Circuit Court sits in the main courthouse at 31 Division St. in Coldwater, with its courtroom on the southwest end of the second floor. The court's main line is 517-279-4304. It shares the building with the 3-A District Court, the Probate Court, and the county clerk, whose office keeps all circuit court files. Public case information for the court is available through Michigan's MiCOURT Case Search.
Branch County Courts and Contacts
Branch County holds all three of Michigan's trial courts under one roof. Each handles a distinct slice of the caseload, so a resident with a legal matter often needs to know which court owns the case before searching for it. The circuit court is the highest of the three, but the table below lists all of them for routing.
| Court | Handles | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15th Circuit Court | Felonies, civil over $25,000, divorce and domestic relations, appeals from the district court, equity and title | 31 Division St., Coldwater (courtroom SW, 2nd floor) | 517-279-4304 |
| 3-A District Court | Traffic, misdemeanors, small claims, landlord-tenant, civil up to $25,000, felony preliminary exams | 31 Division St., Coldwater | 517-279-4328 |
| Probate Court | Estates, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health, adoptions | 31 Division St., Coldwater | 517-279-4318 |
What the Branch County Circuit Court Handles
The 15th Circuit Court carries the county's heaviest legal work. Its authority is broad where the district court's is capped, and it is the trial court for cases that can end in prison, large money judgments, or the end of a marriage. The core areas of jurisdiction follow.
- Felony criminal cases - the trial court for serious crimes after a bindover from district court.
- Civil cases over $25,000 - lawsuits above the district court's civil ceiling.
- Domestic relations - divorce, paternity, and family support matters.
- Appeals - review of district court rulings and certain administrative agency decisions.
- Equity and title - land title disputes and other matters seeking equitable relief.
Felony cases show how the two trial courts connect. A felony begins in the 3-A District Court with a preliminary examination. If the district judge finds probable cause, the case is bound over to the 15th Circuit Court, which then becomes the trial court. That handoff is why a single criminal matter can appear in both courts' records.
Circuit Court vs District Court vs Probate Court
The three trial courts are easy to confuse because they share a building and a clerk gateway. What separates them is the kind of case each is allowed to hear and the dollar value at stake. The comparison lays out the split so a search starts in the right place.
| Circuit Court | District Court | Probate Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Types | Felonies, major civil, divorce, appeals | Traffic, misdemeanors, small claims, landlord-tenant | Estates, guardianship, mental health, adoption |
| Dollar Limits | Civil over $25,000 | Civil up to $25,000; small claims up to $7,000 | Tied to estate and trust value |
| Examples | Felony trial, divorce, large contract suit | Speeding ticket, eviction, first OWI | Will contest, guardianship of a minor |
Motion Days at the Branch County Circuit Court
The 15th Circuit Court hears motions on a set weekly schedule, which helps attorneys and self-represented parties plan a hearing. Each type of matter has its own day and time. The schedule below reflects the court's posted motion calendar.
| Day | Time | Matter |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | 8:30 AM | Domestic relations |
| Friday | 10:30 AM | Civil |
| Friday | 11:00 AM | PPO (personal protection orders) |
| Monday | 8:30 AM | Criminal |
Hearing history for a case shows up on the court's public docket. Residents tracking dates rather than pulling a full file can follow a matter through the county's court dockets and the MiCOURT public case search.
How a Case Moves Through the Branch County System
A case does not stop at the trial court. Michigan's court ladder gives losing parties a path upward, and the same ladder explains where a Branch County appeal goes next. Appeals from the district court are heard by the circuit court, then the state appellate courts take over.
State path: 3-A District Court › 15th Circuit Court › Michigan Court of Appeals › Michigan Supreme Court
Federal path: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan › U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The Michigan Court of Appeals is an error-correcting court that reviews trial-court decisions, and the Michigan Supreme Court is the state court of last resort. Federal matters from Branch County run on a separate track, since the county sits in the Western District of Michigan, with appeals to the Sixth Circuit. A federal case never crosses into the state appellate courts, and a state case never crosses into the federal ones.
Branch County Circuit Court Records and Dockets
Public case information for the circuit court runs through MiCOURT, the state case search. The 15th Circuit Court page tells visitors they can search MiCOURT for public case information and view the court's public docket. A search returns the case number, the party names, and the case history for civil, criminal, family, and other matters that are open to the public.
Michigan's records-management standards cap what a website can show. Public online access is limited to the case number, the party names, and the case history, and courts do not post document images to the internet. Reading a full pleading, order, or judgment means requesting the paper file from the county clerk.
Note: A suppressed or sealed circuit case may exist in the system yet stay hidden from an ordinary public search, so a missing result does not always mean there is no case.
The County Clerk as Circuit Court Clerk
The Branch County Clerk is also the clerk for the circuit court. County Clerk Terry A. Kubasiak keeps all circuit court files, and every pleading and document in a circuit case must be filed with the clerk's office on the first floor of the courthouse. That makes the clerk the first stop for many civil and criminal file requests, reachable at 517-279-4306. Beyond the courts, the same office serves as registrar of vital statistics and keeper of the circuit court seal, which is why marriage, birth, and death records share the counter with court files.
The clerk's court record search is the paper route when the online docket is not enough. A search runs $10 per case type for a 10-year period, copies are $1 per page, and certified copies are $10 plus $1 per page, paid by cash or money order only. Full detail on requests and fees sits with the County Clerk.
Friend of the Court in Branch County
The Friend of the Court works for the 15th Circuit Court on domestic relations cases. Its primary duties cover custody, parenting time, and the support of minor children, and it conducts hearings, investigations, and recommendations while offering mediation on custody and parenting-time disputes. The office line is 517-279-4314.
The Friend of the Court also handles support enforcement. When a party misses a Show Cause hearing, a bench warrant can issue and stay active in the state law-enforcement network until the matter is resolved. Warrant tips and questions go to the Friend of the Court bench-warrant officers at 517-279-5173, while felony nonsupport is routed to the prosecutor or the Michigan Attorney General.
Branch County Family Division and Juvenile Cases
The circuit court runs a family division, created statewide in 1998. That reform moved juvenile delinquency, abuse and neglect, adoptions, name changes, and other family matters out of probate and into the circuit court's family division. In Branch County, Probate Judge Kirk Kashian presides over the Juvenile Unit of the 15th Circuit Court, Family Division, reachable at 517-279-4316.
Juvenile files are far more restricted than adult cases. Under Michigan Compiled Laws § 712A.28, the court keeps records of every juvenile matter, but they are open only by court order. Juvenile proceedings can also be attended remotely by Zoom when needed, an access accommodation rather than an open door to the record itself.
Filing at the Branch County Circuit Court
Every circuit case opens through the county clerk, whether the filing arrives on paper or through Michigan's electronic system. The state's MiFILE platform now carries civil e-filing, and the county's 3-A District Court went live with MiFILE on June 27, 2024. Under Michigan Court Rule 1.109(G)(3)(f), attorneys must e-file civil documents where the system is in use.
Self-represented parties may take part in civil e-filing but are not required to. A MiFILE account is free to create, and the county's MiFILE page links the tutorials, quick-reference guide, and login. Traditional paper filing with the clerk remains available for those who prefer it.
Visiting the Branch County Circuit Court
The main courthouse doors open from 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM. The circuit courtroom sits on the southwest end of the second floor, and the court posts firm conduct rules for anyone entering. Cell phones are not permitted on the second floor or in the courtroom, and proceedings are officially recorded, so personal recording is not allowed.
Dress code is enforced. Shorts and tank tops are not allowed, and men are asked to remove hats. For accessibility, the district court names Sarah Collins as the ADA Coordinator, and the circuit and probate courts use Zoom for certain proceedings. The county directory publishes direct lines for the circuit court's civil, criminal, and small claims desks, which lets a visitor reach the right counter instead of a general switchboard.