Jackson County Circuit Court Overview
The 4th Circuit Court is Jackson County's general-jurisdiction trial court. It hears felony criminal cases and civil disputes involving more than $25,000. Its family division covers divorce, custody, support, adoption, and juvenile matters. The court also reviews appeals from the District Court and from state administrative agencies.
The Circuit Court sits in the Jackson County Courthouse at 312 S. Jackson Street. Court administration answers at 517-788-4450, with a second listed line at 517-788-4382. The court runs as part of a combined Circuit, Family, and Probate structure. Counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The family division carries a wide slate of case types. It covers divorce, paternity, child custody, support, and parenting time. It also hears adoptions, emancipation of minors, personal protection actions, juvenile delinquency, juvenile guardianship, and child abuse or neglect cases. Many of these files are restricted or not shown online, so they call for direct contact with the clerk or the court.
The county's 4th Circuit Court page describes the court's jurisdiction, judges, and case information links.
That page is the best starting point for Circuit Court forms, calendars, and specialty-court details in Jackson County.
Jackson County Trial Courts
Michigan gives each county three trial courts: Circuit, District, and Probate. Jackson County runs all three from the courthouse, plus a Friend of the Court office that supports family cases. The Circuit Court is the general court, the District Court is the limited court, and the Probate Court handles estates and protective cases. The table lists each court's role, address, and phone.
| Court / Office | Role / Jurisdiction | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th Circuit Court | Felony, civil over $25,000, family division, appeals | 312 S. Jackson St., Jackson, MI 49201 | 517-788-4450 |
| 12th Judicial District Court | Traffic, misdemeanors, small claims, landlord-tenant, felony arraignments and preliminary exams | 312 S. Jackson St., Jackson, MI 49201 | 517-788-4260 |
| Probate Court | Estates, guardianships, conservatorships, trusts, protective proceedings | 312 S. Jackson St., Jackson, MI 49201 | 517-788-4290 |
| Friend of the Court | Custody, parenting time, and child-support enforcement for Circuit Court | Jackson County court system | 517-788-4470 |
All three courts share the courthouse at Jackson and Wesley Streets. The county's directions and parking page maps the approach and lot options.
Street parking is common, and jurors use a permit lot, so a first-time visitor should plan the route before a hearing.
Circuit Court vs District Court vs Probate Court
The three courts split the work by case type and dollar amount. The Circuit Court takes the felonies, the larger civil cases, and family matters. The District Court takes traffic, misdemeanors, and smaller civil claims. The Probate Court takes estates and protective cases. The comparison below shows the main lines that separate them.
| Circuit Court | District Court | Probate Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Limit | Over $25,000 | Up to $25,000 | Estate value, not a civil dollar limit |
| Criminal Jurisdiction | Felony trials and sentencing | Misdemeanors up to one year, traffic, felony arraignments and preliminary exams | Mental-commitment petitions only |
| Family / Probate Cases | Divorce, custody, juvenile, family division | None | Estates, guardianships, conservatorships, trusts |
| Appeals | Hears appeals from District Court and agencies | None | Appeals go to Circuit Court or the Court of Appeals |
Appeals from the Circuit Court itself move up to the Michigan trial-court system's appellate level, the Michigan Court of Appeals, and then the Michigan Supreme Court where the law allows.
The 12th Judicial District Court
The 12th Judicial District Court is Jackson County's limited-jurisdiction trial court. It handles most traffic violations, misdemeanor cases, small claims, and landlord-tenant disputes. It also holds felony arraignments and preliminary examinations before a felony moves up to Circuit Court. The main District Court line is 517-788-4260, and the traffic division answers at 517-788-4250.
All adult criminal cases begin in the District Court. A misdemeanor punishable by no more than one year in jail can finish there through plea, trial, and sentencing. A felony starts with arraignment, bond, and a probable-cause conference, then a preliminary examination. If the judge finds probable cause, the case is bound over to Circuit Court.
The District Court also carries a full civil load. It hears money-damage claims within the district-court limit, small claims, and landlord-tenant summary proceedings. For a District Court civil case, the action must have happened in Jackson County or the defendant must live in the county. Weddings and magistrate matters round out the court's daily work.
The District Court publishes a public daily docket online, shown on its daily docket page.
The docket lists scheduled matters but leaves out suppressed and nonpublic cases, so it is a schedule snapshot rather than a full case index.
Jackson County Probate Court
The Probate Court rounds out the county's trial-court system. It handles estates, wills, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. It also hears protective proceedings and mental-illness matters. The Probate Court answers at 517-788-4290 and shares the courthouse with the other two courts.
Probate work has its own forms, fee schedule, and inventory fee calculator. Since January 1, 2026, new name-change petitions are filed with the 4th Circuit Court Clerk's Office, while records before 2026 still route through the Probate Court. Wills and mental-illness matters are not displayed online, so those files need direct court contact.
How a Case Moves Through the Courts
A criminal case in Jackson County follows a set path from the lower court to the higher one. It begins with an arrest or a charge filed by the prosecutor. The District Court handles the first hearings, and a felony is bound over to Circuit Court after a preliminary examination. Trial and sentencing follow, and an appeal goes to the state appellate court.
Criminal case flow: Arrest or Filing › District Court Arraignment › Preliminary Examination and Bind-Over › Circuit Court › Trial › Sentencing › Michigan Court of Appeals
The prosecutor reviews warrant and charge requests before a case is filed. The county's District Court criminal page explains the early criminal steps.
That page helps a reader see why a felony can appear in both District Court and Circuit Court records during its life. Case details for either court can be checked on the Jackson County court dockets page.
Specialty Courts in Jackson County
Jackson County runs several problem-solving courts that mix supervision with treatment. These programs aim to cut repeat offenses and steer eligible people toward recovery. They are separate from the standard docket and carry their own eligibility rules. The main programs are listed below.
- Adult Treatment Court / Recovery Court: intensive supervision and treatment for drug and alcohol offenders, with review hearings every other Friday.
- Veterans Treatment Court Track: a track of the Adult Treatment Court for veterans, with a mentor program and a minimum 13-month felony path.
- Mental Health Court: a District Court program that accepts misdemeanor and felony cases for defendants with serious mental illness.
- Business Court: a case-management docket built for complex business disputes and predictable resolution.
Judge Susan B. Jordan is named in the Adult Treatment Court handbook, and Judge Robert K. Gaecke Jr. sits on both the District and Circuit benches so he can hear felony cases accepted into Mental Health Court. The county's Mental Health Court page lists its goals and eligibility.
Program materials describe an 18 to 24 month path with phases, and applicants apply in person, through an attorney, by mail, or by email to the court coordinator.
Note: Specialty-court files follow the same public and nonpublic rules as other court records, so mental-health and juvenile details stay restricted.
Judges of the Jackson County Courts
Judges of the Circuit, District, and Probate courts are elected at large for six-year terms. The bench is shared across the combined court structure, and some judges hear more than one type of case. The current judges appear on the official court pages.
Circuit, Family, and Probate judges include Hon. Susan B. Jordan, Hon. Richard LaFlamme, Hon. John G. McBain, Hon. Jennifer Kelly, and Hon. Allison L. Bates, with Referee Kalle J. Lauer. District Court judges include Hon. Daniel A. Goostrey as Chief Judge, Hon. Robert K. Gaecke Jr. as Chief Judge Pro Tem, Hon. Michael J. Klaeren, and Hon. Nicole A. Hughes.
District Court Magistrate and Weddings
The District Court also runs magistrate and recorder functions that the higher court does not. A magistrate handles many civil infractions, small claims, and set matters, and a District Court magistrate or judge can perform wedding ceremonies at the courthouse. The wedding line is 517-788-4037. These duties keep routine matters moving without a full judge's docket.
The District Court records its hearings with digital software and produces transcripts on written request to the recorder. The judge and recorder page explains the recording system and transcript fees.
Transcripts run $1.75 per original page and $0.30 per copy page. For certified Circuit Court copies, the county's Jackson County Clerk of Court handles the request.