About the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Lisa Brown serves as the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds. Michigan voters elect the clerk to this post. Brown also took on a statewide role as First Vice President of the Michigan Association of County Clerks, effective January 1, 2026. The office does far more than stamp court papers. It combines legal records, vital records, and elections in one place. It also handles property and land records, assumed names, notary service, passports, military discharge records, and concealed pistol license work.
For court records, the key sub-office is the Legal Records Division. That division records and maintains the case files created by the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court. A researcher who understands this split can save a trip. Vital records, land records, and court files each sit with a different counter and follow different rules.
Oakland County Legal Records Division
Clerk: Lisa Brown
1200 North Telegraph Road, Department 413
Pontiac, MI 48341
248-858-0582
clerklegal@oakgov.com
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Oakland County Legal Records Division
The Legal Records Division is the court-record arm of the Clerk/Register of Deeds. Its official page states that the office records and maintains civil, domestic, felony criminal, and business court files for the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court. That covers a wide range of cases. Contracts, lawsuits over $25,000, divorces, custody matters, and authorized felony files all pass through this division.
The division works as a public counter and a records hub. Staff accept filings, collect fees, issue certified copies, and answer questions about Circuit Court case files. The office does not create district-court or probate files. Those live with the district courts and the Probate Court instead. A person who filed a ticket case or a small claim should contact the district court that handled the matter.
The county's court-records page for Legal Records explains the division's role in plain terms. A visit to the Legal Records court records page shows the case types the office keeps and links to the fee and forms tools.
The page frames Legal Records as the home for Circuit Court civil, domestic, felony, and business court records in Oakland County. It points searchers to Court Explorer for online access and to the counter for certified work.
Searching Oakland County Court Records Online
Court Explorer is the county's online window into Sixth Judicial Circuit public legal records. The clerk built the tool to widen access to Circuit and Probate public records. Users can search by party name or by case number. The system shows primary case party information, the register of actions, and options to order copies of documents filed in a case.
Court Explorer covers domestic cases such as divorce, custody, and parenting time. It also covers civil cases such as contract, business, appeals, and general civil actions over $25,000. Felony criminal case types appear as well. The county is clear about its limits. Personal Protection Orders, juvenile matters, and probate mental health records are not available through Court Explorer.
One warning matters for every user. The county states that the information in Court Explorer is not the official record. It should not be used for a criminal background check. The official file stays with the court and clerk. Anyone who needs a broader criminal history is directed to the Michigan State Police rather than to this portal.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | Optional | Use the party name as it appears in the case. |
| Case Number | Text | Optional | Useful when known from notices, pleadings, or docket letters. |
| Document order | Portal action | Optional | Copy purchase depends on the portal workflow. |
How to Request Oakland County Certified Copies
A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and proves that a document matches the court file. Courts, agencies, and banks often demand this level of proof. A plain copy costs less but does not carry the seal. The steps below cover a Circuit Court document held by Legal Records.
- Identify the case. Find the case number and party names first. Court Explorer can locate a Circuit Court case by name or by case number.
- Choose the format. Decide between a plain copy and a certified copy, and note the exact document you need.
- List the details. Write down the document title, the filing date if known, and the number of copies.
- Pay the fee. A certified copy costs $10 plus $1 per page. A plain copy costs $1 per page.
- Submit and collect. Bring the request to the Legal Records counter or mail it, then pick up in person or wait for return mail.
Counter service runs Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mailed requests should include the correct fee and clear document details. A phone call to 248-858-0582 can confirm the amount before a check is sent.
Oakland County Clerk Records Request Fields
A clean request speeds up the search. Legal Records staff need enough detail to pull the right file and produce the right copy. The table lists the core details that belong on a Circuit Court records request. Missing fields can slow the work or return the wrong document.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | Helpful | Speeds the search; find it through Court Explorer if unknown. |
| Party Names | Yes | List names as they appear in the case caption. |
| Document Type | Yes | Name the specific filing, order, or judgment needed. |
| Certified or Plain | Yes | Certified copies carry the clerk's seal for official use. |
| Number of Copies | Yes | Each copy adds to the per-page charge. |
| Requester Contact | Yes | Include a mailing address for returned copies. |
Oakland County Clerk Fees and Forms
Legal Records posts filing fees, copy fees, and links to state forms on one official page. Filing fees vary by case type. Copy fees stay the same across case types. The schedule below comes from the county fee page and applies to Circuit Court matters handled by the clerk.
The county's fees and forms page holds the current schedule and the SCAO form links.
The page groups civil, family, motion, and copy charges together so filers can plan a payment before they reach the counter.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Civil case | $175 |
| Civil appeal from District Court or Probate Court | $150 |
| Civil case filed by governmental agency | $150 |
| Divorce without minor children | $175 |
| Divorce with minor children | $255 |
| Custody or paternity case | $255 |
| Driver restoration case | $175 |
| Name change or emancipation case | $175 |
| Appeal from Circuit Court | $25 |
| Jury fee | $85 |
| Motion fee - other | $20 |
| Garnishment | $15 |
| Regular photocopy | $1 per page |
| Certified photocopy | $10 plus $1 per page |
The same page links the state court forms most often seen in civil and family files. These SCAO forms help a user recognize document names that appear in Court Explorer.
- MC 97a Addendum to Protected Personal Identifying Information
- MC 02 Appearance and MC 03 Answer for civil cases
- MC 07 and MC 07a Default Request, Affidavit, and Entry
- MC 20 Fee Waiver Request for those who cannot pay
- MC 326 Notice of Hearing and Motion and MC 303 Motion for Alternate Service
Note: motion fees vary by type, with custody or parenting-time post-judgment motions at $100 and support post-judgment motions at $60.
Michigan Public Access Rules for Court Records
Court records in Oakland County follow court rules, not the general open-records path. Michigan's Freedom of Information Act sets a public policy that favors access to the records of public bodies. Yet the act treats court files differently. The clerk acting as a circuit-court clerk falls outside the FOIA definition of a public body.
The policy section of the law explains the state's stance on open records. The text of MCL 15.231 sets that public-access policy.
That policy statement shows why residents expect broad access, even though court files run on a separate track.
The definitions section draws the line that keeps court files out of the FOIA route. It excludes the judiciary, including the county clerk when acting as circuit-court clerk, from the meaning of a public body. The text of MCL 15.232 holds that definition.
Because of this rule, a request for Circuit Court files goes to Legal Records and Court Explorer, not to a county FOIA desk. County executive-branch records may still use FOIA, but court files do not.
Oakland County Vital Records and the Troy Office
The Clerk/Register of Deeds also issues vital records. This branch handles marriage, birth, and death certificates for events tied to the county. Marriage licenses are issued by the clerk, and certified marriage certificates are ordered from the same office. All marriage copies issued are certified. The first copy of a birth, death, or marriage record costs $15, with $5 for each added copy of the same record.
Two service locations serve the public. The Pontiac office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with no appointment needed for marriage licenses. The Troy satellite office runs on an appointment basis. In September 2025, the clerk announced expanded service hours at the Troy office for vital records, notary, and concealed pistol license appointments. Those hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with an appointment required.
Divorce files sit with the court side of the office as Circuit Court domestic records. A divorce record can be searched, viewed, or purchased through Court Explorer, and the case file lives with Legal Records. More detail on both certificates and divorce files appears in the county marriage and divorce records resources.
Note: records before 1942 are available in person or by mail only, and mailed certificate requests are processed within three business days.