Access Ottawa County Bench Warrants
Ottawa County bench warrants come through the 20th Circuit Court and the 58th District Court. Grand Haven serves as the county seat. The 58th District Court has three courthouse locations across the county in Grand Haven, Holland, and Hudsonville. Ottawa County processes roughly 5,000 warrants each year. The Sheriff's Office has a dedicated warrant line for verification, and court records can be searched through the MiCOURT portal. This page covers how to find bench warrant records in Ottawa County and what to expect from each office.
Ottawa County Warrant Facts
Ottawa County Circuit Court Warrants
The 20th Circuit Court in Grand Haven handles felony bench warrants for Ottawa County. The main location is at 414 Washington Avenue, Suite 300, Grand Haven, MI 49417. Phone is (616) 846-8320. Fax is (616) 846-8179. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The court covers felony criminal cases, civil cases over $25,000, domestic relations matters, family court, appeals from district court, personal protection orders, and juvenile proceedings.
The Juvenile Court Division sits at 12120 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460. Phone is (616) 786-4100. This is also where the county's main administrative offices are located. County Clerk Justin F. Roebuck runs the Clerk/Register of Deeds office at 12220 Fillmore Street, Room 130, West Olive, MI 49460. Phone is (616) 994-4531. Email clerk@miottawa.org. The clerk maintains all circuit court records.
To get copies of records, you can visit in person with a valid ID, send a written request by mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment, or use the MiCOURT portal for basic info. Copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies are $11 per document, which is $10 for the certification plus $1 for the copy. Criminal record searches run $10.
58th District Court Bench Warrants
The 58th District Court serves all of Ottawa County across three locations. The Grand Haven location is at 414 Washington Avenue, phone (616) 846-8280. Email the criminal division at ghcrim@miottawa.org. The Holland location is at 85 West 8th Street, phone (616) 392-6991. The Hudsonville location is at 3100 Port Sheldon Road, phone (616) 662-3100.
This court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil cases up to $25,000, small claims up to $7,000, traffic violations, landlord-tenant disputes, and felony arraignments. It also issues arrest and search warrants, sets bail, and accepts bonds. Bench warrants here typically come from failure to appear at court dates, probation violations, or personal protection order violations. The court offers online records search through MiCOURT. Email ghcrim@miottawa.org for records questions. Live streaming is available for certain judges.
The MiCOURT Case Search portal is the main tool for searching Ottawa County court records online. Select Ottawa County and the court you want. Search by name, case number, or business name. The system provides case status, hearing dates, and party info. It is free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Note: Ottawa County processes about 5,000 warrants each year across its circuit and district courts.
Ottawa County Sheriff Warrant Search
The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office is at 12220 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460. Main phone is (616) 738-4000. Toll-free is (888) 731-1001. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sheriff Steve A. Kempker leads the department. Undersheriff Eric J. DeBoer is second in command.
The warrant division has a dedicated line at (616) 738-4040. Call during business hours to check for active bench warrants. You can also visit in person, call the main records line, or use the MiCOURT portal to look up case status. The sheriff serves warrants from both the 20th Circuit Court and the 58th District Court. All active warrants go into LEIN. Central Dispatch at (800) 249-0911 can verify basic warrant info but cannot give legal advice.
The correctional facility is at 12130 Fillmore Street, West Olive, phone (616) 738-4140. The inmate lookup on the sheriff's website lets you search by name or booking number. The Public Defender's Office at 12120 Fillmore Street, phone (616) 738-4633, helps qualifying individuals who have active warrants.
Ottawa County Records and FOIA
FOIA requests go through the county website at miottawa.org. The MCL 15.234 fee schedule applies to public records requests. Basic warrant status verification is free. Printed copies carry fees per the FOIA schedule. The circuit court has its own File/Copy Request Form. District court records requests go to ghcrim@miottawa.org. Sheriff's office records need a written request submitted in person or by mail.
Ottawa County warrants include the full name of the accused, the charges or reason for the warrant, the date of issuance, the issuing judge's signature, the case number, bond conditions, and instructions for law enforcement. Bench warrants for failure to appear list the original court date that was missed. Warrants tied to child support enforcement come through the Friend of the Court at 12120 Fillmore Street, phone and web access through miottawa.org.
Note: The Ottawa County warrant line at (616) 738-4040 is the most direct way to verify if a bench warrant is active.
What Ottawa County Bench Warrants Contain
Bench warrants issued in Ottawa County follow Michigan law requirements. Under MCL 764.1a, each warrant lists the full legal name of the accused, the specific charges or reason for the warrant, the date of issuance, the issuing judge's signature, and the court seal. The case number, bond amount, and instructions for law enforcement round out the document. Warrants for failure to appear note the original hearing date that was missed. Probation violation warrants list the specific terms that were broken. All warrants are entered into the LEIN database and can be enforced by any peace officer in Michigan. There is no expiration date for bench warrants in the state.
Cities in Ottawa County
Ottawa County includes the city of Grand Rapids on its eastern border (shared with Kent County). Holland and Grand Haven are other significant cities. No qualifying cities in Ottawa County have their own pages at this time. Bench warrant matters for Ottawa County cities go through the 58th District Court or 20th Circuit Court.
Nearby Counties
Counties that border Ottawa and may hold related bench warrant records: