Van Buren County Phone Directory

The Van Buren County phone directory covers public records and government contacts in Paw Paw and throughout this southwest Michigan county along Lake Michigan. Van Buren County holds court records, property deeds, vital record files, and contact info across offices at the county courthouse. You can search the phone directory for the County Clerk, Register of Deeds, the 36th Circuit Court, and the 7th District Court. Court records show up in MiCOURT for free. Property and vital record requests may need a call or visit to the clerk's office. This page walks you through each office, what it holds, and how to reach the right contact in the Van Buren County phone directory.

Van Buren County Clerk Phone Numbers

The Van Buren County Clerk handles vital records, court filings, and election services at the courthouse in Paw Paw. The office is at 212 E. Paw Paw Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079. Call (269) 657-8218 to reach the clerk. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Birth, death, and marriage records are on file going back decades. Birth records under 100 years old are restricted under MCL 333.2815-333.2861. Only the person named, a parent, or a legal representative can get copies. Older birth records are open to anyone. Death and marriage records are generally public. Copies run about $22 at the county level. The state charges $34 through MDHHS for the first copy and $16 for each extra one. The Van Buren County phone directory puts you in direct contact with the staff who process these requests.

Marriage licenses are issued by this office. Bring valid ID and $20. The three-day waiting period in Michigan applies unless waived by a judge. Call through the Van Buren County phone directory to check what you need before you go.

You can also get vital records from the state MDHHS office. Order online at michigan.gov/mdhhs/vitalrecords, by mail, or in person in Lansing. The state office covers records from all 83 Michigan counties.

Van Buren County Property Records Directory

The Van Buren County Register of Deeds records land documents for the entire county. Deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and plats are all on file at the courthouse in Paw Paw. Call (269) 657-8241 for property record questions or to request copies.

Each recorded document shows the grantor and grantee names, legal description, consideration amount, and the recording date. Standard copies are $1 per page. Certified copies run more. The Van Buren County phone directory for property records is especially useful for searches along the Lake Michigan shoreline and in the wine country areas around Paw Paw and South Haven. The Register of Deeds staff can help with searches going back many years.

Property tax data comes from the Van Buren County Treasurer. Tax records show assessed and taxable values plus payment history for every parcel. Reach the treasurer at the same courthouse address. The phone directory sorts out which office handles which type of property question.

Van Buren County Court Records Search

The 36th Circuit Court handles felony cases, civil matters over $25,000, family law, and probate for Van Buren County. The courthouse is in Paw Paw. The 7th District Court covers misdemeanors, traffic violations, small claims, and civil cases under $25,000. Both courts have records in MiCOURT.

Search by last name with at least two letters or by full case number. MiCOURT shows party names, case type codes, filing dates, status, and hearing outcomes. CR is for criminal cases. CB means civil. DR covers domestic relations. TR is traffic. The Van Buren County phone directory for court records includes the clerk contacts for both courts. Call if you need copies of documents that are not posted online. Most Michigan courts do not have document images on the web.

Court records are public in Michigan with some exceptions. Juvenile cases are restricted. Sealed and expunged records do not show up in searches. Drug offenses under MCL 333.7411 and HYTA cases are also kept from public view. The Van Buren County phone directory court listings will help you find the right clerk if a record is missing from MiCOURT.

State Databases for Van Buren Searches

Michigan's statewide tools cover Van Buren County phone directory searches. The ICHAT system from the Michigan State Police runs criminal background checks for $10. You need a full name and date of birth. Results show Michigan convictions and sex offender status. ICHAT does not cover other states. Results are valid for 30 days.

The Michigan Voter Information Center is a free tool that shows voter registration data. Enter a name, birth month, year, and ZIP code. The Secretary of State business entity search lets you look up companies filed in Michigan by name, officer, or ID number. These state-level phone directory tools work alongside the local Van Buren County resources listed above.

The Michigan Open Data Portal is a free resource with state agency datasets. It is shown below.

Download data in CSV, Shapefile, or other formats. The portal supplements what the Van Buren County phone directory offers with broader state-level datasets.

FOIA Requests in Van Buren County

Under MCL 15.231-15.246, anyone can request government records from Van Buren County through the Freedom of Information Act. Residency is not required. The county must respond within 5 business days. Copy fees are $0.10 per page. Electronic files cost the price of the media. If costs go past $50, a deposit may be needed. Fee waivers are available for low-income requestors or public interest requests.

Send FOIA requests to the Van Buren County Clerk at 212 E. Paw Paw Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079. Call (269) 657-8218 to check on your request or find the right FOIA coordinator. Each county department may handle FOIA separately. The Van Buren County phone directory helps you figure out where to send your request.

Criminal History in Van Buren County

For criminal background searches in Van Buren County, you have two main tools. ICHAT gives you a statewide criminal check for $10. MiCOURT shows individual case records from the 36th Circuit Court and 7th District Court. Between the two, you can see convictions, charges, plea entries, sentencing info, and case status.

ICHAT only shows convictions. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction are left out. Juvenile records and expunged cases do not appear. MiCOURT gives more detail per case but you need to know which court to search. The Van Buren County phone directory connects you to the right court clerk if you need more info on a specific case.

How to Use the Van Buren Phone Directory

The Van Buren County phone directory covers several record types. Here is where to start for each one.

• Court cases: Search MiCOURT for 36th Circuit and 7th District Court records
• Property deeds: Contact the Register of Deeds at (269) 657-8241
• Vital records: Call the County Clerk at (269) 657-8218
• Criminal background: Use ICHAT for $10 per search
• Business filings: Search the Secretary of State site for free

Court searches are free on MiCOURT. Other records have fees. The Van Buren County phone directory gives you the right number to call so you can get the records you need without delays.

Nearby Counties in the Phone Directory

Van Buren County is in southwest Michigan along Lake Michigan. Searches that cross county lines may need records from a neighboring county.