Van Buren County Traffic Ticket Records
Van Buren County traffic ticket records are maintained at two court locations in Paw Paw. The Circuit Court is at 212 E Paw Paw Street and the District Court is at 205 W Main Street. Citations issued on I-94, Blue Star Highway, and other county roads in this southwest Michigan county are processed through these courts. MiCOURT offers free online case search access. Both clerks handle phone and in-person requests. This page covers how to find and access Van Buren County traffic case records.
Van Buren County Overview
Van Buren County Circuit and District Court
The Van Buren County Circuit Court is at 212 E Paw Paw Street in Paw Paw, phone (269) 657-8211. The District Court is at 205 W Main Street in Paw Paw, phone (269) 657-8228. These are separate addresses, so confirm which court handles your case before visiting. For most traffic tickets, the District Court at W Main Street is the right place. It handles civil infractions, misdemeanor traffic violations, and first-offense OWI charges. Circuit Court handles felony traffic cases and appeals from District Court decisions.
Under MCL 257.907, civil traffic infractions in Michigan are not criminal matters. They carry fines and points but not jail time for most offenses. When a citation is issued in Van Buren County, the defendant receives a deadline to respond. Options include paying the fine, admitting with an explanation, or requesting a formal hearing to contest the ticket. The District Court clerk at (269) 657-8228 can explain what options apply to a specific citation.
Van Buren County runs along the Lake Michigan shoreline in southwest Michigan. I-94 cuts through the county and is heavily traveled. The Michigan State Police and county sheriff both actively patrol this corridor, and traffic citations from those agencies go to the Paw Paw courts. The county also sees seasonal traffic from lake communities in summer, which adds to the citation volume in warmer months.
Cities like South Haven and Bangor in Van Buren County may have local municipal courts for city-issued citations. But for county-level traffic records, the District Court at 205 W Main Street in Paw Paw is the primary source.
| Circuit Court | 212 E Paw Paw Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079 |
|---|---|
| Circuit Court Phone | (269) 657-8211 |
| District Court | 205 W Main Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079 |
| District Court Phone | (269) 657-8228 |
| Region | Southwest Lower Michigan (Lake Michigan shore) |
Circuit and District Courts are at separate addresses in Paw Paw. Confirm which court holds your record before visiting.
Van Buren County Traffic Records on MiCOURT
Michigan's free statewide public case search, MiCOURT, covers Van Buren County District and Circuit Court records. No account is required. Go to the MiCOURT site, accept the terms of service, complete the CAPTCHA, and enter a last name or case number. Results display party names, charges, case type, current status, and docket history. MiCOURT is run by the Michigan Courts administrative office and updated regularly.
MiCOURT is the best starting point if you want to verify whether a Van Buren County traffic ticket was filed as a case, what the outcome was, and whether any fine is still outstanding. Civil infraction dispositions are visible in the results. For criminal traffic matters, charge and sentence details are included.
Older cases from the early 1990s and before may not appear in MiCOURT if they predate the county's digital records. If a case does not come up in the online search, call the Van Buren County District Court clerk at (269) 657-8228. Staff can do a manual search of older paper records and confirm whether a file exists.
ExpressSOS and Van Buren County Driving Records
When a traffic conviction is recorded in Van Buren County, the court sends notice to the Michigan Secretary of State. The SOS updates the driver's record with the conviction and the applicable points. You can check your record or order a copy at any time through the ExpressSOS online portal.
The ExpressSOS portal lets you order a certified driving record for $12. Log in or create an account, enter your license number, date of birth, and last four digits of your Social Security number. Your record is available right after payment. It shows your full Michigan conviction history, current point total, and license status as defined under MCL 257.328. If you think a Van Buren County conviction was added in error, contact the SOS at (888) 767-6424 to open a dispute.
Traffic Points in Van Buren County
Each traffic conviction in Van Buren County is reported to the Secretary of State. Under MCL 257.320, points are assigned based on the violation and tracked on a two-year rolling window from the conviction date. When two years pass since a conviction, those points drop off the record and are no longer counted. The current point total reflects only the past two years.
Point values by offense: speeding 1 to 10 mph over is 1 point; following too close is 2 points; careless driving is 3 points; speeding 11 to 15 mph over is 3 points; disobeying a traffic signal is 4 points; speeding 16 or more mph over is 4 points; reckless driving is 6 points; OWI is 6 points. When multiple violations are cited in a single stop, only the highest point value counts toward the total.
At 12 points in a two-year period, the SOS requires a mandatory driver reexamination. At 18 or more points, license suspension may follow. The SOS sends a warning letter at 6 points. You can check your balance any time at the ExpressSOS portal. Drivers on a probationary level 2 license who receive citations in Van Buren County face tighter rules. Two tickets in 12 months or a single 4-point or higher offense can trigger mandatory reexamination regardless of total point count.
Requesting Copies of Van Buren County Traffic Records
To get a copy of a traffic case record from Van Buren County, contact the District Court clerk at 205 W Main Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079. The phone number is (269) 657-8228. Ask the clerk what documents are available for your case, whether you need a certified or plain copy, and what the current fee is. Certified copies have the court's official seal and are used for formal purposes such as submitting to an insurance company or presenting in another court. Plain copies work for personal reference.
For mail requests, write a letter that includes your full name, the case number if you have it, and the approximate date of the ticket or hearing. Include a check or money order made out to the court and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The clerk will send the copy once the request is processed. Call ahead to get the current per-page fee before sending payment.
Michigan driving records are maintained separately by the Secretary of State. Order yours online through ExpressSOS for $12. Third parties who need another person's driving record must use form BDVR-154 and certify a permissible purpose under MCL 257.208c. Qualifying purposes include insurance underwriting, legal representation, and certain employer needs tied to CDL holders.
Nearby Counties
Van Buren County is in southwest Michigan along the Lake Michigan shore. These surrounding counties maintain their own traffic records through MiCOURT and local district courts.