About the Clinton County Clerk's Office
Stephanie L. Dush is the current Clinton County Clerk and Register of Deeds. She was appointed by the 29th Judicial Circuit Court judges in February 2026 after two decades of county service, including a stint as Chief Deputy Clerk and Register of Deeds from 2022 to 2026. The office says the clerk is elected during each presidential election year to a four-year term, so the appointment fills the seat until the next scheduled election. Sarah A. Stoltzfus now serves as Chief Deputy Clerk and Register of Deeds.
The clerk wears two hats at once. On the court side, the office is the filing hub for circuit court civil, criminal, and family cases, and it prepares the sentencing commitments that send convicted felons to jail or prison. On the records side, it registers births, deaths, and marriages and carries out a long list of statutory county duties. That dual role is why a single office in St. Johns handles both a divorce file and a birth certificate.
Clinton County Clerk / Register of Deeds
Clerk: Stephanie L. Dush
100 E State Street, Suite 2600
St. Johns, MI 48879
989-224-5140
Fax: 989-224-5102
clerk@clinton-county.org
Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. (closed noon to 1; arrive by 4:30 p.m.)
What the Clinton County Clerk Does
The clerk's responsibilities stretch across the courthouse and county government. As Clerk of the Court, the office receives and maintains the legal documents filed in circuit court and keeps those case files organized for judges, attorneys, and the public. As Registrar of Vital Records, it records the life events that people later need to prove for benefits, travel, and legal matters. The office also anchors several boards that keep county government and elections running.
- Files and maintains circuit court civil, criminal, and family case records
- Prepares sentencing commitments to jail or prison for convicted felons
- Sends abstracts of conviction to the Michigan Secretary of State for LEIN entry
- Registers births, deaths, and marriages as the county registrar of vital records
- Staffs the Jury Board, Board of Canvassers, Plat Board, and county election functions
Election duties alone are substantial. The office supports the Board of Canvassers, the County Election Commission, the Apportionment Commission, and the Board of Commissioners, and it certifies results after each election. The Plat Board work ties the office to county land development, while the Jury Board manages the pool that fills circuit and district court jury panels.
Vital Records and County Clerk Services
Beyond case files, the office issues and records a broad set of documents. Marriage licenses, birth records, and death certificates are the most requested, but the counter also handles licensing, business filings, and notary work. Many of these transactions can be started online through the clerk's Tyler-hosted self-service site, while certified certificates and older files are handled in person or by mail.
- Marriage licenses, plus certified copies of marriage records
- Birth records, including home births, and death certificates
- Concealed pistol licenses and military discharge (DD-214) orders
- Assumed name / DBA and co-partnership certificates
- Notary services, veteran's peddler licenses, and PA 116 farmland applications and terminations
Couples who need a license or a certified marriage certificate can start with the office's marriage worksheet and the details on the Clinton County marriage and divorce records page before visiting the counter. Assumed name, marriage, and death searches run through the clerk's Tyler self-service portal, which behaves like a library catalog and asks users to try several spelling variations. Passport processing sits on the Register of Deeds side of the office rather than at the clerk's court counter.
Searching Clinton County Clerk Records
Circuit court records are the heart of the clerk's public search function, and the county splits access by filing date. Records filed before July 1996 can be searched in the office at no charge, or by mail for $10 per name for a ten-year search. Records filed after July 1996 can be searched online, in person, or by mail, again at $10 per name for a ten-year search. The clerk says mailed searches are completed within 24 hours of arrival.
The county's online index is the fastest first step for newer cases. The link below opens the county's Record Searches page, which routes users to the right search tool for each record type.
That page confirms the county treats its online index as a starting reference rather than a certified record, which is why verified information is requested from the clerk or checked in person. The underlying CaseLook portal is built around name, attorney, agency, judge, and date-range fields rather than a single case-number box, so a searcher who does not know the case number can still work by party name.
No single portal holds every record. Circuit cases run through the clerk's index and the statewide MiCOURT system, district court matters have their own case inquiry, and marriage, death, and DBA filings sit in the Tyler self-service site. For a full walk through each channel, the Clinton County court records page maps which search tool matches which record type. Older circuit files that never went online are reached only in person or by mail.
How to Request a Certified Copy
A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and is accepted for legal proceedings, benefits, and official filings, unlike an uncertified printout from an online index. Ordering one is straightforward once the case or record is identified. Requests can be made at the counter or by mail, and mail requests are turned around quickly.
- Identify the record. Note the case number if known, or the full party names and the approximate filing date so the office can locate the file.
- Prepare a written request. State the document you need, the number of certified copies, and a return mailing address.
- Include payment and a return envelope. Add a check or money order payable to Clinton County Clerk and a self-addressed stamped envelope for mail requests.
- Submit and collect. Drop the request at Suite 2600 or mail it to the clerk; in-office searches are handled at the counter and mailed searches are completed within 24 hours.
What a Mail Request Must Include
Mail requests move fastest when they arrive complete. The clerk asks for a written request, payment, and a return envelope, and the more identifying detail a request carries, the more likely the search lands on the right file. The table below lists the fields a mailed records request should cover.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | No | Speeds the search when known; party names can substitute if it is not. |
| Party Names | Yes | Full legal names; the ten-year search runs per name. |
| Document Type | Yes | Name the record or certificate needed, such as a judgment or marriage record. |
| Number of Copies | Yes | State how many plain or certified copies are needed. |
| Payment | Yes | Check or money order payable to Clinton County Clerk. |
| Return Envelope | Yes | Self-addressed stamped envelope for the completed request. |
Note: A circuit case search costs $10 per name for a ten-year period, so listing every relevant name up front avoids a second request and a second fee.
Clinton County Clerk Fees
The clerk publishes a clear fee schedule for copies, searches, and record delivery. Fees attach to copies and searches, not to simply viewing a public file. The office also offers electronic delivery, which can be cheaper than paper for large files. The county's filing-fee reference lays out the amounts.
The link below opens the county's Filing Fees page, which the clerk keeps current for court copies and record requests.
That schedule sets the per-page and per-search charges used at the counter and by mail, and the amounts below reflect the clerk's court-record fee rules.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Court copy, first 10 pages | $2 per page |
| Court copy, after 10 pages | $0.50 per page |
| Certified copy | $1 per page plus $10 |
| Circuit case search | $10 per name (10-year search) |
| Faxed copies | $5 per page (cover sheet included, 25-page limit) |
| Email documents or data | $5 per document, up to 10 documents |
| USB documents or data | $15 plus postage if applicable |
The Register of Deeds Side
The clerk and the Register of Deeds are the same elected officer, but the land-records work runs from a separate suite one floor apart from the court counter. The Register of Deeds handles recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, and property indexes, and it processes passport applications for county residents. Anyone chasing property history or a passport should aim for this counter rather than the clerk's court window.
The link below opens the county's Register of Deeds page, which explains the office's recording services and hours.
That page confirms the recording office shares the clerk's hours and sits at Suite 2500. Property searchers can move from the recording counter to the online index, which lists documents by name and instrument type.
The county also publishes a searchable deeds index for land records. The link below opens the Deeds Index the Register of Deeds maintains for recorded documents.
The deeds index is the entry point for title chains and lien checks, and it complements the clerk's court and vital-records tools rather than replacing them.
Clinton County Register of Deeds
Register: Stephanie L. Dush
100 E State Street, Suite 2500
St. Johns, MI 48879
989-224-5270
Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. (closed noon to 1)
Filing and Access Channels
Getting a Clinton County Clerk record is a matter of matching the record to the right channel. Newer circuit cases are quickest online, while older files, certified certificates, and specialty documents need the counter or the mail. The office keeps several front doors open so residents can pick the one that fits their record and their timeline.
- Online: the county Record Searches page and CaseLook index for newer circuit cases
- In person: the clerk's counter at Suite 2600 for searches, copies, and licenses
- By mail: written request, payment to Clinton County Clerk, and a return envelope
- Self-service: the Tyler-hosted portal for marriage, death, and DBA filings
- Statewide: the MiCOURT case search for circuit and district court records
For circuit matters that go beyond a simple copy, the office coordinates with the trial court itself. Details on hearings, judges, and the broader docket live with the Clinton County Circuit Court, which files through this same clerk. Whichever door a resident uses, the office asks visitors to arrive by 4:30 p.m. so transactions can be completed before closing.