The main Wayne County courthouse phone number depends on which court and division handles your matter. For the Third Judicial Circuit Court, civil cases go through (313) 224-5261, criminal cases through (313) 224-2500, and family cases through (313) 224-5510. The Wayne County Probate Court runs on its own set of lines beginning with (313) 967-4030. Misdemeanors, traffic tickets, evictions, and small claims in Detroit go through the 36th District Court at (313) 965-2200, which is a separate court entirely.
Third Circuit Court Numbers by Division
The Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan is the largest circuit court in the state, with 59 judges spread across three operating divisions.1Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. About Us Each division answers its own line, so calling the right number the first time saves you from being bounced around.
- Civil Division: (313) 224-5261. Lawsuits seeking more than $25,000, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, and real estate litigation.2Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Contact
- Criminal Division: (313) 224-2500. All felony cases; can also provide information about defendants and upcoming hearings.2Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Contact
- Family Division (Domestic Relations): (313) 224-5510. Divorce, custody, child support, and personal protection orders.3Michigan Legal Help. 3rd Circuit Court – Wayne County – Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
- Jury Services: (313) 224-5650. Call this line if you received a jury summons and need to reschedule or confirm your service date.2Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Contact
Wayne County Probate Court Numbers
The Probate Court operates independently from the Third Circuit Court and handles guardianships, conservatorships, estate administration, and mental health matters. It uses several direct lines depending on what you need.
- Case Initiation (Service Clerks): (313) 967-4030
- Records Department: (313) 967-4041
- General Inquiries and Email Filing Issues: (313) 224-5706
- Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities: (313) 967-4013
- Court Attorney: (313) 967-4042
If you’re opening a new probate case, the service clerks line at (313) 967-4030 is the most useful first call. For status updates on an existing estate or guardianship, the records department at (313) 967-4041 can pull your file.4Wayne County Probate Court. Contact Us
36th District Court (Detroit)
People searching for a Wayne County court phone number often actually need the 36th District Court. It is a separate court that handles misdemeanors, traffic violations, landlord-tenant disputes, and small claims in Detroit. The main number is (313) 965-2200.536th District Court. Home If your matter involves a traffic ticket, an eviction, or a civil claim under $25,000, that court is likely the right one rather than the Third Circuit.
Courthouse Addresses
Wayne County court operations are spread across several buildings in Detroit, and knowing which building your division sits in matters when you visit or mail documents.
- Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226. Houses the Civil Division, Family Division (Domestic Relations), and the Probate Court (Suite 1305).6Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Hours, Locations and Parking4Wayne County Probate Court. Contact Us
- Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, 1441 Saint Antoine Street, Detroit, MI 48226. Houses the Criminal Division.
- Lincoln Hall of Justice, 1025 E. Forest Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201. Houses the Family Division (Juvenile section).6Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Hours, Locations and Parking
- Criminal Justice Center, 5301 Russell Street, Detroit, MI 48211.
- Friend of the Court, 645 Griswold Street, Detroit, MI 48226.7Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Important Court Locations
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Clerks can help you much faster when you have a few things in front of you. The single most useful item is your case number, which typically starts with the filing year followed by a series of digits. If you don’t have a case number yet, the full legal names of every party involved will let the clerk search the system.
For a jury summons, find the barcode or identification number printed on the document before dialing. For probate matters, having either the decedent’s full name or the estate file number lets the records department locate your case quickly.8Wayne County Court. Wayne County Probate Court Records Knowing the date of any upcoming hearing or filing deadline also helps, since clerks can confirm whether something has been properly scheduled.
Before you call at all, you can look up many case details yourself through the court’s free Odyssey Public Access portal, available on the Third Circuit Court’s website. It searches by case number or party name.9Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. Case Search The records are unofficial, electronic copies of documents are not available through the portal, and name searches can return different people who share a name. If you need a certified copy, you’ll still need the clerk’s office.
When the automated menu picks up, listen through the full set of options before pressing anything, because departments don’t always map to what you’d expect. Once you reach a clerk, ask for their name and, if they give you deadline or filing information, write it down along with the date and time of the call. If they need to research your question, they may call you back rather than keep you on hold, so give a reliable number and check your voicemail.