Jenison, Michigan Public Records

The 20th Circuit Court, located at 414 Washington Street in the same courthouse complex (phone: 616-846-8310, website: www.miottawa.org/Courts/CircuitCourt), has jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil cases exceeding $25,000, family matters including divorce and custody, juvenile cases, and appeals from district court. The Ottawa County Probate Court, also at 414 Washington Street (phone: 616-846-8330), handles estates, wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental health commitments. Michigan courts participate in a statewide online case search system through the Michigan Judicial Data Warehouse at https://mdocweb.state.mi.us/otis/otis2.aspx, though coverage varies by court and case type. Ottawa County provides some online case access through the county website. Certified copies of court documents cost $10 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Case file copies cost $1 per page. Small claims filing fees range from $32 to $67 depending on claim amount. Civil filing fees in circuit court range from $175 to $375 depending on case type.

The department maintains a free, searchable online property database at www.miottawa.org/Departments/Equalization/propertysearch.htm where residents can search by parcel number, address, or owner name to view current assessed values, taxable values, property characteristics, sales history, and tax information. The system includes detailed property cards with building descriptions, lot dimensions, and assessment history. The Ottawa County Register of Deeds, located at 12220 Fillmore Street, Suite 160, West Olive, MI 49460 (phone: 616-994-4520, website: www.miottawa.org/Departments/RegisterofDeeds), records all real property documents including warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, mortgages, mortgage discharges, land contracts, easements, liens, and restrictions. The Register of Deeds provides free online access to recorded documents from 1965 to present at www.miottawa.org/Departments/RegisterofDeeds/LandRecords.htm. Users can search by name, document type, date, or legal description and view digitized images of original documents at no charge. Recording fees are $30 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. Ottawa County also maintains a sophisticated GIS mapping system accessible at https://gis.miottawa.org/publicweb that allows users to search parcels, view aerial photography, examine zoning, and access property information layers.

The Georgetown Township area has experienced substantial commercial development along Chicago Drive (M-121) and Baldwin Street, with national retailers, restaurants, and service businesses creating employment opportunities. Manufacturing remains important to the broader Ottawa County economy, with several precision manufacturing and automotive supply companies operating in nearby industrial parks. The median household income in Jenison is approximately $72,000, higher than the Michigan state average, reflecting the community's stable middle-class character. Many Jenison residents commute to professional and healthcare jobs in downtown Grand Rapids, just 15 minutes away. Recent economic development has focused on mixed-use developments combining retail, office, and residential spaces, particularly along the Chicago Drive corridor. The area's strong school system and proximity to Grand Rapids continue to drive residential growth. Agriculture plays a diminishing but still present role, with some agricultural operations remaining on the township's western and southern edges, though residential and commercial development continues to convert farmland.

Jenison is served by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 12220 Fillmore Street in West Olive, Michigan 49460 (phone: 616-738-4000, website: www.miottawa.org/sheriff). The Sheriff's Office provides full law enforcement services to Georgetown Township and Jenison, including patrol, investigations, and dispatch services. To request police reports or incident records, residents must submit a FOIA request in writing to the Sheriff's Office Records Division at the West Olive address or through the county website. Reports typically cost $0.05 per page for copies, with certain sensitive information redacted according to state law. The Ottawa County Jail, located at the same Fillmore Street complex, houses inmates for both pre-trial detention and sentenced misdemeanor offenders. The jail maintains an online inmate roster accessible at www.miottawa.org/Departments/Sheriff/InmateSearch.htm, which displays current inmates' names, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and booking photographs. This roster is updated in real-time and is searchable by name or booking number. Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231-15.246) governs all public records requests to law enforcement agencies, requiring responses within five business days of receipt. Certain records including ongoing investigation files, confidential informant information, and records that would endanger officer safety may be exempt from disclosure. The Sheriff's Office charges actual costs for labor exceeding the first hour of search time when processing extensive FOIA requests.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek at www.michigan.gov/mdhhs for an additional processing fee, with expedited delivery options. Standard processing takes 4-6 weeks, while expedited service takes 1-2 weeks. Birth records less than 100 years old and death records less than 50 years old are restricted to eligible requesters including the person named on the record, immediate family members, legal representatives, or those with court orders. The Ottawa County Clerk, located at 12220 Fillmore Street, Suite 130, West Olive, MI 49460 (phone: 616-994-4510, website: www.miottawa.org/Departments/CountyClerk), issues marriage licenses for couples marrying in Ottawa County. The marriage license fee is $30 and requires both applicants to appear in person with valid photo identification and social security numbers. There is no waiting period, and licenses are valid for 33 days. Marriage records are public and searchable at the County Clerk's office. Divorce records are maintained by the 20th Circuit Court at the Ottawa County Courthouse in Grand Haven, as divorce cases are court proceedings. The County Clerk can provide certified copies of divorce decrees for $3 per document plus $1 per page. Ottawa County vital records date back to the county's establishment in 1837, with digital indexes available for many historical records.

Ottawa County does not issue general business licenses but does regulate specific activities including food service, health services, and septic system installers through the Ottawa County Public Health Department at 12251 James Street, Holland, MI 49424 (phone: 616-396-5266). Fictitious business name registrations (Doing Business As) are filed with the County Clerk at 12220 Fillmore Street, Suite 130, West Olive, MI 49460, with a filing fee of $10. These registrations are valid indefinitely unless the business dissolves. Michigan corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships are registered with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations Division. The state maintains a free online business entity search at www.michigan.gov/corpentitysearch where users can look up business names, registered agents, formation dates, entity status, and corporate officers. The database includes all Michigan corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and nonprofit organizations. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements and lien searches are filed with and searchable through the Michigan Department of State at www.michigan.gov/sos. Property tax information for commercial properties in Jenison is accessible through the Ottawa County Equalization Department's online property search system, showing assessed values, taxable values, and current tax obligations for all commercial and industrial parcels.

Jenison voters are served by the Ottawa County Clerk's Elections Division, located at 12220 Fillmore Street, Suite 130, West Olive, MI 49460 (phone: 616-994-4512, website: www.miottawa.org/Departments/CountyClerk/elections.htm). Michigan residents can register to vote online through the Michigan Voter Information Center at www.michigan.gov/vote, with registration accepted up to 15 days before an election or in person with proof of residency up through Election Day at the local clerk's office. Georgetown Township Clerk's office at 1515 Baldwin Street, Jenison, MI 49428 (phone: 616-457-2340) also handles voter registration and processes absentee ballot requests for Jenison residents. Valid photo identification or the last four digits of a Social Security number is required for registration. Since Jenison is unincorporated, there are no mayoral or city council elections specific to Jenison; residents vote in Georgetown Township trustee and supervisor elections held in even-numbered years during the August primary and November general election. Georgetown Township elects a supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and four trustees to four-year terms. Jenison residents can locate their assigned polling place using the Michigan Voter Information Center at www.michigan.gov/vote by entering their address; Georgetown Township operates multiple precincts across Jenison at schools, fire stations, and community centers. Michigan public election records include voter registration lists (available by request with restrictions on use), campaign finance disclosures through the Michigan Secretary of State at www.michigan.gov/sos, candidate filings, and precinct-level election results. Ottawa County's November 2024 presidential election saw approximately 67% voter turnout, with over 220,000 ballots cast countywide. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature Michigan's gubernatorial race (Governor Gretchen Whitmer's term expires), all Michigan House of Representatives seats (110 districts), Ottawa County commissioners, Georgetown Township offices, and various judicial positions including 20th Circuit Court judges. No U.S. Senate seat from Michigan is up in 2026. Michigan offers no-reason absentee voting; any registered voter can request an absentee ballot through the Michigan Voter Information Center online, by mail, or in person at the Georgetown Township Clerk's office, with applications accepted up to the Friday before the election and emergency absentee voting available through 4 p.m. on Election Day.