About the Keweenaw County Clerk and Register of Deeds
Keweenaw County combines two offices into one. Julie Carlson serves as County Clerk and Register of Deeds, a role filled by a countywide vote. The clerk is elected for a four-year term, and the current term runs through 2028. Roxanne Billing works as Deputy Clerk and helps run the daily counter. Because Keweenaw is the least populated county in Michigan, one small staff handles a wide mix of duties.
The office does far more than file paperwork. It keeps birth, death, and marriage records that reach back to 1867. It records assumed names and military discharge papers. It processes concealed pistol permits and notary bonds. On the elections side, the clerk administers county elections and trains local clerks and election inspectors. The clerk also serves as the official recorder for the Board of Commissioners, the Board of Canvassers, and the Jury Board, and manages county payroll, human resources, and accounts payable. The contact card below shows how to reach the office in Eagle River.
Keweenaw County Clerk and Register of Deeds
Clerk: Julie Carlson
Deputy Clerk: Roxanne Billing
5095 Fourth Street
Eagle River, MI 49950
906-337-2229
Fax: 906-337-2253
clerk@keweenawcountymi.gov
Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed legal holidays
The county directory posts a weather warning worth heeding. If a storm is moving through, or if you are driving a long distance across the Keweenaw Peninsula, call ahead to confirm the courthouse is open before you leave.
The county keeps a fuller profile of the office on its official Clerk and Register of Deeds page, which lists staff, term dates, and record coverage. That page is the primary source for vital-record and land-record instructions used throughout this section.
The same page confirms office hours, the deputy clerk contact, and the request rules that apply to certified copies of Keweenaw County vital records.
The Clerk's Role in Keweenaw County Court Records
Court records in Keweenaw County split by court level, and the clerk sits at the center of the circuit side. The 12th Circuit Court page lists Julie Carlson as County Clerk for the circuit court. In that role, the office manages circuit filings and circuit case records. The Circuit Court handles felony criminal matters, civil lawsuits over $25,000, divorce, paternity, family support, custody, parenting-time disputes, personal protection orders, and appeals from the district court and administrative agencies. To reach those records, a person starts with the county clerk and circuit court office.
Lower court matters follow different clerks. District traffic tickets, misdemeanors, small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil cases up to $25,000 run through the 97th District Court, where Roxanne Billing serves as Court Clerk and Magistrate. Probate matters, such as estates, guardianships, and conservatorships, go through the Probate Register, Mary Crampton, reachable at 906-337-1927. Matching the record type to the right clerk is the first step in any search. Details on circuit filings appear on the county Circuit Court records page.
Older court files sit outside the county building. The Archives of Michigan Keweenaw County guide lists circuit court case files from 1861 to 1952, a circuit docket from 1867 to 1906, and chancery records reaching back to 1862. Genealogists and title researchers often use those archived series for records that predate modern indexes.
Keweenaw County Vital Records Since 1867
The clerk's vital-record collection is deep. Birth, death, and marriage records each reach back to 1867, the era of the county's copper mining boom. Access rules differ by record type because Michigan treats some vital records as restricted. The table below sums up coverage and who may request each type of certificate.
| Record type | Coverage | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | 1867 to present, Keweenaw County births only | Restricted; a person may obtain their own or their child's record if named; records over 100 years old may be accessible |
| Death | 1867 to present, deaths in Keweenaw County only | Public record |
| Marriage | 1867 to present | Available to Keweenaw applicants and residents, plus out-of-state residents married in the county |
The county holds only records for events that happened in Keweenaw County. If a birth, death, or marriage occurred elsewhere in Michigan, the certificate lives with that county or with the state. Marriage requests cover people who applied for a license in Keweenaw County, plus out-of-state couples who married here. For divorce certificates, which are court judgments rather than clerk-issued vital records, see the county marriage and divorce records page.
How to Request a Certified Copy
A certified copy carries the county seal and works as legal proof of a birth, death, or marriage. People use them for passports, benefits, estate matters, and name changes. The process is short, but the office needs specific details to find the right record. Follow these steps to order a certified vital record from the clerk.
- Confirm the event happened in Keweenaw County, since the office only holds Keweenaw County births, deaths, and marriages.
- Download the Vital Records Certified Copy Request Form and the instruction sheet from the clerk's website, or pick them up at the counter.
- Fill in every required field, including full names, the event date, and, for birth records, parent names and place of birth.
- For a restricted birth record, attach a copy of a valid identifying document, such as a driver's license or state ID.
- Include the fee by check or money order payable to the Keweenaw County Clerk, and add your return address and daytime phone number.
- Submit the form in person or by mail to 5095 Fourth Street, Eagle River, MI 49950, then wait for the certified copy to arrive by return mail.
Requests missing a signature, a fee, or an ID copy for a birth record can be delayed. A quick call to 906-337-2229 before mailing helps confirm the current requirements.
Vital-Record Request Form Fields
The certified copy request form uses a consistent set of fields, though some apply only to certain record types. The inventory below shows what the clerk expects on a completed form. Reviewing it first helps you gather names, dates, and identification before you write anything down.
| Field or item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Yes | Select birth, death, or marriage |
| Full name at birth, decedent, or spouses | Yes | Label depends on the record type |
| Date of birth, death, or marriage | Yes | Exact date needed to locate the record |
| Parent names, including mother's maiden name | Birth only | Required for birth requests |
| Place of birth | Birth only | Required for birth requests |
| Maiden name | Marriage if applicable | Include when relevant |
| Signature | Yes | Requester must sign |
| Identifying document copy | Birth records | Driver's license, state ID, or similar |
| Return address | Yes | For the mailed certificate |
| Daytime phone number | Yes | In case the office has a question |
| Fee | Yes | Check or money order payable to Keweenaw County Clerk |
Marriage requests need the names of each person, any maiden name, and the marriage date. Death requests, which are public, ask for the decedent's name and date of death. Keeping the form complete on the first pass avoids a second round of mail.
Keweenaw County Clerk and Register of Deeds Fees
Fees vary by service, and the two halves of the office each set their own. Vital-record copies carry a flat certified-copy charge. Land recording uses a general fee plus tax-related add-ons. Circuit court filings and searches carry separate charges set by the court. The schedule below pulls together the main published amounts.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified vital record | $10 first copy, $3 each additional |
| Register of Deeds general recording | $30 regardless of page count |
| Assignment or discharge, additional instrument | $3 each additional |
| Tax certification | $5 additional |
| County transfer tax | $1.10 per $1,000 |
| State transfer tax | $7.50 per $1,000 |
| Tapestry land-record search | $8.75 per search |
| Tapestry printed page | $1.00 per page |
| Circuit criminal name search | $10 per name |
| Circuit civil filing fee | $175 |
| Circuit civil motion fee | $20 |
| Circuit civil jury demand | $85 |
Transfer taxes apply when property changes hands and are figured on the sale price. The general recording fee stays the same no matter how many pages a document runs. Court fees can change without notice, so verify current amounts with the office before filing.
Register of Deeds Land Records and Search Options
As Register of Deeds, the office records and preserves the county's land records, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and property transfers. Recording gives public notice of ownership and protects buyers, lenders, and heirs. The office offers several ways to search those records, from a free counter search to subscription and pay-per-use online tools.
- In person
- Free search on the Keweenaw County land-record database at the courthouse counter.
- Laredo
- Subscription service for frequent users, running the same software used inside the Register of Deeds office, available from home or office around the clock for a monthly fee.
- Tapestry
- Occasional-user option covering all documents from October 2010 to the present, at $8.75 per search and $1 per printed page, with historical images still being added.
- eRecording
- Electronic recording accepted through a submitter; the county directs users to contact Simplifile at 1-800-460-5657.
- Property Fraud Alert
- A free notification service that flags possible fraudulent activity recorded against a property.
Tapestry runs through a statewide land-records portal that many Michigan counties share. Occasional users can reach it at the public landrecords.net portal without a subscription.
That portal charges per search and per printed page, so heavy title researchers usually choose the Laredo subscription instead, while a one-time buyer picks Tapestry.
Elections, Boards, and Other Clerk Duties
Beyond records, the clerk anchors county administration. The office administers elections across Keweenaw County and trains the local township clerks and election inspectors who run polling places. After each election, the clerk supports the Board of Canvassers as it reviews and certifies results. The office also serves as clerk for the Board of Commissioners and the Jury Board, keeping the official minutes and records for each.
The clerk handles several everyday filings that residents may need. These duties round out the office's public-facing work.
- Assumed name (DBA) registrations for local businesses.
- Military discharge paper recording and safekeeping.
- Concealed pistol permit processing.
- Notary public bond filings.
The office also runs county payroll, human resources, and accounts payable. Because so many county functions share one address and one main phone line, naming the exact record or service when you call helps staff route the request to the right desk quickly.