Luce County District Court Overview
The 92-1 District Court is the limited-jurisdiction trial court that serves Luce County from Newberry. In Michigan, the district court is the court most people meet first. It hears traffic tickets, small claims, evictions, and misdemeanor crimes. It also holds the opening steps in felony cases before they move to a higher bench. The court sits in the 92nd Judicial District, which pairs Luce County with a second location in Mackinac County.
Above the district bench sits the 11th Circuit Court, the general trial court for the region. Serious felonies, divorce, and large civil suits are heard there. A separate Probate Court manages wills, estates, and guardianships. All three Luce County courts share one building, so a single trip to the county seat can cover most court business. That setup keeps public access simple in a rural Upper Peninsula county.
The official 92nd District Court page posts the court address, hours, and payment links for Luce County users.
That page is the best starting point when you need to confirm a court date or a fine amount before a visit to Newberry.
Luce County Trial Courts
Luce County keeps its trial courts under one roof at the county seat. Each court has its own counter, phone line, and set of case types. The table below lists the courts that handle Luce County cases, along with the second district location that shares the 92nd District bench.
| Court | Location / Type | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 92-1 District Court | Newberry, limited jurisdiction | 407 W. Harrie St., Newberry, MI 49868 | (906) 293-5531 |
| 92-2 District Court | St. Ignace branch (Mackinac side; open Tue & Wed only) | St. Ignace, MI | Use 92-1 Newberry for Luce cases |
| 11th Circuit Court - Luce | General jurisdiction | 407 W Harrie St, Newberry, MI 49868 | (906) 293-5522 |
| Probate & Family Court | Estates & guardianships | 407 W. Harrie St., Newberry, MI 49868 | (906) 293-5601 |
Note: The 92-2 St. Ignace location keeps Tuesday and Wednesday hours only, so Luce County residents should file and appear at the Newberry court instead.
Luce County District Court Contact
The Luce County court in Newberry keeps standard weekday hours with a midday break. Plan around the lunch closure, since the counter is not staffed then. Weather and long drives can affect Upper Peninsula hearings, so a quick call before you travel is wise. The block below holds the direct line, fax, and hours for the 92-1 District Court.
92-1 District Court - Luce
407 W. Harrie St.
Newberry, MI 49868
(906) 293-5531
Fax (906) 293-5773
Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Lunch closure noon to 1:00 p.m.
The county does not post security-screening rules, weapon limits, or accessible-entrance details online. Call the court ahead of time if you need an interpreter, hearing help, or plan to bring recording gear or a large bag into the building.
District Court vs Circuit Court vs Probate Court
Michigan splits trial work across three courts, and each one has a clear lane. Knowing the split tells you where a Luce County case belongs before you file or call. The comparison below lines up the case types, dollar limits, and common examples for each bench.
| District Court | Circuit Court | Probate Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Types | Misdemeanors, civil infractions, small civil, landlord-tenant | Felonies, family, large civil, PPO, appeals | Estates, guardianship, mental health |
| Dollar Limits | Civil up to $25,000 | Civil over $25,000 | Set by estate value |
| Examples | Traffic ticket, eviction, small claims | Divorce, felony trial, injury suit | Will, conservatorship, name change |
Luce County Civil Cases
The district court in Newberry hears civil disputes up to a set dollar limit. Above that limit, a case moves to the 11th Circuit Court. The district bench holds exclusive jurisdiction over several everyday civil matters that touch renters, landlords, and small businesses across Luce County.
- Civil claims up to $25,000
- Garnishments
- Evictions and summary proceedings
- Land-contract forfeitures
- Small claims
Small claims is the simplest track and needs no lawyer. Eviction and land-contract cases move fast, so deadlines matter. You can review filed civil matters through Luce County court records once a case is open, or by calling the court counter for a case number.
Luce County Criminal Cases
The district court handles the lower end of criminal law and the opening steps of the serious end. Misdemeanors punishable by up to one year stay in the Luce County district court from start to finish. That covers arraignment, bail, plea, and sentence.
Felony cases begin here too. The 92-1 District Court holds the arraignment and the preliminary examination, the hearing where a judge decides whether enough proof exists to send the case up. If the judge binds the case over, it moves to the 11th Circuit Court for trial and sentencing. A few common terms help when reading a Luce County criminal file.
- Arraignment
- The first hearing, where the charge is read and a plea is entered.
- Preliminary examination
- A felony hearing to test whether the proof supports sending the case to circuit court.
- Bindover
- The order that moves a felony from district court up to circuit court.
Luce County Traffic and Fines
Most tickets written in Luce County are civil infractions, which the district court handles. A civil infraction is a Luce County traffic matter that carries a fine but no jail time. Speeding, seatbelt, and plate tickets all fall in this group across Luce County, while reckless driving must go before a judge.
You can pay many Luce County tickets online. The county fine-payments page routes to AllPaid, which collects district court fines and costs.
The payment tool needs your case or ticket number and adds a small service fee. A sample of the posted Luce County fine schedule is shown below.
| Violation | Fine / Cost |
|---|---|
| Speeding 6-10 mph over | $125 |
| Careless driving | $240 |
| Seatbelt violation | $65 |
| Expired plate | $150 |
| No proof of insurance | $125 |
| Reckless driving | Must see judge |
To handle a ticket the right way, follow these steps.
- Confirm the ticket lists the 92-1 District Court in Newberry.
- Look up the case on MiCOURT Case Search or call the court.
- Pay through AllPaid using location code 1431 and your case or ticket number.
- To contest, or for a "must see judge" violation, call the court for a date instead of paying.
More detail on citations and driver records sits in the Luce County traffic court records. Note: A no-proof-of-insurance ticket may be dismissed with proof of coverage on the offense date, for a $10 fee.
How a Case Moves Through the System
A serious case does not stay in one court. A Luce County case starts at the district level and climbs if a party appeals or if a felony is bound over. The flow below traces a Luce County felony from the first hearing to the top of the state courts.
Felony path: District Court arraignment and preliminary exam › Bindover › 11th Circuit Court trial and sentence › Michigan Court of Appeals › Michigan Supreme Court
Civil and misdemeanor cases can appeal too. A Luce County district court ruling is reviewed by the 11th Circuit Court, and a circuit ruling can go on to the Michigan Court of Appeals. The Michigan Supreme Court sits at the top of the state's one court of justice and takes only select cases.
Luce County Sobriety Court
The 92nd District Sobriety Court is a specialty program that pairs treatment with court supervision. It serves non-violent offenders who struggle with drug or alcohol use. Judges, case managers, and treatment providers stay in close contact about each participant's progress and program performance.
The 92nd District Sobriety Court page explains how the program blends substance-abuse treatment with the normal steps of a court case.
Two phone numbers appear for the program. The sobriety-court page lists (906) 643-7321, a St. Ignace-side number, while the Luce County court answers at (906) 293-5531. Residents with a Luce case should call the Newberry court first. The district court directory also lists a Community Courts contact, Kelsey Autterson, at (906) 293-5959, for problem-solving and alternative-court questions.
District Court Staff Directory
A small staff runs the Luce County district court counter and the program offices. The county keeps a public directory that names the roles and phone lines for the Newberry court.
The Luce County directory lists the district court staff who handle filings, probation, and payments.
The core roles at the Luce County 92-1 District Court include the following.
- Court administrator and magistrate
- Probation officer
- District judge
- Deputy clerk
- Community Courts, Kelsey Autterson, (906) 293-5959
The deputy clerk is the first stop for Luce County case lookups, copies, and fine questions at the counter.
Appeals From Luce County Courts
When a party disagrees with a district court ruling, the next stop is the 11th Circuit Court, which reviews appeals from the lower Luce County bench. Circuit Court Administrator Amanda Oven manages those cases and can be reached at (906) 293-5522 or aoven@lucecountymi.gov through the 11th Circuit Court page.
Circuit court decisions can be challenged at the Michigan Court of Appeals, then the Michigan Supreme Court. County Clerk Sharon J. Price, at 906-293-5521, keeps the Luce County circuit case files and certified copies through the County Clerk office.
Case status and dockets for both Luce County benches are searchable statewide through MiCOURT, and new Luce filings can be submitted through MiFILE. Note: Court case records follow Michigan Court Rule 8.119 rather than the state FOIA, so ask the court clerk for sealed or restricted files.