You can come into the County Clerk's Office and request a Petition for a Personal Protection Order. Upon this request, the staff will ask you a few questions only to determine what kind of a Personal Protection Order to give you (domestic relationship, stalking, etc.). You do not need an attorney to file for a Personal Protection Order.

A failure to appear letter will be sent to you. If you do not respond or if you respond and do not follow through with reporting, you will be sent an Order to Show Cause. This form will order you to report before a Circuit Court Judge to show cause why you should not be held in contempt of court for failing to appear for jury service. If you fail to appear for the Show Cause hearing, a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest and you can be fined or sent to jail.

You may want to tell your employer when you receive a jury questionnaire in the mail even though your services may not be immediately required. Inform your employer when you are notified by the court to serve as a juror.

Your employer is prohibited by law from firing, disciplining, or threatening an employee for serving as a juror, however, some employers require "proof" that you served as a juror. If you need proof for your employer, please inform the jury clerk and the information can be sent to you or your employer.

Your employer is not required to pay you while you are serving on jury service, however you will receive compensation from the court according to Michigan Statutues.

Because the right to a jury trial by a jury of one's peers is guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Michigan Constitution, jury service is one of the most important duties that members of a free society are called upon to perform.

You were selected at random from a list of those who have a Michigan Driver's License or State of Michigan Identification Card.

Generally speaking, excuses are not considered, but there are some instances when a person may be excused from jury duty. If you are 70 years of age and do not want to serve, you may be excused. If your doctor signs an excuse for health-related reasons, specifying whether the health-related reason is a short-term or lifelong disability, you may be excused. Full-time, year round students who submit a copy of their class schedule indicating that they are in class during the day, may be excused.

In order to serve on a jury a person must meet the following criteria:

• Be at least 18 years of age,
• Be a citizen of the United States of America,
• Be able to speak and understand the English language,
• Be a resident of Ionia County,
• Not have been convicted on a felony charge, and
• Not have served in District or Circuit Court in the past 12 months

The Register of Deeds records can be searched either by owner name or the legal description of the property. If you only have a property address, you can search the tax records to get the taxpayer's name and tax description for the parcel. The name that appears on the tax roll may or may not be the owner. With this name or tax description, you can then search the Register of Deeds index for any recorded information.

The chief legislative and policy-making body of Ionia County Government is the 7-member Board of Commissioners.

Commissioners are elected to 2-year terms from districts that are roughly equal in population. A Chair and Vice-Chair are elected at the first meeting of each new year. The Chair appoints each Commissioner to standing committees.

Among the Commissioners' other duties are:

• Approving a mission statement for the County.
• Adopting the annual County budget.
• Raising the money to fund the County's operations by levying property taxes, setting fees, selling bonds or borrowing.
• Appointing citizen members to County boards, commissions and committees, which provide oversight for significant County services.
• Selecting a County Administrator to supervise the day-to-day operations of County departments.
• Determining the sites of County buildings, and purchasing or disposing of County-owned property and facilities.
• Representing the County, and managing its property and business by adopting rules, regulations, ordinances and policies.

BIRTH RECORDS

Birth records are available from 1867- to date. Birth records are confidential and are available only to the person or parents of the person named in the records. Birth certificates 110 years old or older are available for genealogy purposes. The cost of a birth certificate is $10 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy.

The term "taxable value" was created in 1994 and relates to the increase of value that a home or property may be taxed on. Proposal A allows the taxable value to increase only by the rate of inflation or 5%, whichever is less.

The SEV (state equalized value) is determined by an assessor who calculates recent sales and other data in your area to reflect 50% of the true market value of your home. This number is adjusted up or down with the market.

It is important to remember that the amount that you owe in taxes is generated using the taxable value, not the SEV.

Requests may be made by mail by completing the Request for Vital Records Form which may be found under the "Forms" section of this website. Mail requests are generally processed within 5 - 7 business days. Telephone requests cannot be accepted at this time.

In Michigan, the parent with primary physical custody would be the one to make the decision as to where a minor child lives, and the age of majority is 18 years. While the child's wishes are a factor considered by the court when a custody issue is before the court, this is only one of many factors, which are considered in making a decision as to which parent is granted custody of the child.  There is no “magic” age when a child can decide with whom he/she wants to live and it is inappropriate (no matter what age the child may be) for them to contact the Friend of the Court regarding issues of this nature.  That is a parent’s responsibility, not the child's. Parents may file a petition or motion to modify custody through a private attorney or acting as their own attorney (In Pro Per) and can secure a Motion to Change Custody forms from the Friend of the Court-required filing fees are required

Latex paint can be easily dried out and disposed of, with the lid off, in your regular trash.  

• Allow the paint to dry by removing the lid and allowing liquids to evaporate. This works well for small quantities of paint (an inch or two in the bottom of the can), and can take several days.
• Latex paint can also be solidified by mixing in an equal amount of an absorbent material and allowing it to dry. Use scoopable cat litter, sawdust, plaster of Paris, oil dry, or vermiculite.
• Pour thin layers (about 1" of paint) into a cardboard box lined with plastic. Allow the paint to dry one layer at a time until all the paint has hardened.
• When thoroughly dry, the remaining hardened paint should be discarded with your regular trash. Leave the lid off the cans so that the waste collector can see that the paint is hardened.
• DO NOT dump the paint on the ground or down storm drains where it will travel directly to the surface and/or into ground water.
• DO NOT pour down the drain. While small amount of latex paint can be safely washed down the drain into a septic system or waste-water treatment plant, this practice should be kept to a minimum. Limit this to brush cleaning and cleanup.
• DO NOT throw liquid paint in the regular trash. It may be released from the can when trash is compacted and may seep out of waste collection vehicles onto your street.

You need to bring a check or money order made payable to the Ionia County Clerk if you are a resident of Michigan, or a check or money order for $30.00 if you are not a resident of Michigan. To apply for a Marriage License, one of the parties must be a Michigan resident.

You need to bring information on both parties. Bringing Birth Certificates of both parties would be helpful. (see the Affidavid for License to Marry under the "Forms" section of this website for more details of the information that will be requested).

The mission of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center at Lansing Community College (MISBTDC-LCC) is to contribute to Michigan's economy by stimulating job creation and retention at the local level. We will achieve this mission by assisting existing and prospective business owners and managers in Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Livingston and Shiawassee counties. Through business counseling, we will aid our clients with their ability to survive, grow and generate profit.

Together, ICEA and MISBTDC-LCC can provide:

Up-to-date listing of seminars, workshops and programs; available though the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center at Lansing Community College.
Practical one-on-one counseling provided by local professionals who volunteer their time. Our counselors include CPAs, attorneys, marketing experts, college faculty, bankers, investors and other specialists. Working independently, or in cooperation with existing service providers, our Center staff and counselors offer personal assistance in a range of areas.
Working independently, or in cooperation with existing service providers, our Center staff and counselors offer personal assistance in a range of areas:

• Business Plans
  
• Problem Solving
  
• Access to Financing
  
• Marketing Strategies
  
• Accounting and Bookkeeping
  
• Personnel Matters
  
• Marketing Analysis
  
• Small Business Tax Education Program
  
• Business Video Library
  
• Computer Applications
  
• Technology Applications
  
• Exporting
  
• Research and Development
  
• Manufacturing Assessment

$14.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page. If a document assigns or discharges more than one instrument, $3.00 shall be added for each additional instrument referenced.  Transfer tax on the sale price is due at the time of recording.