Key points
- The 56-B District Court is in the Barry County Courts & Law Building, 206 W. Court St., Ste. 202, Hastings, and it is where adult criminal proceedings in the county begin.[1]
- The 5th Judicial Circuit Court, which tries felonies, is in a different building: the Barry County Courthouse, Floor 2, 220 W. State St., Hastings.[2]
- The county lists personal protection orders under the Circuit Court's Family Division, 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, phone (269) 945-1390; its pages do not name the filing counter, so confirm with the court clerk before going.[3][4]
- Green Gables Haven in Hastings answers a 24-hour crisis and shelter line at 269-945-4777.[5]
Barry County's courts are all in Hastings, but they are not all in one building. A domestic assault charge begins in the 56-B District Court at 206 W. Court St.[1] Felony trials belong to the 5th Judicial Circuit Court at 220 W. State St.[2] Personal protection order (PPO) matters belong to that court's Family Division, which the county lists at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302.[3]
If you are in danger, call 911. Green Gables Haven answers a 24-hour crisis and shelter line at 269-945-4777.[5] From anywhere in the state, the VOICES4 hotline is 855-864-2374 (call or text), and the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.[6][7]
The details below were read from Barry County's website on October 4, 2026. Confirm with the court clerk by phone before you go, and plan around the lunch closing described below.
Two buildings in Hastings
| Court | Building and address | Phone | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56-B District Court | Barry County Courts & Law Building, 206 W. Court St., Ste. 202, Hastings, MI 49058 | (269) 945-1404 | Adult misdemeanors; the start of all other adult criminal proceedings[1] |
| 5th Judicial Circuit Court | Barry County Courthouse, Floor 2, 220 W. State St., Hastings, MI 49058 | (269) 945-1286 (judge's office) | Trial of all felonies[2] |
| 5th Circuit Court, Family Division | Barry County Courts & Law Building, 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, MI 49058 | (269) 945-1390 | Personal protection orders, among other family matters[3] |
| Barry County Clerk | 220 W. State Street, Hastings, MI 49058 | (269) 945-1285 | Clerk's office, open 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday[8] |
The district court and the circuit court publish the same hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., closed for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.[1][2] The lunch closing matters if you are driving in to file something or to ask a question at the counter.
The 56-B District Court: where every case starts
The statute provides for a 56-B District made up of the county of Barry, with 1 judge.[9] The county describes the district court as the court in which adult criminal proceedings begin, regardless of the nature of the offense.[1] So a first-offense domestic assault charge, which is a 93-day misdemeanor, is handled there from beginning to end.[10][11]
The 5th Circuit Court: felonies
In criminal cases the Barry County Circuit Court has jurisdiction over the trial of all felonies.[2] A third domestic assault after two prior qualifying convictions, for example, is a felony punishable by up to 5 years.[12] A felony charge still begins in the district court and moves to the circuit court at the bindover.[11] The difference between the two levels is explained in Misdemeanor vs. felony domestic violence.
PPOs in Barry County: what is and is not published
The county's Family Division page describes a PPO as "an order issued by the Circuit Court" and links the state form used to modify, extend or terminate one.[4] The county lists personal protection orders among the matters in which the Circuit Court's Family Division has original jurisdiction, and it places that division in the Courts & Law Building at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, phone (269) 945-1390, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.[3] That is the district court's building, not the courthouse on State Street.[1][2]
What the county's pages do not state is the counter at which a new petition is handed in, or whether anyone is available to help with the forms.[4] This guide will not guess. Before you go:
- Call the Family Division at (269) 945-1390 and confirm with the court clerk where and when PPO petitions are accepted.[3]
- If you are directed to the County Clerk, that office is at 220 W. State Street, phone (269) 945-1285.[8]
- Download the forms ahead of time. Michigan's PPO forms are free on the Michigan Courts website and are filed in the family division of circuit court.[13]
- Ask Green Gables Haven or the VOICES4 hotline whether an advocate can help; the hotline can connect callers directly to local domestic violence programs.[6]
A few statewide rules apply wherever the petition is filed. There are no fees for filing a personal protection action.[14] When the respondent is an adult, the petitioner may file in any county in Michigan regardless of residency.[15] See How to get a PPO in Michigan; a person restrained by an order should read How to fight or terminate a PPO.
Local help in Barry County
Green Gables Haven offers shelter and services for up to 4 weeks, and the shelter can be reached 24 hours a day.[5] Michigan's VOICES4 hotline has advocates available 24/7; calls are free, confidential and anonymous.[16] Other West Michigan agencies are listed in Where to get help in West Michigan.
A person charged with a crime that carries possible jail time is entitled to an attorney, and the local funding unit appoints one for a person who cannot afford it.[17] At arraignment the court asks whether the defendant has a lawyer or needs one appointed.[18] See The right to a lawyer.
Specialty courts and local numbers
Barry County's Adult Specialty Courts are the 56-B District Sobriety court, the Felony Adult Drug Court and the Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program, with an office at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 104.[19] None of the three is a domestic violence docket.[19]
The Michigan State Police recorded 245 domestic violence victims in Barry County in 2025, 237 in 2024, 290 in 2023, 347 in 2022 and 396 in 2021.[20] In 2025, 216 were recorded as non-aggravated assault victims and 15 as aggravated or felonious assault victims.[20] These counts reflect incidents an investigating officer marked as domestic violence and include family relationships beyond partners.[21][22]
If the case is set for trial
A defendant has the right to a jury trial in either court, misdemeanor cases included.[23][24] A misdemeanor jury in district court has 6 jurors; a felony jury in circuit court has 12, and its verdict has to be unanimous.[25][26] The stages before trial are laid out in the misdemeanor case timeline and the felony case timeline, and the choice between judge and jury in Bench trial or jury trial.
Common questions
Which court handles a domestic assault charge in Barry County?
The 56-B District Court in Hastings. It has jurisdiction over adult misdemeanors, and it is the court in which all other adult criminal proceedings begin, regardless of the nature of the offense.[1] The 56-B District consists of the county of Barry, so there is no split between cities and townships.[9]
Are the Barry County district court and circuit court in the same building?
No. The district court is in the Courts & Law Building at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 202.[1] The circuit court is on Floor 2 of the Barry County Courthouse at 220 W. State St.[2] The circuit court's Family Division, though, is in the Courts & Law Building, Ste. 302.[3] Check which court issued your notice before you go, and allow time to find the right building.
Where do I file a PPO in Barry County?
The county lists personal protection orders under the Circuit Court's Family Division, in the Courts & Law Building at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, phone (269) 945-1390.[3] Its PPO page does not name the counter, the hours for new petitions or any forms help.[4] State law places PPO cases in the family division of the circuit court, so confirm with the court clerk at that number before you go.[27]
Sources
- Barry County, "56-B District Court" — barrycounty.org
- Barry County, "5th Judicial Circuit Court" — barrycounty.org
- Barry County, "Family Division" — barrycounty.org
- Barry County, Family Division, "Personal Protection Orders" — barrycounty.org
- Green Gables Haven, greengableshaven.org — greengableshaven.org
- State of Michigan, VOICES4 Hotline — Domestic Violence page — State of Michigan
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org (home page) — National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Barry County, "Office of County Clerk" — barrycounty.org
- MCL 600.8126(2)(b) — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 750.81(2) — Michigan Legislature
- MCR 6.008(A)–(B) — Michigan Courts
- MCL 750.81(5) — Michigan Legislature
- Michigan Courts, "SCAO-Approved Forms for Use in Personal Protection Proceedings" — Michigan Courts
- MCR 3.703(A) — Michigan Courts
- MCR 3.703(E)(1)–(2) — Michigan Courts
- MCEDSV, Hotline page — mcedsv.org
- Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, FAQ — michiganidc.gov
- Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, FAQ ("How can I request an appointed lawyer?") — michiganidc.gov
- Barry County, "Adult Specialty Courts" — barrycounty.org
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Domestic Violence tab (County = Barry) — Michigan State Police
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Domestic Violence tab (2021–2025 frozen data) — Michigan State Police
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Domestic Violence tab — Michigan State Police
- Const 1963, art 1, § 20; People v Antkoviak, 242 Mich App 424, 463 (2000) — Michigan Courts
- MCR 6.401; MCR 6.402(B) — Michigan Courts
- MCR 6.620(A); MCL 600.8355 — Michigan Courts
- MCR 6.410(A)–(B) — Michigan Courts
- MCL 600.1021(1)(k) — Michigan Legislature
- Legal Aid of Western Michigan, I Need Help — lawestmi.org
This page is general legal information about Michigan law, published by the office of Attorney Shawn Haff. It is not legal advice and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change and every case turns on its own facts — check the sources linked above and talk to a licensed Michigan attorney about your situation. If you are in danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.