Key points
- All criminal cases prosecuted in Ionia County are filed at the 64-A District Court, 100 W Main St., Ionia, which handles misdemeanors through sentencing and felonies through the preliminary examination.[1]
- Felonies continue in the 8th Circuit Court, which serves both Ionia and Montcalm counties and sits on the second floor of the Ionia courthouse.[2]
- PPO petitions are requested from and filed through the County Clerk's office, and a person may file without an attorney.[3]
- RAVE, the domestic violence agency for Ionia and Montcalm counties, answers a 24-hour crisis line at 1-800-720-7233.[4]
In Ionia County a domestic violence charge is filed at the 64-A District Court, 100 W Main St., Ionia, whether it is a misdemeanor or a felony.[1] Felonies then move to the 8th Circuit Court on the second floor of the Ionia courthouse, a court Ionia shares with Montcalm County.[2] Personal protection order (PPO) petitions start at the County Clerk's office.[3]
If you are in danger, call 911. RAVE (Relief After Violent Encounter – Ionia/Montcalm) answers a 24-hour crisis line at 1-800-720-7233.[4] If you would rather speak with someone outside the county, call or text Michigan's VOICES4 hotline at 855-864-2374, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.[5][6]
Hearing days in Ionia depend on a circuit schedule shared with Montcalm County, and office hours can change. Confirm with the court clerk before you go.
The 64-A District Court
By statute the 64-A District consists of the county of Ionia and has 1 judge.[7] The court handles misdemeanor cases from arraignment through sentencing and felony cases from arraignment through the preliminary examination.[1]
| Court or office | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| 64-A District Court, Criminal Division | 100 W Main St., Ionia, MI 48846 | (616) 527-5346[1] |
| 64-A District Court, Probation | 100 W Main St., Ionia, MI 48846 | (616) 527-5342[1] |
| 8th Circuit Court (Ionia) | 100 W. Main St., Courthouse, second floor, Ionia, MI 48846 | County Clerk's Office, 616-527-5322[2][3] |
| Ionia County Clerk (PPO petitions) | 100 W. Main Street, Ionia, MI 48846; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | (616) 527-5322[8][3] |
The 8th Circuit Court is shared with Montcalm County
The 8th Circuit Court serves Ionia and Montcalm counties. In Ionia it sits at 100 W. Main St. on the second floor of the courthouse; in Montcalm it sits in Stanton.[2] The county notes that most of the circuit's judges and staff alternate from week to week between the two counties.[2]
For a felony domestic violence charge, that means the case begins in the 64-A District Court and transfers to the circuit court when the defendant is bound over.[9] Read the county, date and time on each hearing notice. The neighboring court is described in Montcalm County courts.
Filing a PPO in Ionia County
The county's instructions are short:
- Go to the County Clerk's office and request a petition for a personal protection order; the forms are also online.[3]
- Expect staff to ask a few questions to determine that you are filing the right type of petition.[3]
- File the forms yourself if you wish. The county states that you do not need an attorney.[3]
- Once a judge signs the order, the Clerk's office provides a copy to the local police agency so that it can be entered into the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN).[3]
- Arrange service. The county says the petitioner is responsible for serving the other party with a copy of the order.[3]
The County Clerk's own page gives the office's location as 100 W. Main Street and its hours as Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.[8] The county's PPO page names no free PPO assistance office and no cutoff time for same-day review, so confirm with the court clerk at 616-527-5322 before making the trip.[3] RAVE can be asked whether an advocate is available to help. State law lets the family division provide a domestic violence victim advocate to assist with a PPO, though an advocate may not represent the person in court.[10]
Two statewide rules are worth knowing before filing. The court has to rule on a request for an ex parte order within one business day of the filing date.[11] And an ex parte order is valid for not less than 182 days.[12] See Ex parte PPOs and How to get a PPO in Michigan.
Local help in Ionia County
RAVE's emergency shelter can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the agency states that it welcomes and supports all survivors with free, confidential services.[13] Its administrative office number is 1-616-527-3351.[4] The state's VOICES4 hotline is a free, confidential and anonymous alternative, answered 24/7.[14] More agencies are in Where to get help in West Michigan.
For a civil legal problem in Ionia County, the Legal Aid of Western Michigan intake number is 616-774-0672.[15] Criminal defense is outside its work, apart from record expungements.[16] A defendant facing possible jail time is entitled to an attorney, and to an appointed one if unable to afford one.[17]
Ionia County domestic violence numbers
The Michigan State Police recorded 258 domestic violence victims in Ionia County in 2025 and 245 in 2024, compared with 126 in 2023, 132 in 2022 and 186 in 2021.[18] In 2025, 211 were recorded as non-aggravated assault victims and 36 as aggravated or felonious assault victims.[18] Because an incident is counted only when the investigating officer marks it as domestic violence, a jump from one year to the next may reflect a change in recording as much as a change in what happened.[19] Statewide context is in Michigan domestic violence statistics.
What the district court tells a defendant at the start
At arraignment on a district court offense, the defendant is told the name of the offense, the maximum sentence, and the rights to an attorney at all court proceedings and to a trial.[20] The court also advises that a lawyer is available at public expense for a defendant who is financially unable to retain one.[21] The hearing is described in The arraignment, and what follows in the misdemeanor case timeline and the felony case timeline.
Common questions
Where is a domestic violence case heard in Ionia County?
At the 64-A District Court, 100 W Main St., Ionia, MI 48846. All criminal cases prosecuted within the county are filed there; the Criminal Division's phone is (616) 527-5346.[1] The 64-A District is the county of Ionia, so the same court covers every city and township.[7]
Is the 8th Circuit Court judge in Ionia every week?
Not necessarily. Ionia County's site notes that most 8th Circuit Court judges and staff alternate from week to week between Ionia and Montcalm.[2] Check the date, time and county on your hearing notice, and call the clerk if you need to reach court staff on a particular day.
How do I file a PPO in Ionia County?
The county says you can come into the County Clerk's office and request a petition for a personal protection order, that staff may ask a few questions to make sure you are filing the right type of petition, and that you do not need an attorney. The clerk's phone is 616-527-5322.[3]
Who serves an Ionia County PPO on the other person?
The petitioner. The County Clerk's office provides a copy of the signed order to the local police agency so it can be entered into the Law Enforcement Information Network, but the county says the petitioner is responsible for serving the other party.[3] Under the court rules the person who serves it cannot be a party to the case.[22]
Sources
- Ionia County, 64-A District Court; "Criminal Division" — ioniacounty.org
- Ionia County, "Circuit Court" — ioniacounty.org
- Ionia County, Circuit Court, "Personal Protection Orders (PPO)" — ioniacounty.org
- RAVE – Ionia/Montcalm, Inc., raveim.org (Contact Us) — raveim.org
- State of Michigan, VOICES4 Hotline — Domestic Violence page — State of Michigan
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org (home page) — National Domestic Violence Hotline
- MCL 600.8131 — Michigan Legislature
- Ionia County, "County Clerk" — ioniacounty.org
- MCR 6.008(A)–(B) — Michigan Courts
- MCL 600.2950c(1)–(3) — Michigan Legislature
- MCR 3.705(A)(1) — Michigan Courts
- MCL 600.2950(13); MCL 600.2950a(13); MCR 3.705(A)(3) — Michigan Courts
- RAVE – Ionia/Montcalm, Inc., raveim.org — raveim.org
- MCEDSV, Hotline page — mcedsv.org
- Legal Aid of Western Michigan, I Need Help (Apply by Phone) — lawestmi.org
- Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Services — lawestmi.org
- Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, FAQ — michiganidc.gov
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Domestic Violence tab (County = Ionia) — Michigan State Police
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Domestic Violence tab (2021–2025 frozen data) — Michigan State Police
- MCR 6.610(D)(1) — Michigan Courts
- MCR 6.005(A)–(B) — Michigan Courts
- MCR 3.706(D); MCR 2.105(A); MCR 2.103(A); MCR 2.105(J); MCL 600.2950(18) — Michigan Courts
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.