Key points
- The 8th District Court serves all of Kalamazoo County from the Judge Charles A. Pratt Justice Center, 330 Eleanor St., Kalamazoo.[1]
- Felonies are heard by the 9th Circuit Court's Criminal Division, which is in the same building.[2]
- A PPO petition is filed with the Circuit Court Criminal Division at the Pratt Justice Center, not at the Family Division on Gull Road.[3][4]
- The court's PPO Coordinator helps petitioners by appointment at 269-385-6081, and YWCA Kalamazoo answers a 24-hour crisis hotline at 269-385-3587.[5][6]
In Kalamazoo County the answer to "which courthouse?" is the same for a misdemeanor, a felony and a personal protection order (PPO): the Judge Charles A. Pratt Justice Center, 330 Eleanor Street, Kalamazoo. That building houses the 8th District Court and the 9th Circuit Court's Criminal Division.[7] PPO petitions are filed with that Criminal Division.[3]
If you are in danger, call 911. YWCA Kalamazoo's 24-hour crisis hotline is 269-385-3587.[6] Michigan also runs the VOICES4 hotline, 855-864-2374 by call or text, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline answers at 1-800-799-7233.[8][9]
Appointment times and office hours are set by the court and can change. Confirm with the court clerk by phone before you go.
Use the current address: 330 Eleanor Street
Go by the county's own pages for the address. They place the 8th District Court and the 9th Circuit Court at the Pratt Justice Center, 330 Eleanor St., and the 9th Circuit Family Division and the Probate Court at the Gull Road Justice Complex, 1536 Gull Rd.[7]
| Court or office | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| 8th District Court (misdemeanors; early stages of felonies) | 330 Eleanor St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007 | 269-384-8171[1][10] |
| 9th Circuit Court, Criminal Division (felonies; PPOs) | 330 Eleanor St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007 | 269-383-8837[2][3] |
| PPO Coordinator (intake appointments) | Circuit Court Criminal Division, 330 Eleanor St.; the prosecutor's page places the PPO packet on the 4th Floor, Room 401 | 269-385-6081[5][11] |
| 9th Circuit Court, Family Division (divorce, custody) | 1536 Gull Rd., Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | 269-385-6000[4] |
The 8th District Court
The 8th District consists of the county of Kalamazoo, so one court covers every city and township.[12] It handles misdemeanor cases from arraignment through sentencing and felony cases from arraignment through the preliminary exam.[10]
The court is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, stays open through the lunch hour, and closes at 3:30 PM on the third Tuesday of each month for staff training.[1] It is a MiFILE court: attorneys have been required to file electronically since June 12, 2025, while self-represented parties may e-file but are not required to.[1]
Felonies: the 9th Circuit Court Criminal Division
The Criminal Division hears felony cases with a potential sentence of one or more years of incarceration.[3] Its phone number is 269-383-8837.[2] How a case gets from the district court to the circuit court is explained in the felony case timeline.
How PPO filing works in Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo is unusual. Statewide, PPO forms are filed in the family division of the circuit court.[13] In Kalamazoo County the petition is filed with the Circuit Court Criminal Division, and personal protection orders are on that division's list of case types.[3] The practical steps are:
- Call 269-385-6081 to schedule an intake appointment. Interviews are offered Monday through Friday at 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM.[5]
- Go to the Pratt Justice Center, 4th Floor, Room 401, using the Church Street entrance on the west side of the building. The do-it-yourself packet with instructions and forms is available there.[11]
- Meet the PPO Coordinator, who interviews petitioners and assists them with processing the paperwork.[5]
No fee is required to file, although the petitioner is responsible for the cost of serving the papers.[5] Arrive on time, and bring dates, addresses and any messages or photographs you want the judge to see; Preparing a PPO petition has a checklist, and How to get a PPO in Michigan covers the legal standard.
The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor's page also draws a line people often miss: a no-contact bond condition is imposed on a defendant during a pending criminal charge, while a PPO is a civil action between citizens.[11] See PPO vs. no-contact order.
Local help in Kalamazoo County
YWCA Kalamazoo is at 353 E. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, with a general number of 269-345-5595 in addition to its 24-hour crisis hotline.[6] VOICES4, the state hotline, costs nothing, is confidential and anonymous, and has advocates on duty 24/7.[14] More agencies are in Where to get help in West Michigan.
Legal Aid of Western Michigan's Kalamazoo County intake number is 269-344-8113; the organization handles civil matters and, on the criminal side, only record expungements.[15][16] At a criminal arraignment the court asks whether the defendant has a lawyer or needs one appointed.[17]
Specialty courts and local numbers
Kalamazoo County lists a Mental Health Court, an Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) Court, men's and women's drug treatment courts and a Swift & Sure Sanctions Program among its specialty programs.[18] A domestic violence court is not on that list.[18]
The Michigan State Police recorded 2,619 domestic violence victims in Kalamazoo County in 2025, compared with 2,966 in 2024 and 1,918 in 2021.[19] In 2025, 1,843 were recorded as non-aggravated assault victims and 412 as aggravated or felonious assault victims.[19] The count covers incidents an investigating officer marked as domestic violence, including family relationships beyond partners.[20][21]
How a case moves through the Kalamazoo courts
The district court has jurisdiction over a felony only until the defendant is bound over; after that the circuit court has it.[22] In Kalamazoo that handoff happens inside one building.[7] A misdemeanor stays in the district court, where the judge may set a pretrial conference with the prosecutor and the defense.[23] See the misdemeanor case timeline and The pretrial conference.
Common questions
Where do I go for a domestic violence arraignment in Kalamazoo?
To the 8th District Court at the Judge Charles A. Pratt Justice Center, 330 Eleanor St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007, phone 269-384-8171.[1] All criminal cases for people 18 or older begin there, whether the charge is a misdemeanor or a felony.[10] If a directory shows a different street address, go by the county's own pages and your paperwork.
Do I file a Kalamazoo PPO at the Gull Road courthouse?
No. The county states that a petition is filed with the Circuit Court Criminal Division, which is at the Pratt Justice Center, 330 Eleanor St.[3][2] The Gull Road Justice Complex at 1536 Gull Rd. houses the Family Division, which handles matters such as divorce and custody.[4]
How do I get help filling out a PPO petition in Kalamazoo?
The court's PPO Coordinator interviews petitioners and helps process the paperwork. Intake interviews are by appointment, Monday through Friday, at set times between 8:30 AM and 2:30 PM; the number is 269-385-6081.[5] The do-it-yourself packet is available on the 4th Floor, Room 401, entered from the Church Street side.[11]
Does it cost anything to file a PPO in Kalamazoo County?
No fee is required to file the petition. The petitioner is responsible for the cost of serving the papers and for copies of previous judgments or orders.[5] The statewide court rule likewise provides that there are no fees for filing a personal protection action.[24]
Is a no-contact bond condition the same thing as a PPO?
No. The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor explains that a no-contact bond condition is imposed on a defendant during a pending criminal charge, while a PPO is a civil action between citizens.[11]
Sources
- Kalamazoo County, "8th District Court" page — kalcounty.gov
- Kalamazoo County, 9th Circuit Court "Criminal Division" page — kalcounty.gov
- Kalamazoo County, "Personal Protection Orders" page; 9th Circuit "Criminal Division" page — kalcounty.gov
- Kalamazoo County, "Family Division" and "Gull Road Justice Complex" pages — kalcounty.gov
- Kalamazoo County, "Personal Protection Orders" page — kalcounty.gov
- YWCA Kalamazoo, ywcakalamazoo.org — ywcakalamazoo.org
- Kalamazoo County, "Judge Charles A. Pratt Justice Center" page — kalcounty.gov
- State of Michigan, VOICES4 Hotline — Domestic Violence page — State of Michigan
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org (home page) — National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Kalamazoo County, 8th District Court "Criminal Division" page — kalcounty.gov
- Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney, "Personal Protection Order" FAQ page — kalcounty.gov
- MCL 600.8117(1) — Michigan Legislature
- Michigan Courts, "SCAO-Approved Forms for Use in Personal Protection Proceedings" — Michigan Courts
- 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 ("How can I request an appointed lawyer?") — michiganidc.gov
- Kalamazoo County, "Specialty Courts" page — kalcounty.gov
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Domestic Violence tab (County = Kalamazoo) — 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
- MCR 6.008(A)–(B) — Michigan Courts
- MCR 6.610(B) — Michigan Courts
- MCR 3.703(A) — 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.