The Jake Kidder lawsuit that many searchers are looking for does not exist as a civil case in the available court records. What exists is a criminal case against Kidder in St. Clair County, Michigan, that grew out of a 2024 car wash search, and an appeal the Michigan Court of Appeals denied in May 2025 for lack of merit. Kidder has publicly framed the encounter as a civil rights violation and raised money toward legal fees, but no civil suit against the officers or department has surfaced.
What Happened at the Marysville Car Wash
Kidder was washing his truck at a self-serve car wash in Marysville when an off-duty officer saw a Black man in a Cadillac hand him a bag. The off-duty officer believed the exchange looked like a drug transaction and contacted on-duty officers, who came to the scene. Kidder told them the man was a coworker and the bag contained a cigarette. Officers searched the truck anyway and found nothing illegal.
Kidder later posted body camera footage and his own recordings of the stop to YouTube, where the videos drew attention from viewers who saw the search as unjustified.
The Criminal Charges and Appeal
Despite the search turning up nothing, Kidder was charged in St. Clair County Circuit Court. The case carries a felony-level designation, though the specific charges are not detailed in the available records. The 2024 case number indicates charges were filed that year.
Kidder took the case to the Michigan Court of Appeals, which docketed the appeal on May 13, 2025. Just over two weeks later, on May 28, 2025, a three-judge panel granted his motion to waive fees and his request for immediate consideration but denied his application for leave to appeal “for lack of merit in the grounds presented.”1Justia Law. People of MI v. Jason Lee Kidder, No. 375604 The file was then marked concluded and archived.2Michigan Courts. People of MI v. Jason Lee Kidder, COA No. 375604
A denial of leave to appeal is not a ruling on the facts. It means the appeals court declined to hear the merits of Kidder’s arguments, leaving the lower court’s proceedings in place.
Kidder’s Public Campaign
Kidder launched a GoFundMe titled “Help Jason Kidder Fight for Justice,” organized with co-organizer Tiffany Christensen. The campaign sought $4,500 for legal counsel and had raised $4,163 across 85 donations as of its most recent update.3GoFundMe. Help Jason Kidder Fight for Justice
On the campaign page, Kidder alleged that in St. Clair County “law enforcement and judges [are] all on the same team that will twist law to fit their own agendas,” and said he wanted to “hire an extremely talented lawyer to ensure my rights are protected.” He linked body camera footage and a second video showing what officers described as a drug deal and what Kidder maintains was a coworker handing him a cigarette.
Is There a Civil Lawsuit?
No civil lawsuit by Kidder against the officers or the department appears in the available court records. His public statements treat the search as a civil rights violation, but whether he intends to file a civil action is not clear from what has been made public. With the Court of Appeals denial in May 2025 and the appellate file archived, the criminal side of the case has run its course through the normal appeals process.