Michigan Legal Help's New Guide to Legal Help

By Ramzi Badwi, Program and Outreach Coordinator

The term “triage” is usually reserved for the process hospitals use to sort out the order in which patients will be treated based on the urgency of their wounds or illnesses.  Much like hospitals, legal aid offices can be overwhelmed with people who urgently need their assistance.  The triage concept can be adapted to the legal field to make better use of limited resources, just as it is used in the medical profession.

'Baby Steps': How Two Northern Michigan Courts Built an Enduring Partnership that Sets Up Children to Succeed

By MSC Public Information Office

“Take it one step at a time.” This age-old advice rings true in many circumstances.

Wayne County Probate Court and Community Dispute Resolution Center Work Together to Save Time, Money, and Family Relationships

By the Honorable Lawrence J. Paolucci, Wayne County Probate Court
and Bernard Dempsey, Executive Director of the Wayne Mediation Center

Many courts throughout Michigan have discovered that mediation is an efficient and effective way to manage their contested dockets.  Mediation has been shown to be an especially successful tool in resolving cases that involve ongoing relationships between the parties, as is generally the case in probate and family cases. 

Court Partners with State Agencies on Local Eviction Prevention Program

By Tanya Todd, Clerk of the Court, 61st District Court, Grand Rapids

An eviction can have dire consequences for individuals and families, the most serious being the potential threat of homelessness.  It can mean uncertainty about the future, instability with employment or school, and an obstacle for future rental opportunities.  Stable housing not only provides a sense of security, it leads to success in other areas of life: maintaining employment, establishing permanency for children at home and in school, and creating a sense of community and self-worth. 

Sibling Connections in the Courts

By the Honorable Audrey Van Alst, 84th District Court, Wexford County

I am not sure how many siblings sit or have sat as judges in the same county, at the same time, as I discovered no records of that type are officially kept.  But nonetheless, I am proud to count myself and my brother as “sibling-judges.”

Phoenix Court Empowers Young Trafficking Victims Through Treatment

By the Honorable Laura Baird, 30th Circuit Court, Family Division (Ingham County)

In the 30th Circuit Court, we have youth on our docket who we think were victims of human trafficking for commercial sexual activity.  We developed a specialty docket – “Phoenix Court” – with a treatment plan and treatment team to address the unique needs of young trafficking victims in a holistic way.

County Building Classroom for Active Violence Training

By Krista Tacey-Cater, Houghton Lake Resorter

Reprinted with permission from the Houghton Lake Resorter

The stage had been set when a call was received by Roscommon County Central Dispatch indicating that a ve­hicle had crashed near the Roscommon County Courthouse entrance. The sce­nario became more complicated two minutes later when another call informed Central Dispatch that armed gunmen were roaming the halls of the County Building and Courthouse.

Michigan Tribal Judicial Forum Builds Trust and Spurs Cooperation on Child Support Issues in Southwest Michigan

By MSC Public Information Office

Chief Judge Michael Petoskey is very familiar with Michigan tribal courts.

Although he currently serves as the Chief Judge for both the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and the Match-E- Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, Chief Judge Petoskey has served on the bench for all seven of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula tribes during his career since first being appointed in 1985 as Chief Judge of his own Tribe, The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

Community Outreach Court Offers Services to Those at Risk of Homelessness

By Carol Stocking, Court Administrator, 86th District Court, Grand Traverse County

The 86th District Court in Grand Traverse County began a Community Outreach Court in October 2017 to offer services to individuals who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.  This program provides the opportunity to resolve unpaid court fines, fees, bench warrants, and open cases for civil and criminal infractions when they complete an action plan designed to address the root causes of their homelessness or risk of homelessness and criminal activity.