Online Dispute Resolution: Part 1

By Doug Van Epps, Director, Office of Dispute Resolution

Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is quickly gaining recognition as a means of providing greater customer service and access to justice.  You will be hearing much more about it in the months and years ahead as courts adopt services that allow people to resolve their disputes online.

Judge Karen McDonald: Protecting Women and Children at Risk

By MSC Office of Public Information; reprinted from "Judges in the Community: Giving Back and Making a Difference"

One in three families in Michigan are affected by domestic violence, and women are the victims
in 85-95 percent of all reported domestic violence cases.

This statistic compelled Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Karen McDonald to seek out ways
to help provide at-risk women and children the protection and resources they need.

“One Bad Decision Away From Danger”: Berrien County Implements a Juvenile Human Trafficking Screening Protocol

By Elvin Gonzalez, Family Division Administrator, Berrien County Trial Court

Berrien County Trial Court-Family Division Judge Jennifer Smith says, “The children of our communities are vulnerable in so many ways.  It is imperative for us to recognize this and to accept that human trafficking is one of the dangers facing children in all of our communities today.  It is our duty to create tools to identify those most at risk and put safety nets in place to assist them.”

The Berrien County Trial Court's juvenile human trafficking screening process flow.

Clerk L.O.V.: Bringing Public Service to the People

By Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of public service is:

1. the business of supplying a commodity (such as electricity or gas) or service (such as transportation) to any or all members of a community,
2. a service rendered in the public interest,
3. governmental employment.

As a county clerk, I believe all three definitions fit my role: a countywide elected official tasked with, in the most general and broadest of terms, keeping the records—a position that is undervalued and unappreciated by most, until they need a document.

Juvenile Justice Overhaul in Muskegon County Family Division

By Sandra Vanderhyde, 14th Circuit Court Administrator

Several years ago, the Muskegon County Family Division determined it needed a complete overhaul of its juvenile justice system.  The timing was right.  The county had funds that could be used toward this effort as part of a Systems of Care grant that was awarded to HealthWest (Muskegon County’s Community Mental Health Agency) and the court had just taken over operations of the Muskegon County Juvenile Transition Center from the county.  Some leadership changes also made the timing ideal.

Michigan Trial Courts Continue to Rise in Performance According to the Public

By Marie Bowen, Statistical Research Business Analyst

Background

Public satisfaction and good service is very important to Michigan trial courts.  Every year, from 2013-2018 (with 2017 being optional), court users were surveyed about treatment and fairness of the court system in addition to ease of access.  Between 2013 and 2018, nearly 127,000 courts users expressed their levels of satisfaction and opinions on court performance.  Each trial court then uses the survey results to make improvements where needed, motivate employees, and celebrate successes.

From 2016 to 2018, more court users agreed that the case was handled fairly.

The Value of Plain Speech

By Kathryn Griffin, Court Administrator, 45th Circuit and St. Joseph Probate Courts

Plain Language – what is it really?  As courts strive to enhance public trust and confidence in the court system, through various performance measures, are we missing the one piece of the puzzle, language that our constituents can understand?  The National Association of Court Management (NACM) has put together a wonderful resource to explain exactly what “plain language” is and what we can do to incorporate it into the courts.  Each year NACM publishes a guide, this year’s guide is the “Plain Language Guide.”

A preview of the 2019 "Plain Language Guide"

Social Media Marketing for Courts: A JTC Resource Bulletin

By Kevin Bowling, Trial Court Administrator of the 20th Circuit and Ottawa County Probate Courts and Co-Chair of the Joint Technology Committee

For many years the Joint Technology Committee (JTC) has operated under the auspices of the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA), the National Association for Court Management (NACM), and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC).  The JTC mission is simply: “To improve the administration of justice through technology,” and this has been accomplished in a variety of ways, including the development and promotion of technology standards for courts, improving court process and business practices, providing technology training, and providing technology guidance to courts through resource documents.

MichiganLegalHelp.org and the Average Visitor

By Ramzi Badwi, Program and Outreach Coordinator, Michigan Legal Help Program

Michigan Residents and the Justice Gap

At its core, MichiganLegalHelp.org is a website designed to provide free legal information for those who are representing themselves in their legal matters.  In 2012, there was only one Michigan legal services attorney for every 21,625 residents who qualified for their services.  This disparity between the demand for and availability of legal resources meant that many eligible residents had to be turned away.  This “justice gap” is not only experienced in Michigan, but nationwide as well.  According to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), “low-income Americans will approach LSC-funded legal aid organizations for support with an estimated 1.7 million problems (2017).  They will receive only limited or no legal help for more than half of these problems because of a lack of resources.”  The individuals and families affected by this gap comprise Michigan Legal Help’s (MLH) ideal audience, and so the question is who is an average MLH visitor and how do they compare to the population experiencing this justice gap?

Are You Missing Out? Features of MJI’s Website

By Michigan Judicial Institute

The Michigan Judicial Institute (MJI) produces a variety of resources for judges and court staff.  Anyone can access MJI’s calendar of events, recent IMPACT e-mail, videos, publications, and Q&As. Here are some helpful hints about navigating the MJI website: