Michigan’s Office of Dispute Resolution Goes Global

By Stephanie Beyersdorf, Management Analyst, State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) Field Services

In late 2020, the SCAO's Office of Dispute Resolution was contacted by TASC Consulting & Capital, Israel’s largest consulting firm, on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Justice.  The Israeli Ministry of Justice performs functions similar to the SCAO.  It also houses Israel’s Attorney General, Civil Legal Aid Administration, and nearly a dozen additional units of the Israeli government.  The Ministry and TASC wanted to learn about MI-Resolve, Michigan’s new online dispute resolution (ODR) system.

SCAO Trial Court Services Reimagined, Reintroduced As Field Services

Trial Court Services at the State Court Administrative Office SCAO has been restructured and renamed Field Services (fieldservices@courts.mi.gov).  Refocusing and renaming Trial Court Services as Field Services is a recognition of the need to include a broad focus on the issues and reform initiatives affecting the courts, as well as the people who interact with courts at the most difficult points in their lives. Field Services will continue as a vital support to judges and court staff as it takes on these additional responsibilities.

As part of this strategy, SCAO is expanding cooperation with other branches of government and engagement with a wide range of judicial system stakeholders. Some of these efforts, such as the Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration, have already yielded major reforms for Michigan, making us a national leader in criminal justice reform. This outreach and engagement will continue with respect to the work of the Justice for All Commission, the Michigan Judicial Council, the Task Force on Juvenile Justice, and other initiatives. 

The transition to Field Services is one more step in our partnership with trial courts as we work together as One Court of Justice to help Michigan’s judiciary become even more accessible, engaged, and efficient.

New One Court of Justice Website Underway

By James Bosko, Judicial Information Services (JIS); and Sarah Roth, Publications Manager, Michigan Judicial Institute (MJI)

In 1990, the first web page appeared on the Internet.  Thirty years later, websites have become critical aspects of any organization that delivers services or disseminates information.  As new technology emerges, demand for a better online experience has increased.  Websites are expected to return relevant search results and work across all desktop and mobile devices.

Making it Through the Pandemic – How the State Court Administrative Office is Supporting Employees

By Marie Bowen, Business Analyst, Statistical Research

An employee shares a fun moment
with the newest addition to her family.

On March 23, 2020, when Governor Whitmer issued a statewide stay-at-home order, State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) employees were unsure about what to expect over the next several months.  Some of us were excited to work from home, some of us were nervous, but all of us needed one thing: to maintain employee interaction and human connection.  Research shows that loneliness can be as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.[1]  As Jennifer Warner, then-SCAO Court Services Division Director, stated, “Working remotely, especially during a pandemic, is difficult.  It is hard for people.  They have to change the way they work.  Even if they are grateful for it, it is still difficult.  They have kids, partners, and pets at home.  They have issues with Internet and a lack of privacy.  They are worried about a lot – some family members are sick, some have lost jobs, and some are struggling to keep a family business afloat.  People need support and connection.  We all need to take steps to intentionally connect to each other during this time.”

"In Good Hands": Michigan Supreme Court, State Court Administrative Office Welcome New Faces

Posted by State Court Administrative Office on Aug 15, 2016 3:10:49 PM

By Kathryn Haroney, MSC Public Information Office Intern

Thomas Clement, General Counsel

At first, General Counsel of the Michigan Supreme Court wasn't a job that Thomas Clement expected to pursue. “I knew several of my predecessors...all of them spoke very highly about the job,”
Clement says, but “it wasn't necessarily something that I was seeking out.” He enjoyed his role as assistant attorney general and division chief in the Michigan Attorney General's Office, and
it would be very difficult for him to leave that position. However, a series of encounters with former General Counsel Joe Baumann, Chief Justice Young, State Court Administrator Milton Mack, and others at MSC made him “increasingly excited” about the possibility of taking on the role of General Counsel. “I was very pleased, very excited, and anxious to get started and kind of wrap my arms around what the job was all about.”