HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2017.06.15 - 23000REQUESTING SUSPENSION
OF THE BOARD RULES FOR
IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION
UNDER NEW BUSINESS
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #17189
BY: Commissioner Michael J. Gingell, District #1
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — DISSOLUTION OF THE OAKLAND COUNTY FRIEND OF
THE COURT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS the Oakland County Friend of the Court Citizens Advisory Committee was created by the
Board of Commissioners on November 21, 2001; and
WHEREAS the Oakland County Friend of the Court Citizens Advisory Committee is currently only one of
three such committees operating in the state; and
WHEREAS the purpose of the Oakland County Friend of the Court Citizens Advisory Committee is to
advise the Chief Circuit Court Judge and the Board of Commissioners regarding the Friend of the Court's
duties and performance and to review certain grievances limited to office operations and gender bias. The
Committee does not have any power or authority over local Friend of the Court operations or
recommendations to the court or court decisions and the Committee cannot intervene in individual cases;
and
WHEREAS this limited function is confusing to court litigants who often seek the assistance of the
committee in challenging a court decision; and
WHEREAS because so few FOC Citizen Advisory Committees exist, the State Court Administrative Office
forms committee removed all references to Citizens Advisory Committees from its grievance form in
March 2014 to avoid confusion for child support customers who use that form; and
WHEREAS this change to a statewide form has increased confusion to the litigants in the three counties
where a citizens advisory committee still exists; and
WHEREAS members of the public who seek assistance with their Friend of the Court case have many
other options and, for example, can file a grievance directly with the Friend of the Court director who is
required to respond within 30 days; and
WHEREAS members of the public who are dissatisfied with the Friend of the Court director's response
may file a further grievance with the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court pursuant to MCL 552.526; and
WHEREAS the Friend of the Court is required to report all grievances to the State Court Administrative
Office and send copies for review by that office every year; and
WHEREAS the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court is responsible for the supervision of the Friend of the
Court and, in addition to responding to grievances, also conducts an annual public performance review of
the Friend of the Court Director pursuant to MCL 552.524; and
WHEREAS notice of this statutory review is published in the Oakland Press and the Legal News yearly
seeking input before the review of the Friend of the Court Director is conducted by the Chief Judge; and
WHEREAS members of the public may also seek a resolution of their domestic relations dispute through
the court system as the Friend of the Court merely makes non-binding recommendations to the Circuit
Court; and
WHEREAS the current members of the Oakland County Friend of the Court Advisory Citizens Advisory
Committee have indicated their support for the dissolution of the Committee in consultation with Board of
Commissioners staff.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
dissolves the Oakland County Friend of the Court Citizens Advisory Committee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners requests that any final reports and
business of the Oakland County Friend of the Court Advisory Committee be filed with State Court
Administrative Office by the end of 2017.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners requests that a copy of this resolution be
forwarded to the State Court Administrative Office.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution.
Commissioner Michael J. Gingell
District #1
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Resolution #17189 June 15, 2017
Moved by Ginger] supported by Fleming to suspend the rules and vote on Miscellaneous Resolution
#17189 — Board of Commissioners — Dissolution of the Oakland County Friend of the Court Citizens
Advisory Committee.
Vote on motion to suspend the rules:
AYES: Spisz, Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack, Berman, Bowman, Crawford, Dwyer, Fleming,
Gershenson, Gingell, Hoffman, Jackson, Kochenderfer, Long, McGillivray, Middleton,
Quarles. (19)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the motion to suspend the rules and vote on Miscellaneous
Resolution #17189 - Board of Commissioners — Dissolution of the Oakland County Friend of the Court
Citizens Advisory Committee.
Moved by Gingell supported by Fleming the resolution be adopted.
Vote on resolution:
AYES: Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack, Berman, Bowman, Crawford, Dwyer, Fleming,
Gershenson, Gingell, Hoffman, Jackson, Kochenderfer, Long, McGillivray, Middleton, Quarles,
Spisz. (19)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolution was adopted.
I MEEK APP5OVE THIS FIESOLUTICffi
CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVK
ACTING PURSUANT TO MCL 45,559A (7
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on June 15, 2017,
with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Oakland at
Pontiac, Michigan this 15th day of June, 2017.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County