AT THE CAPITOL

HB 5445 (Wozniak) Courts: specialty courts; Courts: family division. Courts: specialty courts; family division of the circuit court judgeships; modify. Amends secs. 1003, 1011, 1021 & 1023 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.1003 et seq.) & adds secs. 1002 & 1012.
POSITION: Oppose.
(Position adopted via roll-call vote. Commissioners voting in support of the position: Anderson, Barr, Barton, Bryant, Burrell, Christenson, Clay, Crowley, Davis, Detzler, Easterly, Eccleston, Evans, Hamameh, Howlett, Kitchen-Troop, Larsen, Lerner, Liggins, Low, Lowe, Luckenbach, Mantese, Mason, Murray, Ohaneisan, Simmons, Timmons; Commissioners abstaining from voting: Clark.)

SB 0885 (Singh) Criminal procedure: indigent defense; State agencies (existing): licensing and regulatory affairs. Criminal procedure: indigent defense; parent and child legal representation commission; create. Creates new act.
POSITION: Support.

IN THE HALL OF JUSTICE

Proposed Amendment of Rule 2.410 of the Michigan Court Rules (ADM File No. 2024-32) – Alternative Dispute Resolution (See Michigan Bar Journal April 2026, 54).
STATUS: Comment Period Expires 7/1/26; Public Hearing to be Scheduled.
POSITION: Support.

Proposed Amendment of Rule 3.972 of the Michigan Court Rules (ADM File No. 2023-23) – Trial
STATUS: Comment Period Expires 7/1/26; Public Hearing to be Scheduled.
POSITION: Support with an additional amendment that the third sentence of MCR 3.972(E) should read: A party other than the respondent that filed the motion may request to present evidence to the court before it decides the motion, and the court must grant that request before deciding the motion.

Proposed Amendment of Rule 3.981 of the Michigan Court Rules (ADM File No. 2024-04) – Minor Personal Protection Orders; Issuance; Modification; Rescission; Appeal
STATUS: Comment Period Expires 7/1/26; Public Hearing to be Scheduled.
POSITION: Support with a further amendment to the language proposed to be added to MCR 3.981 as follows: The court must advise the respondent of their appellate rights under MCR 3.937 following the issuance of any order appealable by right., and in those cases, If a respondent requests the appointment of appellate counsel, the appointment of appellate counsel is controlled by MCR 3.993(D)(5).

Proposed Amendment of Rule 6.610 of the Michigan Court Rules (ADM File No. 2025-09) – Criminal Procedure Generally (See Michigan Bar Journal April 2026, 55).
STATUS: Comment Period Expires 7/1/26; Public Hearing to be Scheduled.
POSITION: Support.

Proposed Amendment of Rule 7.210 of the Michigan Court Rules (ADM File No. 2025-23) – Record on Appeal (See Michigan Bar Journal April 2026, 55).
STATUS: Comment Period Expires 7/1/26; Public Hearing to be Scheduled.
POSITION: Support.