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Structure / Funding
The Otsego County Judicial System is funded from a variety of sources. For general court operations, a unified general fund court budget is approved for revenues and expenditures of the courts. In matters dealing with juvenile justice, a separate Child Care Fund Budget is approved. For account monitoring purposes, a separate Friend of the Court budget is approved since some expenses are reimbursed (approximately 66%) by the State of Michigan based on a formula measuring child support collections state-wide.
Other budgets encompass expenses for jury boards, law libraries, and various grants the court receives to run a Drug Court. All revenues collected by the Trial Court are deposited with the County Treasurer. Revenues from the court are generated through various fees assessed for clerical filings, criminal or traffic judgments, and reimbursements from the State or from various grants. The State pays the salary of the judges. Court staff is classified on an employee classification system established by the State Court Administrative Office. Depending on the staff position and funding source, some salaries and benefits are reimbursed back to the funding unit.
Adoptions
- Probate Court
Child Protective Proceedings
- Family Court
Conservatorship
- Probate Court
Custody Matters
- Family Court/Friend of the Court
Decedent's Estates
- Probate Court
Delinquency
- Family Court
Divorce
- Family Court/Friend of the Court if children are involved
- Circuit Court if no children are involved
Driver's License Restoration
- Circuit Court
Emancipation
- Probate Court
Felony Criminal Cases
- Family Court if the defendant is under 17 years old
- Begin in the District Court if the defendant is over 17 years old
- Adult defendant trials are in the Circuit Court
General Civil Lawsuits
- District Court for claims of $25,000 or less
- Circuit Court for claims over $25,000
Guardianships
- Probate Court
Landlord / Tenant Cases
- District Court
Marriages
- District or Probate Court
Mentally Impaired Proceedings
- Probate Court
Misdemeanor Criminal Cases
- Family Court if the defendant is under 17 years old
- District Court if the defendant is over 17 years old
Municipal Civil Infractions
District Court
Name Changes
- Probate Court
Parenting Time
- Family Court/Friend of the Court
Paternity
- Family Court
Personal Protection Orders
- Filed with the County Clerk
Small Claims
- District Court
State Law Civil Infractions
- District Courts
Support Hearings
- Family Court/Friend of the Court
Traffic & Parking Infractions
- District Court
Waiver / Parental Consent-Abortion
- Probate Court
Wills & Trusts
- Probate Court
Michigan's concept of "One Court of Justice" was introduced in 1963 by Article VI, Section 1 of the Michigan Constitution. Under this principle, the judicial system functions as an integrated unit consisting of one supreme court, one court of appeals, one trial court (known as the circuit court), and several trial courts of limited jurisdiction.
Each court performs a certain role within the judicial system according to the jurisdiction given to it by the Michigan Legislature. This jurisdiction is outlined in various Michigan statutes. In addition to establishing "One Court of Justice", the Michigan Constitution authorized the appointment of a state court administrator to assist courts with administrative duties and tasks.
The Otsego County Judicial System is comprised of three different constitutional or statutory courts. These courts are the 46th Circuit Court, the 87-A District Court and the Otsego County Probate Court. The Michigan Supreme Court appoints a chief judge in each of these courts who is empowered to exercise administrative authority over court staff and court operations of the respective court.
With the approval from the Michigan Supreme Court, all of the elected judges serving Otsego County entered into an agreement called a Concurrent Jurisdiction Plan, whereby the entire judicial system operates as a unified trial court within Otsego County. This merged court system results in more efficient use of judges and court personnel simplify case handling, reduces repetition, provides for better service to the citizens in Otsego County, continues to curtail the rising costs of the judicial system where practical, and results in a reduction of receivables due to the court.
Judges are elected for six-year terms and judicial workloads are based on time, event and location. With the exception of centralized administration, court personnel is generally assigned to a specific division. However, based on needs, the staff is transferred between divisions as necessary at the direction of court administration.
One court administrator is appointed to assist the chief judges with all administrative matters of the judicial system. The court administrator meets regularly with all judges to discuss and review policies, goals, and objectives of the unified trial court, analyze problems, and seek solutions to challenges when needed. The court administrator regularly meets with staff to provide updates on changes in laws, court procedures and to keep staff informed of events that affect the Otsego County Judicial System.
Court policies, procedures, and rules are governed by one of the following authorities: Federal and Michigan Constitutions, Federal or Michigan Statutes, Michigan Court Rules, Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Orders, directives from the State Court Administrator's Office, directives from state regulatory agencies, or local directives from the Chief Judges.