Greetings,
November is the month of pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and giving thanks. Giving thanks is a focus throughout the Court. Judge Joseph swore in the new Court Appointed Special Advocate (C.A.S.A.) volunteers. Chief Judge Kenny acknowledged the Judges and court staff who have served our country in the armed forces. The Judges’ Community Service Team also began their holiday giving campaign. As the weather gets colder, the warmth and generosity of Third Circuit Court Judges dials up. Happy Thanksgiving and season of giving thanks!
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RICHARD L. SMART, III
After 24 years of dedicated service, Deputy Court Administrator of the Juvenile Division, Richard L. Smart is retiring.
Richard has had an illustrative career in public service. He was appointed Assistant Deputy Attorney General, In Charge-Detroit Office by State Attorney General Frank Kelley in 1985. He was the political liaison for Attorney General Kelley for five years. In his ten years with the Attorney General’s Office, he worked in the Finance and Development Division and the Children’s Youth Services Division, where he represented the State of Michigan in child protection proceedings at the Lincoln Hall of Justice in Detroit. After leaving the Attorney General’s Office in 1994, he opened a private practice, was appointed Assistant Public Administrator for Wayne County, and represented children and parents in the Juvenile Court.
In 1997, Richard was appointed as a Juvenile Court Referee in the Wayne County Probate Court. As a referee, he took the bench each day to hear child abuse and neglect cases and delinquency matters in the Family Division of the Third Circuit Court. Richard has held many leadership positions at the Juvenile Court, including Chief Referee. In March 2015, Richard Smart was elevated to the position of Deputy Court Administrator of the Juvenile Section of the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of Juvenile Court. He facilitated many innovative programs in his tenure, including volunteer supervised parenting time program, the creation of the Resolution Docket, and the institution of the Child and Parent Legal Representation and Quality Legal Representation Programs. His work on child welfare issues with the Casey Foundation gained national attention. He was recently appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice to represent public agencies concerned with delinquency prevention or treatment.
Richard has approached his work with youth and families as a calling. He is known for saying, “Family first. And at the Lincoln Hall of Justice, we save lives.”
Walking in his life purpose, Richard Smart remains involved and committed to community service. For 32 years he has been a motivational speaker, spreading his positive message of higher education and success to youth throughout the metropolitan area. He created the Smart Move Leadership Training Program, mentoring to youth throughout Metropolitan Detroit.
Richard Smart graduated from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University Law School.
He is married to Atty. Miriam Blank-Smart and they make their home in Southfield, MI. They have two adult daughters. The eldest, Danielle, is an attorney, clerking in the Federal District Court in Flint, Michigan. His youngest daughter, Rachel, is a management analyst in Fairfax, VA with ICF Corporation.
The Third Circuit Court wishes Richard the best as he retires. The Judges, Administrators, and staff have enjoyed the privilege of working with him, and the families in Wayne County have enjoyed the benefits of having his thoughtfulness and leadership. Congratulations, Richard.
Click on the link to view Richard’s virtual goodbye.
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Michigan CASA's 2021 Patricia Wagner
CASA Volunteer of the Year!
Amy D'Aprile has been a CASA Volunteer in Livingston County for nearly four years. She exemplifies a high level of ethics and respect in her role as a CASA with every single case that she has had so far. She is well respected by the parties in the case and will leave no stone unturned! Amy is respectful to everyone she works with and advocates with confidence, integrity, trust, and good moral character. Amy is always willing to help CASA volunteers if they are in need of a mentor. Amy has worked with children with many different needs, such as severe trauma, educational needs, and a medically fragile baby. Amy is compassionate, consistent, an active listener, and always remains objective. Amy has even been personally requested by attorneys and the Assistant Prosecutor on a particularly difficult case due to her professionalism and her advocacy skills. Amy is also on the Michigan CASA board of directors.
Please join us in congratulating Amy on this prestigious award!
(Article/photos reprinted from Michigan CASA November newsletter)
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On November 10th, the Honorable Edward J. Joseph officiated the swearing-in of seven new Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for 3rd Circuit Court - Juvenile abuse and neglect docket. Under the direction of Judge Joseph, the oath was administered. Beryl Fletcher, Program Coordinator, and Ericka Brown, CASA Volunteer Supervisor, facilitated the 43rd Swearing-In Ceremony for the CASA volunteers via Zoom. Congratulations to all of the volunteers who successfully completed the training and were sworn in. This brings the total number of volunteers to advocate for children in foster care to 51.
Congratulations to the following CASA volunteers:
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Amberly Boucher
Amberly Boucher is a project manager. When she is not working her 9-5 job, she is hanging out with her family and fur babies, crocheting, going for walks along the riverfront, catching up on her favorite shows, going for joyrides, or exploring a new city. She leads a simple but happy life. She is incredibly honored to be a part of the CASA program as children hold a very special place in her heart.
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Olivia Dorantes
Olivia's passion for the well-being of children and their families began during a year of service in a Detroit classroom when she learned many of her students were impacted by the child welfare system in some capacity. With school being only a small portion of these children’s lives, she realized in order to make an impact she had to be involved in the system that shaped their whole world. She began her career at a foster care agency in the South Bronx where she spent two years diligently advocating for the needs of the children on her caseload. Professionally, Olivia works for a technology company, Binti, that focuses on reinventing the child welfare system with groundbreaking software. Olivia is excited to return to the on-the-ground work with advocating for children in the Wayne County Foster Care system!
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De’Borah Letbetter
De'Borah Letbetter is retired from Ascension Health Information Services' Organization where she worked as an Information Technology Project Manager - PMP. She also worked as an Adjunct Professor for Davenport University. As a CASA volunteer, she wants to provide support and guidance to children who might otherwise fall to the disadvantages of societal issues within their current parental households. It is important that she extends her services by helping to shape the next generation of leaders! She appreciates this opportunity to participate in the CASA program.
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Denise Moore
The oldest of five, Denise’s family opened their home & hearts to foster children for most 15 years. She founded a daycare in the city of Detroit shortly after which focused on the whole child, but particularly academic preparedness. In 2016 she became a teacher at Crescent Academy Charter School, where she was able to continue to lead little bright minds into life-long learners as a kindergarten teacher. All of that is what has helped her see the need and her purpose of serving the least of these, referencing Matthew 25:40. As a serial entrepreneur, her strategic business model aims to empower those formerly incarcerated, aging out foster care children, and/or those that desire a second chance with job employment, technical training, and business development to change her community. Walking by faith she decided to stretch and cast her net into the retail and government procurement space full-time, which allows for the opportunity to work towards her business success, but also assist in the care of her 96-year-old, World War II veteran grandfather who she attributes to her entrepreneurial heartbeat. A serial entrepreneur himself, with an eighth-grade education, he too had several successful businesses that would lead her to where she is today.
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Angela Rochow
Angela has always had a passion for early childhood and child advocacy. She has her bachelor’s degree in both Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Eastern Michigan University. Currently, Angela is a teacher by profession and her hobbies include coaching basketball, woodworking, and reading. Angela is married to her husband, Chris, and they live in Garden City with their two rescue pups, Lucky and Fox. Angela is excited to use her passions to continue child advocacy in Wayne County.
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Christopher Rochow
Chris is a Scientist by profession and a Child Welfare advocate by passion. Child advocacy has always been an area of interest for Chris; now through CASA he will get the chance to put it into practice. He is married to his lovely wife, Angela, who has kept the passion for lifting children's voices throughout their relationship. They reside in Wayne County with their two dogs, Lucky and Fox.
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Jean Schrage
Jean Schrage is a retired educator of 20 years who is looking forward to continuing to help children through the CASA program. Her experience as an elementary, special education teacher and Mom will help her relate to the children she will encounter as a CASA. She has been married to her husband, John, for 41 years. They have four grown children and five grandsons.
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On November 11 of each year, we honor all of the men and women who are currently serving and those who have in the past.
We honor them for the sacrifices they have made and continue to make to guarantee our freedoms.
We honor them for providing the blanket of security we often take for granted.
We honor them because they did not have to choose to serve this country and its countrymen and women, but they did.
We honor them because some have carried the burden of war and its scars, both physical and mental, so that you and I would not have to.
On behalf of all Third Circuit Court employees, Chief Judge Timothy M. Kenny, and the Executive Court Administrator, Zenell Brown, would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to every court employee who has worn the uniform.
We salute you.
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THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CALENDAR
The Third Circuit Court Diversity and Inclusion Team’s Mission: "We appreciate our common connection and respect our diverse and unique human experiences. We move forward as an inclusive organization as we provide accessible and equal justice."
The Court’s Diversity & Inclusion Team strives to ensure the values of its diverse bench, staff, and court users are acknowledged and reflected in our delivery of service as well as our work environment.
In that spirit, the team creates and shares a monthly list of various holidays and observations along with some celebration suggestions. We invite our work community and the community at large to contribute.
Universal Human Rights month
Hanukkah – November 28-December 6
World AIDS Day – December 1
Rosa Parks Day – December 1
National Pie Day – December 1
(not to be confused with National Pi day on March 14)
International Day of Persons with Disabilities – December 3
AFL-CIO Day – December 5
Saint Nicholas Day – December 6
Pearl Harbor Day – December 7
Bodhi Day – December 8
Human Rights Day – December 10
St. Lucia’s Day – December 13
National Cocoa Day – December 13
National Horse Day – December 13
Bill of Rights Day – December 15
Wright Brothers Day – December 17
International Migrants Day – December 18
Winter Solstice – December 21
Yule – December 21 – January 1
Christmas Eve – December 24
Christmas – December 25
Zartosht No-Diso – December 26
Boxing Day – December 26
Kwanzaa – December 26 – January 1
Wounded Knee Day – December 29
New Year’s Eve – December 31
Leap Second Time Adjustment Day-December 31
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