December 2021 Newsletter - Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan
Greetings,

There is a multitude of winter holidays celebrated around the world. Check out the Diversity Calendar below in this newsletter which lists some of them.  

As we prepare to send off our holiday greetings to the Supreme Court in Japan, this is an ideal time to learn and share a little more about the celebrations of the December holiday season in Japan.  Omisoka (New Year's Eve) and New Year's Day are important holidays. Many Japanese families celebrate with a feast. One of the visiting judges from Japan shared that Kentucky Fried Chicken was one of his family and friends' favorites for the celebration. Many families visit shrines or temples to take part in midnight New Year's Eve observations. At the Chion-in temple, which is attended by the Buddhist sect called "Jodo", a bell is rung 108 times on New Year's Eve. The number 108 represents the number of world desires that cause pain and suffering to the human heart. The ringing of the bell is to vanish those one by one and serves as a symbol of starting the New Year off fresh. Third Circuit Court wishes all of the visiting Judges from Japan and the people of Japan Happy New Year!  
Announcements
The Criminal Division of Third Circuit Court will conduct Violation of Probation (VOP) and Arraignment on the Information (AOI) for in-custody defendants on December 28, 29, and 30th via Zoom at 9:00 a.m. Please direct your attention to the Court’s website (Zoom Virtual Meetings (3rdcc.org)) for the docket lists each day. The public may view the hearings via YouTube. There will be no in-person hearings.
The Wayne County Friend of the Court wants to offer its congratulations to the newest members of the State Bar of Michigan.

The Friend of the Court has positions open for Associate Attorneys. For those who have an interest in family law or public service, the Friend of the Court is a great place to begin your career. Benefits of working at the Friend of the Court include, among many other things:

  • Daily opportunities to practice before and build rapport with Judges, Referees and other attorneys
  • An inside look at court processes and procedures and ample opportunity to become familiar with court rules and statutes
  • Opportunities to gain experience working in a high volume workplace without the stress of having to bill time or find and retain clients
  • Training opportunities, including the forty hour mediation training
  • Qualification for Public Student Loan Forgiveness
  • The chance to positively impact the lives of families and children in Wayne County

Open positions are posted on the Court’s website at www.3rdcc.org, under Essential Links. The Friend of the Court wishes all the new attorneys the best start to their career!
The Third Circuit Court Civil, Criminal and Family Divisions will be closed Friday, December 24, 2021 and Monday, December 27, 2021 in observance of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
           
On Tuesday, December 28, 2021, Wednesday, December 29, 2021 and Thursday, December 30, 2021 the Court will be open for essential services only, including criminal arraignments, probation violation and failure to appear warrants, personal protection orders, parental waivers, and other emergency civil and family division matters. The County Clerk's office will be open to accept civil and domestic relations pleadings and new case filings from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on those days.
         
The Court will be closed on Friday, December 31, 2021 and Monday, January 3, 2022 in observance of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and will re-open on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. The emergency procedure that is posted on the Court’s website and the Friday Detroit Legal News should be followed for any after hour emergency matter.
Third Circuit Court Jury Duty Scam
 
Recently residents of Wayne County have been subject to a telephone scam claiming that a Failure to Appear for Jury Duty at the Third Circuit Court has resulted in a Contempt of Court finding. The caller identifies himself as a member of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and indicates that a Venmo payment of between $1,500.00 and $2,000.00 will prevent the resident from being arrested.

Residents should be advised neither the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department nor the Third Circuit Court contacts Wayne County residents by telephone or email in an effort to collect funds for allegations for missed jury service. If you receive such a request, do not make any payment but rather contact the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department at (313) 224-0414 and provide information about the communication.
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.

Omisoka and New Year’s Day – January 1
Nat’l Spaghetti Day – January 4
Nat’l Bird Day – January 5
Epiphany Day – January 6
Orthodox Christmas Day – January 7
Law Enfor. Appreciation Day – January 9
Human Trafficking Awareness Day – January 11
Martin Luther King Day – January 17
Kiss a Ginger Day – January 12
Orthodox New Year – January 14
Religious Freedom Day – January 16
National Popcorn Day – January 19
National Pie Day – January 23
International Day of Education – January 24
National Spouses Day – January 26
Int’l Holocaust Remembrance Day – January 27
National Hot Chocolate Day – January 31