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Court
and
Community
News and
Access & Fairness
updates
from the Third Judicial Circuit
August 2026
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Chief Judge Letter - America 250
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Access & Fairness Updates
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Referee Bianchi School Visits
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Referee Simpson Promotes Fatherhood in the Community
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10 Minutes to Justice Program Update
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Court Retreat Preview
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Celebrating Juror Appreciation Month in July
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New Hires Michele Bradford and Shantelle Richie
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Tech Tips - Purge Your Mobile Apps
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Access & Fairness Calendar
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America250: A time to reflect on our mission
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As our nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, all of us at Third Circuit Court have an opportunity to reflect on one of America's greatest strengths. In the court system they include an independent judiciary and the enduring promise of equal justice under the law.
For 250 years, our judicial system has helped safeguard the rights and freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution. That responsibility remains as important today as it was at our nation's founding. Every day at our court we work to ensure that every Wayne County resident who enters our courthouses is treated with fairness, dignity, and respect, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Access to justice is more than a principle. It is part of our promise to Wayne County residents. Whether serving as judges, referees, court staff, or support personnel, each of us plays an essential role in maintaining public trust and ensuring that our courts remain open, impartial, and accessible to all. Thank you for playing your role.
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, let us also celebrate the important work we do together to uphold justice for every person we serve.
Judge Edward Ewell, Jr.
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Access and Fairness in August
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The Third Circuit Court Access and Fairness Committee, formerly the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team, guides, coordinates, and monitors initiatives that promote fairness, accessibility, and inclusion across all divisions of the Court.
The Committee’s mission is:
The Third Circuit Court advances justice through fairness, accessibility, and respect. We are committed to serving the public with integrity and accountability, ensuring that every person, whether staff, judicial officer, or court user, can engage with the Court equitably and with dignity.
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August is recognized as both National Civility Month and National Wellness Month, offering an opportunity to reflect on two qualities that help create a positive workplace and strengthen public service.
National Civility Month
encourages kindness, courtesy and respectful communication. In the judiciary, civility is essential to fostering professionalism, fairness and public trust. Every interaction with court users and colleagues is an opportunity to demonstrate respect and uphold the integrity of the justice system.
National Wellness Month
promotes physical, mental and emotional well-being through healthy habits and self-care. Taking time to support our own wellness—and that of our coworkers—helps create a healthier, more resilient workplace.
These observances also reflect the Third Judicial Circuit's LEAD values of Leadership, Excellence, Accountability and Diversity. By treating one another with respect, prioritizing well-being and serving the public with professionalism and compassion, we continue to build a workplace culture that supports our mission of providing fair and accessible justice for all.
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Referee Bianchi Visits St. Clair Shores Classroom at End of the School Year
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Referee Alicia M. Bianchi
visited Princeton Elementary School in St. Clair Shores a couple of months ago to participate in their
Leaders and Lab Coats
series.
Referee Bianchi met with 65 elementary students in 4th and 5th grade at Princeton who are a part of the Accelerated Learning Program. There, she discussed family court and the importance of public service.
The students asked informed questions and enjoyed learning about the role of the court and the importance of providing equal access and justice to all.
Thank you Referee Bianchi for giving these students a view of public service!
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Referee Hulen Simpson Speaks About the Importance and Responsibility of Fatherhood
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(l to r): John Miles, Wayne County Fatherhood Coordinator, Children’s Center, Hulen R. Simpson, Lead Family Domestic-Friend of the Court Referee and David Sanchez, S
enior Director of External Relations & Advocacy, Children's Center at
the Wayne County Fatherhood Initiative Fatherhood Forum in Detroit.
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Hulen R. Simpson
, Lead Family Domestic-Friend of the Court Referee was a featured speaker at several “fatherhood” theme events recently around the state, including:
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Serving on a panel “From Uncertainty to Connection: Establishing Paternity and Engagement” at the Building Bridges: Connecting Fathers, Families, and Systems Forum in May at the WK Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek.
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Presenting at The Fatherhood Resource Workshop on the topic “Child Support Issues Which Impact You and Your Children” in June at the Ford Resource and Engagement Center (East-Side) in Detroit.
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Presenting at the 14th Annual Wayne County Fatherhood Initiative Fatherhood Forum on the topic “Friend of the Court Conflict and Resolution regarding Parentage/Paternity, Custody, Parenting Time, and Child Support” in June at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.
Thank you, Referee Simpson, for being a featured speaker on these important issues on behalf of Third Circuit Court!
Photo above left (l to r):
Renee Boucher, Paternity Establishment Program Liaison, State of Michigan, Referee Simpson and Zenell Brown, SCAO Fairness and Accountability Administrator at the
Building Bridges: Connecting Father’s Families and Systems conference in Battle Creek.
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10 Minutes for Justice Program Visits Brownstown Township and River Rouge in July
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The Hon. Charise Anderson speaks with the Brownstown Township Board of Trustees, focusing on juror experiences and our court's profile on July 21.
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The Hon. Wanda Evans talks about Third Circuit Court and the importance of jury services at a busy Romulus City Council meeting on July 27..
We now have visited 26 Wayne County communities in 11 months to provide an overview of jury services and the juror experience, the profile of our court, and where Third Circuit Court sits in the state's judicial system.
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The September All-Staff Retreat is Fast Approaching
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Registration remains open for the 2026 Third Circuit Court Retreat, taking place on Friday, September 18. This year's retreat theme,
The Power of the Third: United to LEAD
, reflects the collective strength of our Court community and our shared commitment to Leadership, Excellence, Accountability, and Diversity. Throughout the day, Judges, Court employees, and Court contractors from across every division will come together to connect, collaborate, learn, and celebrate the important work we do in service to our community.
This is a great opportunity for our entire Court community to gather in one place, and spend time together outside of the office. We look forward to spending this day together as One Court.
Now, you have a chance to get more specifics about the day, including our activities, guest speakers, agenda and more. We've established an intranet page on CourtWeb for that information. Visit it anytime.
You still have time to register!
Registration takes less than two minutes to complete.
To register:
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Log in to the Agency Resources/Outside Agency Web Access using your Third Circuit Court credentials.
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Open the Training Application.
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Select Court Events and click Sign Up for the Court Retreat.
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Complete and submit your registration form.
As a reminder, the Court will be closed on Friday, September 18, and attendance at the retreat is mandatory for all Judges, Court employees, and Court contractors, as previously announced.
Over the coming weeks, we'll continue share additional information about the retreat, including our keynote speaker, panel discussion, Spirit Week activities, event highlights, and other details to help you prepare for the day.
Contact Sharonda Simmons
with questions.
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The Hon. Mark Slavens welcomes jurors during orientation one morning at the Criminal Justice Center.
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Celebrating Juror Appreciation Month in July
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July was Juror Appreciation Month in Michigan and we recognized it in many ways.
Last month we celebrated by four jurors giving small gifts, inviting judges to speak with the jurors and 20% off lunch in the CJC cafeteria. Our jurors are a critical component of our judicial system and Third Circuit Court throughout the year.
Thank you to all of the judges who participated in welcoming our jurors during the orientation process and staff members who make the juror process go smoothly every day!
Photo to the right (l to r:) India Perry, Alex Haidous Owner/manager of the cafeteria at the Criminal Justice Center, Chelsey Starks, Christopher Bates and Yvette Blackmon.
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Michele Bradford Joins as Department Manager for Case Establishment
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Michele Bradford
joins the Court with extensive experience in child support services and leadership. She has dedicated her career to strengthening service delivery to families and supporting positive outcomes within the community.
With a child support career spanning over 19 years, Michele has been committed to serving the community through connecting families with valuable resources and support services, building strong partnerships, and meaningful outreach efforts. For more than a decade, she served as the Sr. Program Manager for the Wayne County Call Center, working as a key partner to Friend of the Court, helping to ensure effective communication, quality customer service, and managing program operations for the child support call center.
A creative at heart, Michele enjoys crafting and graphic design in her free time. Welcome to the Court Team, Michele!
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Shantelle Richie Comes Aboard as Staff Attorney
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Shantelle Richie
has joined the Court as a Staff Attorney. She is originally from Buffalo and relocated to Detroit to pursue her undergraduate education. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Communications from Marygrove College before obtaining her Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Shantelle was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2014. After law school she founded The Richie Law Firm, PLC, where she dedicated the past nine years to representing clients in family law matters. She is happily married and the proud mother of three wonderful children who keep her very busy outside the court room.
In her free time, Shantelle is a cheer coach and football mom for the NFWB Vikings. She loves to sing, dance, and travel to new places. We're happy to have you a part of our team, Shantelle!
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Tips from ITSB - Purge Your Mobile Apps
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Take a quick glance over your mobile apps, see what you have installed there.
Remove any apps you haven’t been using – they are vulnerabilities for your security and privacy.
Revoke permissions for apps that require access to sensitive information – why would a flashlight app request access to read your messages, for example?
Keep your apps update – this lowers the chances for malware to take advantage of their vulnerabilities.
And remember to never install apps from anywhere else but the official app store. In Android, there’s a setting that also doesn’t allow apps from third parties to be installed.
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August 2026
Access and Fairness Calendar
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