Quote Of The Month
Tell me and I will
forget...Teach me and I will remember... and
Involve me and I will learn
~Benjamin
Franklin
Chief
Judge Robert J. Colombo, Jr.
& Juanita
Hawkins
Domestic
Relations Specialist at
FOC
Ms.
Hawkins has been employed with
the Court for 3 years.
December's Quote of the Month
Winner.
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Chief Judge
Robert J. Colombo, Jr. is pleased to
announce that on November
7th, 2016, Judge Paul John
Cusick joined the Criminal Division
bench of Third Judicial Circuit of
Michigan.
Judge Cusick is a 2004 graduate from
the University of Notre Dame and
received his Juris Doctor from Wayne
State University Law School in
2007. He began his career as an
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney at the
Wayne County Prosecutor's Office in
2007 and spent four years as an APA
in the Trials, Juvenile and District
Court Divisions. In 2011, he
was appointed an Assistant Attorney
General and worked in the Criminal
Division. He handled homicide,
criminal sexual conduct, welfare and
election fraud, narcotics and
racketeering cases, among
others. He has received
numerous awards including the
Department of Attorney General's
Office "Litigator of the Year" Award
and the Professional Excellence Award
from the Michigan State
Police.
Judge Cusick has been an active
member in community and bar
associations including serving on the
Board of Directors for the Notre Dame
Club of Detroit, the Incorporated
Society of Irish American Lawyers,
and the Irish American Chamber of
Commerce. He has also served as
a member of the State Bar of
Michigan's District Committee for
Character and Fitness, as well as the
Michigan Supreme Court's Committee on
the Model Criminal Jury
Instructions.
Please welcome Judge Paul John Cusick
as the newest member of our
distinguished bench.
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CASA Fall
Swearing-In
The Wayne County Court Appointed Special
Advocates (CASA) had its 37th
Swearing-In Ceremony on November 16, 2016 at
Lincoln Hall of Justice. The Honorable Virgil C.
Smith swore in three new CASA volunteers to help
advocate for children on the abuse and neglect
docket. This raises our total number of
volunteers to fifty-one.
We are very pleased with the commitment and
dedication of our volunteers. Ms. Brenda
Charleston was given special recognition for her
thirteen years of continued volunteer
services. "By becoming a CASA or GAL
volunteer, you become a hero to a child who needs
you most." (The Honorable Judge Glenda Hatchett,
National CASA spokesperson 2000-2014).
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The Grand
Reopening of the "CASA CLOTHES
CLOSET"
On November 11, 2016, a ribbon cutting ceremony
was held at Lincoln Hall of Justice, debuting the
newly designed "Clothes Closet." The Honorable
Chief Judge Robert J. Colombo, Jr. and Juvenile
Division Presiding Judge Virgil C. Smith cut the
ribbon to commemorate this occasion.
The Clothes Closet is for families that are
referred by a jurist or caseworker that have an
emergency need for basic clothing. The closet
also offers career dresses and women's
back-to-work suits for those who are re-entering
the workplace. Clothing donations can be made by
contacting the CASA office at 833-3093 to
schedule a drop off time. We accept gently used
clean garments for men, women and children, no
under garments. Your donation is tax
deductible.
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The Wayne County Friend of the Court is pleased
to announce the launch of
PayNearMe - a new payment option
for parents to pay their child support with cash
at any 7-Eleven or Family Dollar store.
That's more than 17,000 trusted payment locations
nationwide!
To get started and learn more
about payments visit www.misdu.com.
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Like Us On Facebook
We are on Facebook and want to connect with people
in the county through social media. Our weekly and
monthly programs can now be viewed on our Facebook
Fan Page.
Search for -Third Judicial Circuit Court
or just click on the "Join Us On Facebook" button
above and like us. We
want to stay connected and current with the
communities and
citizens we represent.
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24 Hour Support
Friend of the Court offers 24 hour access to your
account through MiCase.
Click the photo above to visit our website or
visit
www.MICASE.STATE.MI.US
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Join
Our E-mail List
Join our E-mail List and receive our monthly E-mail
newsletter from the Third Judicial Circuit Court
and stay informed.
Please send us your name and email address to:
3cce-news@3rdcc.org
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Greetings,
As
we approach the holiday season, it is
good to remember and be thankful for
all of the blessings that have been
bestowed upon us. As Chief
Judge of this Court, I am extremely
grateful for all of your hard work,
dedication, and loyalty that has made
2016 a very successful year for this
Court. I have been the
beneficiary of many kind acts by
people in this Court. When you
perform a random act of kindness, it
benefits another person, but often it
gives you greater joy. Please
see the Third Circuit Court's Holiday
Countdown Kindness Calendar. It
gives you some thoughts and ideas as
we travel through December and into
the holiday season. Best wishes
for the holidays to you and your
family!
Hon. Robert J.
Colombo, Jr.
Chief Judge,
Third Judicial Circuit
Court
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HISTORY IN
THE MAKING
On
Wednesday, December 7, 2016, Chief
Judge Colombo unveiled two historic
Bench-Bar photo composites. The
1935 and 1947 composites were found by
the Court and the Detroit Bar
Association, restored, and are now
hanging on the wall adjacent to the
Court elevators in the Coleman A. Young
Municipal Building. More than 50 from
the legal community attended the event
and the afterglow at the London Chop
House. The Detroit Bar
Association has commissioned a
2016-2017 composite similar in format
to the historic pieces and invites all
attorney and judges in the legal
community to become a part of this
moment in the legal history of our
great city. To schedule an
appointment, call RCL Portrait Design
at 800-580-5562 or visit
www.goRCL.com on
line (choose "Schedule" from the menu
on the left side of the website, then
choose "Guest Account" to get to the
calendar).
In
addition to the composites, Chief Judge
Colombo has located other historical
images and they have been catalogued
and added to the walls of the Chief
Judge's Courtroom and the Judicial
Conference Room. Chief Judge
Colombo has also compiled a history of
the Third Circuit Court which includes
landmark cases and biographical
sketches of many Third Circuit Court
judges who have left their mark in
other branches of government and higher
state and federal courts. Once
completed, the history will be
published and available on the Court's
website. Judge Muriel Hughes and
Judge Richard Halloran are working on
additional sections that will chronicle
the history of the Women Judges of the
Third Circuit Court and the Friend of
the Court respectively.
As
the promotion and preservation of the
Third Circuit Court's history is
important, a committee of staff has
volunteered to pursue these
efforts.
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WAYNE COUNTY JUVENILE
COURT CONTINUES TO PURSUE
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO
ASSIST
CHILDREN
The Free Press' recent
series regarding the needs
of our children effectively
draws attention to the
problems that many young
people face on a daily
basis. Here at the
Third Circuit Court's
Juvenile Division, we have
developed two new programs
this year to assist our
youth.
First, we have established
a Juvenile Mental Health
Court Program in which
children learn both the
value of, and methods for,
maintaining their mental
health, while participating
in school, sports programs,
and age appropriate
activities with their
peers.
The program presents a
positive approach to court
proceedings and an
alternative for parents of
children who are facing
issues of criminal
activity, school truancy,
and incorrigibility.
The participants, along
with family members,
receive all necessary
services in the community
and remain living at
home.
Second, we have developed a
protocol, in conjunction
with the Michigan
Department of Health and
Human Services and Easter
Seals, to screen every
child for trauma who comes
into our court system due
to abuse or neglect.
These children will receive
specialized therapy to
address trauma.
In addition, a more
detailed assessment will be
performed for children
where specific needs are
identified.
Procedures have been
drafted for continuous
oversight to ensure that
trauma therapy is provided
and completed.
Our initiatives are
transforming the lives of
children, whose mental
health needs are placed
front and center.
Judge Edward J. Joseph is a
member of the Third Circuit
Court, Family
Division-Juvenile Section,
and presiding judge of the
juvenile mental health
court program.
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Wayne
County Friend of the Court
Outreach Within
Reach
November
2016
Have
questions about the Friend of the
Court?
Need
help with your case?
Visit
our staff at any of the below venues this
month!
Friday, December 16, 2016,
9:00 a.m. to 3:00
p.m.
UAW
Region 1A Local 174, 15140 Livernois,
Detroit, MI 48238
Tuesday, December 20, 2016, 10:00
a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Resource
Network, 11816 Jos Campau, Hamtramck,
MI 48212
Any
updates to the schedule or location of
these events will be posted at
www.3rdcc.org
or
parties may contact the Friend of the Court
Call Center at (313) 224-5300.
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FREE HELP
PREPARING DOCUMENTS
FOR
A WAYNE
COUNTY
DEFAULT
JUDGMENT OF DIVORCE
Attorneys
from the Clinic help qualifying, low
income, self-represented parties prepare
all necessary court documents for Default
Judgment of Divorce
First
Thursday of Each Month
Doors
open at 10:00am. Must arrive by
11:30am.
No late arrivals.
Coleman A.
Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward
Ave.
Courtroom
1901
Detroit,
MI 48226
Parties
must bring valid photo Identification, all
documents related to the case; including the
Complaint for Divorce, Friend of the Court
Final Recommendation (DM only), and Fee
Waiver
(if
applicable)
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The Wayne
County Friend of the Court is located at
645 Griswold, Detroit, MI 48226.
Parents may sign up for MiCase to get
child support information online,
https://micase.state.mi.us/ssoapp/login.
If you need
further assistance, the Wayne County
Friend of the Court Call Center may be
reached at
(313) 224-5300.
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Visit
Our
Family
Division-Juvenile
Website
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