NEWSLETTER
  DECEMBER 2019 
December 2019 Newsletter Headlines
Wayne County CASA
 
December - 
Employee Highlight of the Month
Antoinette Maxwell
Judicial Secretary Civil Division





Q. How many years have you been employed with the Court?
A. It will be four years in March, 2020.
 
Q. Do you have any skills or talents that most people don't know about?
A. Yes.
 
Q. If you could be anywhere other than here right this minute, where would you be?
A. I love what I do because I love people, but to be on a gorgeous beach with a tall glass of lemonade would be nice.
 
Q. Who do you admire, and why?
A. Maya Angelo, because living this life for God's plan and purpose requires a real fight to live with integrity, faith, and love and God is the Only One that has it.
 
Q. Finish this sentence. On Sunday mornings, you can usually find me...
A. On my knees at 5:00 a.m.in prayer and later in the house of worship, in other words in Church, then to brunch.
 
Q. What do you think are the best skills that you bring to your job?
A. Integrity, skill, and love.
 
Q. Name three words that describe you.
A. Personable, caring, and approachable.
 
Q. What are you happiest doing when you're not working?
A. Giving to others, a smile, when in line paying for someone's meal or coffee, a listening ear to those that are going through things that need a listening ear.
 
Q. What is your personal motto?
A. To live is Christ and to die is gain.
 
Q. What are some causes you care about?
A. Young people. Everything that looks good is not always good and they are our leaders for tomorrow. And I like to make a difference in their lives to assure them that they matter and there is no one in the world like them and we need them. There are no two people just alike and our role model gave His life, which is quite significant. And each one of us have a role in it, to reach out and touch a hurting world not just what we say but by example.
 
Q. What is an enjoyable part of your job?
A. Meeting new people and facing the challenges each and every day, learning new laws and new ways of doing things.
 
Q. What are some career highlights?
A. I have worked with a few law firms, worked in advertising, and now work in a courtroom. And there are significant highlights in each and every one.
 
Q. What is your dream job?
A. I mentor a lot of young people and will always continue to do so.
 
Q. What college/university did you go to?
A. Oakland County Community College in Farmington Hills, MI
 
Q. What's a little known fact that you are willing to share?
A. I am a seamstress and I bake and decorate wedding cakes.

Pistons A

The Third Circuit Court, Chief Judge Timothy M. Kenny and Executive Court Administrator, Zenell Brown, invite you to watch the
 
Detroit Pistons vs Milwaukee Bucks
Thursday, February 20, 2020
7:00 p.m.
Little Caesars Arena
 
We have secured a block of seats in the Gondola section at $42 per ticket 
Tickets may be purchased until Monday, January 20, 2020
 
Click on the below link to purchase your tickets
 
We hope to see you there!  Go Pistons!!

 
 
THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CALENDAR
 
The Third Circuit Court Diversity and Inclusion Team's Mission Statement: 
"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.
 
January 2020

New Year's Day - January 1
National Law Enforcement 
Appreciation Day - January 9
National Human Trafficking 
Awareness Day  -  January 11
National Hat Day - January 15
National Michigan Day - January 18
Martin Luther King Jr. Day  - January 20
Chinese New Year - January 25

Day In Court    
 


Yellow Stripes


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
Greetings, 
 
December always seems like it's the shortest month of the year.  There is so much to do preparing for the holidays, wrapping up the current year, and preparing the upcoming year.  It is exciting, but it also can be overwhelming.  Please make self-care a priority.   Self-care promotes your individual physical and mental health and helps ensure you are able to fully enjoy the gatherings and festivities.  It has been the pleasure of the Third Circuit Court's Newsletter volunteer journalists and editors to share with you each month Court highlights.  We wish you a happy holiday season, a restful holiday break, and a prosperous and peaceful 2020. 

Wayne County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) attends State Conference





On November 8-9, 2019 the Annual State CASA conference was held in Novi, MI at the Suburban Collection Showplace. This year the theme of the conference was "The Power of One." 150 CASA volunteers and staff throughout Michigan were represented over the weekend.
Some of the workshops offered were:
  • Creating Awareness for CASA volunteers.
  • Education and Foster care
  • Our very own Judge Karen Braxton presented on "The Value of the CASA Volunteer to the Jurist"
Wayne County had the largest attendance at the conference. Everyone was encouraged, inspired, and reenergized. We are looking forward to the 2020 conference.
 
Friend of the Court Holiday Luncheon






On December 6th the Family Division Judges hosted an Employee Holiday Luncheon to celebrate the accomplishments of the hardworking employees of the Wayne County Friend of the Court and thanking them for their service in 2019. Employees enjoyed a catered lunch and dessert in recognition for their dedication and service. Wayne County Friend of the Court employees service approximately 240,000 child support, custody, and parenting time cases for the families of Wayne County.



Civil Division Strategic Team for 2018-2019



The Civil Division Strategic Team for 2018-2019 consisted of Hon. Patricia Perez Fresard and JA Fran Yturri; Hon. Leslie Kim Smith and former JA Ticara Hendley; Hon. John H. Gillis, Jr. and JA Mary Otto; Hon. David J. Allen and JA Karen Liddle; Court Administrator Zenell Brown; Lisa Timmons, Director of the Mediation Tribunal Association; Tammi Palmer, Director of Case Processing; and Julie Dale of the General Counsel's Office. (Pictured above, left to right, are Hon. David J. Allen, Zenell Brown, Julie Dale, Karen Liddle, Fran Yturri, Mary Otto, and Lisa Timmons.)
 
For 2018-2019, the Civil Division Strategic Project Team undertook a project consisting of three parts: (1) development of training materials for Civil Division JAs; (2) development of training materials for Civil Division Judges; and (3) implementation of improvements to Civil Division ADR and docket management practices. The project, entitled Administrative and Case Management Review, aligned with the Court's Strategic Focus Area of Case Management and Operational Efficiencies.
 
The team was able to prepare and produce comprehensive resource and training manuals for Civil Division JAs and Judges, thereby promoting the efficient operation of the Civil Division. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of the team, which drew on experts from a variety of departments, enabled the team to explore and implement processes that will resolve cases more efficiently and assist with docket management. This included changes to the $25,000 and Under Mediation Program.
 
Going forward, team members will meet periodically to update training materials, and the Civil Division will move on to a new strategic project for 2019-2020.


Community



The Michigan Fraternal Order of Police make the holidays brighter.  The Third Circuit Court hosts an annual holiday celebration for children and families who receive services at its Clinic for Child Study.  The Michigan Fraternal Order of Police provide toys to be distributed as part of the celebration. This is not a small feat; The Pennsylvania State Lodge and Philadelphia Lodge 5 provide the toys. The toys are picked up from Philadelphia by Ryan Transportation (Livonia), stored by Professional Movers (Lodge 128 Member Pat Crowley - Walled Lake), and delivered to the Lincoln Hall of Justice.  Many officers and generous people contribute to bring smiles to the little faces of the toy recipients.
 
Pictured here are just a few: 
Detroit Police FOP Lodge 192, Erika Lee, Glenda Fisher, and Mark Young; Michigan FOP Labor Director David Willis; FOP State Treasurer Kenneth Willis; FOP Past State President David Hiller; Chief Judge Timothy M Kenny, Executive Court Administrator Zenell B Brown, Director of Clinic for Child Study Michelle Milligan, Deputy Court Administrator for the Juvenile Division Richard Smart, Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Division Edward Joseph.