January 2022 Newsletter - Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan
Greetings,

Happy New Year! Each January represents new possibilities and opportunities. We create vision boards, make resolutions, and set an intention, committing to do better and be better than last year. This process is true for us individually and for us as an organization. The start of the New Year is the opportune time for us to reset, start, and recommit to our Vision for the Third Circuit Court.

Our vision is to be a national leader in court performance and the administration of justice and recognized for:
  • Using innovative and best practices;
  • Building trust and confidence in the judicial branch; and
  • Providing exemplary public service, programs, and work environment including professional facilities and effective technology.

Welcome to 2022. May this be our best year yet — filled with personal and work-related successes. Happy New Year!
In 2021, the largest Michigan cohort graduated from the Institute for Court Management’s Certified Court Managers program. Among the 54 graduates, three are current directors at the Third Circuit Court: Michael Gruich, Chief Information Officer; Tammi Palmer, Director of Court Reporting Services and Case Processing; and Alisa Shannon, Deputy Court Administrator of the Criminal Division.
Mike Gruich
“I enjoyed my time in the program. It was a great experience to work with court professionals from around the state. To discuss in-depth the different viewpoints and perspectives provided a valuable learning experience. The NCSC staff was thoroughly knowledgeable in all the presented subjects. We initially met in person but then had to switch to virtual. I give huge credit to all who coordinated this effort – I don’t think there was ever a technical issue on the NCSC side.”
Tammi Palmer
“The National Center for State Courts did a phenomenal job with the Court Management Program. We started the curriculum in person and had to shift to online courses after our first course. The team at NCSC shifted gears seamlessly. The content remained informative and engaging. The instructors were knowledgeable and made the coursework fun. I use something I learned in this program almost daily. I received a lot of great materials and the contacts I made while I attended the program have been priceless!”
Alisa Shannon
“The National Center for State Court's Certified Court Manager Certification Program was phenomenal! It helped to understand from an academic standpoint, the various objects and principles that we use day to day. Through on-the-job training we all have gained understanding of court information, policies, and tools; our understanding of what these are tend to be limited to its relationship to our division, department, or job task. This program explains the tools from an academic standpoint, which made everything globally clearer for me. I was honored to meet colleagues from various court systems throughout the country, but most notably throughout Michigan. The bonds built from group projects and networking are unbreakable. This was an amazing experience and I encourage anyone with interest to enroll.”

To obtain the status of Certified Court Manager, participants were required to complete course focuses on accountability and court performance, caseflow and workflow management, budget and fiscal management, project management, purposes and responsibilities of courts, and workforce management.  The goal is to equip graduates with the needed skills to handle the day-to-day operations of court management and ensure the effective administration of justice.
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.

February 2022
Black History Month
American Heart Month
 
Chinese New Year - February 1
National Freedom Day - February 1
Groundhog Day - February 2
National Signing Day - February 2
National Women Physicians Day - February 3
Rosa Parks Day - February 4
National Wear Red Day - February 4
Thank Your Mailman Day - February 4
National Pizza Day - February 9
International Day of Women and Girls in Science - February 11
Thomas Edison’s Birthday - February 11
Lincoln’s Birthday - February 12
Valentine’s Day - February 14
National Donor Day - February 14
Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday - February 15
Random Acts of Kindness Day - February 17
National Love Your Pet Day - February 20
World Day of Social Justice - February 20
Presidents’ Day - February 21
National Walking the Dog Day - February 22
World Thinking Day - February 22
George Washington’s Birthday - February 22
Battle of the Alamo - February 23
National Chili Day - February 24