Bill > HB5445

This bill modifies Michigan's court system by establishing comprehensive changes to family divisions of circuit courts, effective January 1, 2028. The bill mandates that each judicial circuit must have a family division of circuit court, with circuits having more than one circuit court judge required to permanently assign at least one judgeship to this division. Judges assigned to the family division will have full judicial powers, and the number of assigned judges will be determined by a case weight study conducted by the Supreme Court. The bill introduces new requirements for judges, including mandatory specialized training in family law, children's law, and domestic violence (40 hours each), and establishes a process for judges to be permanently or temporarily assigned to the family division. The Supreme Court will oversee the implementation of family court plans, ensuring each circuit develops a plan that identifies judges, their assignment status, and verifies their training. Additionally, the bill expands the jurisdiction of family division courts to include a wide range of cases involving families, children, domestic relations, and protection orders, and mandates that cases involving members of the same immediate family be assigned to the same judge and referee team whenever possible.

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https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5445