First Staffed Self-Help Center Opens in Macomb County Circuit Court

40 N. Main Street Mount Clemens, Michigan 48043 Phone: (586) 469-5150 www.macombgov.org

News James M. Biernat Jr., Chief Judge 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Macomb County Probate Court, 42nd District Courts

First Staffed Self-Help Center Opens in 
Macomb County Circuit Court

We are happy to announce that Macomb County’s first staffed Self-Help Center has opened! We have two part-time employees and an intern working in the center currently and are actively seeking more interns or volunteers to meet the needs of our community. The Center is now open from 9am to 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. The Self-Help Center is located in the Macomb County Circuit Court Building on the third floor, room 360.

But what is a Self-Help Center? A Legal Self-Help Center is a place where people can get assistance with simple legal problems. Visitors to the center can utilize the computers and workstations to find information, forms, and instructions. Although the Self-Help Center staff cannot give legal advice, they can assist visitors to navigate a complex legal system that can sometimes be very intimidating, especially for people representing themselves. The Macomb County Circuit Court processes thousands of new cases every year, and hundreds of litigants do not have attorneys to represent them in their cases. The Center provides a place for these unrepresented individuals to obtain forms, prepare documents for filing, and to e-file their pleadings.

The Court was able to secure grant funding through the State Court Administrative Office to assist in the expenses to staff the center, as well as to provide some much-needed upgrades to the computers (previously located in an unstaffed room of the Old County Building), which were becoming obsolete. A special thank you goes to Chief Judge Biernat who led the charge to provide this access to justice to the thousands of people who have struggled to navigate the Court system. Also, thank you to the many employees in Court Administration who worked tirelessly to obtain the grant, set up the center, and train the staff.

Chief Judge Biernat and many staff members participated in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to commemorate the official opening of the center. Chief Judge stated, “Navigating the legal system can be a daunting process. The Self-Help Center can provide the necessary tools and the forum to self-represented litigants.” Congratulations to the Court for making this dream a reality!

Chief Judge Biernat cutting the ribbon with
Legal Services Director Jacqulene Schultz and
Deputy Court Administrator Jean Cloud

Chief Judge Biernat pictured with Self-Help Center staff 
Tyler Hunt and Daryl Schmidt

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