Despite the attempts of the Court to make jury service as convenient as possible, the Court finds many jurors are just not compliant with the summons and the order to appear for service.  In 2014, the Third Judicial Circuit Court has called in and expected 86,863 jurors to report for jury service; 51% did not obey the summons and failed to appear. 

On March 20, 2015, the Court mailed out Orders to Show Cause to 272 jurors who failed to appear two or more times when summoned for jury service over the past 12 months.  From the number of letters originally mailed, there were eight jurors postponed and 40 jurors excused for a legal exception.  The number of jurors expected to appear at the Show Cause Hearing before Chief Judge Robert J. Colombo, Jr. on April 30, 2015 was 224 jurors.  One hundred and thirty jurors did appear before Judge Colombo and were given the opportunity to agree to a future date or to explain why they should not have to serve.  The majority of those in attendance chose to sign up for a future date. Bench warrants will be signed for those who didn't show up for the hearings and will face arrest.

The Court will continue to raise public awareness on the importance of jury service through future enforcement hearings.

The Third Circuit Court and the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association sponsored Law Day at the Court on Thursday, May 7, 2015.  Three hundred high school students from Detroit were able to hear an inspirational speech by Mayor Mike Duggan regarding following your dreams.  The students were then taken to 10 courtrooms in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center where judges presided over mock appellant arguments relating to whether a school violated First Amendment rights by precluding wearing a t-shirt that said "I can't breathe."  The judges lectured and answered questions about the work done at the court and any related issues.

The Court and the Bar Association wish to thank its corporate sponsors, DTE Energy, Thomson, Reuters (West Publishing), Lexis-Nexis, and Costco.  The Court also wishes to thank its individual sponsor Albert Taylor Nelson, Jr., PLC; Chief Judge Robert J. Colombo, Jr.; David J. Winter, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association President; Francis R. Ortiz, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Vice Chair; Donn Fresard, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Secretary/Treasurer; and Stephen D. McGraw, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Past President.  

On Saturday, April 18, 2015, the Salvation Army William Booth Legal Aid Clinic and the Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc., (LADA) conducted a child support help program at the main branch of the Detroit Public Library.

There was a brief information session relating to outreach programs to be held throughout the community in 2015, as well as an overview of our newly created Michigan Legal Self Help Center.  Participants were able to meet one-on-one with family law attorneys.  These volunteer attorneys assisted in completing motion packets and provided legal direction on child support, parenting time, and custody issues.   

Friend of the Court volunteers were on site to register participants on the MiChildSupport website and demonstrate how to check child support payments online.  

This program is one in a series of free child support help programs supported by various community service agencies including Wayne County Head Start, JVS Jewish Vocational Service, Detroit Head Start Fatherhood Initiative, Wayne County Friend of the Court, Abundant Children and Family Services Agency, Wayne County Mediation Center, Wayne County Community College, and Young Fathers Standing United.