Announcing New and Transplanted Friends of the Court – Pandemic Edition

By Friend of the Court Bureau

By now it is common knowledge that many jobs have shifted since the COVID-19 pandemic began – a phenomenon referred to as “The Great Resignation.” The friend of the court (FOC) world has not been immune to such shifts. In fact, since our last article introducing new FOC directors in July 2019, the FOC director has changed in 21 offices, with at least three more to change early in 2022. We thought it was time to introduce some of these new or transplanted directors.

Jesse Ammerman

Friend of the Court
41st Circuit Court, Iron County

Education and experience:

• Bachelor of Arts, University of Iowa
• Juris Doctor, University of Illinois-Chicago School of Law

I have a background in family law as an attorney, and I always appreciated the opportunity to help people work through custody and other issues as they faced crossroads in their lives. I was working as the Assistant Prosecutor for Iron County when I applied for this position.

‘Customers’ Who Also Staff the Program: Learning from Your Experiences

By Friend of the Court Bureau

The State Court Administrative Office Friend of the Court Bureau has been making an effort to elevate voices of parents who have experienced the child support program and learn from what they share. In 2020 and 2021, we hosted three webinar parent panels. Many child support professionals who attended these webinars offered suggestions for future expansion on these topics, which included hearing from parents who work within the Michigan Child Support Program and also have a child support case of their own.

Michigan’s Child Support Program Takes a ‘LEAP’

By Kim Kerns, Administrative Assistant to Office of Child Support (OCS) Director; and Julie Vandenboom, OCS Program Re-engineering Specialist

In December 2020, Michigan requested a waiver from the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) to allow the use of IV-D funds to pilot and evaluate an employment program for child support payers. The program, called Learn, Earn, and Provide (LEAP), is a collaboration between the Michigan Office of Child Support (OCS) and the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). The waiver was granted for a two-year period which began during the first fiscal quarter that funds were spent for the pilot.

Daniel J. Wright Memorial Scholarship Honors, Continues Former FOCB Director’s Dedication to Children’s Welfare

 By Hon. Maura D. Corrigan and Marcia M. McBrien

Daniel J. Wright 

There were—and are—plenty of reasons to love, honor, and miss the late Daniel J. Wright (1948-2012), attorney and former director of the Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB) and Child Welfare Services division of the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO).

A Tribute to Lisa Robinson

By Michigan Family Support Conference Board Members and Erin Lincoln, Wayne County Friend of the Court Director

Lisa Robinson being congratulated by former
Chief Judge Robert J. Colombo at the 2018 Third Circuit
Court Employee Recognition ceremony.

Recently, the Michigan Child Support Program lost a very valued partner in the passing of Lisa Robinson.  For those of you who never had the pleasure of meeting Lisa, you missed knowing an incredible individual.  Lisa was a force to be reckoned with.  Here are just some of the tributes to Lisa from people who knew and worked with her.

Meet FOCB’s New Management Analyst

Lindsay Poetz joined the Michigan Supreme Court’s Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB) in October. Lindsay earned her undergraduate degree from Baylor University and her Master’s Degree in Education and Employment Law from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law. After a 17-year career teaching public school, Lindsay obtained her Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law.

Using Technology to Conduct “FIG” Conferences: Adjusting Course in a COVID-19 World

By Tracey M. Bankhead, Muskegon County Family Court Counselor

The child support world has always been a world of changes – changes in policies and changes in processes, but never so much and in such a short span of time as it has been with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Legal Corner - December 2021

 "The Legal Corner" provides a summary of recent Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals decisions relevant to the child support program, as well as recently released state memoranda.

Editor’s note: Court rule updates, SCAO form updates, legislative activity, and published opinion summaries have been published here with permission from the Michigan Judicial Institute’s “IMPACT” publication.

Michigan Family Support Council Conference Update

By Michigan Family Support Council Board

As many of you already know, because of COVID-19 concerns, the 2021 Michigan Family Support Council (MFSC) Fall Conference was cancelled this year.  However, you should know that this year, like other years, the MFSC Board will be accepting nominations to recognize individuals in the Michigan Child Support Program who have made significant contributions to Michigan's children and families.

Continuing Parent Panel Conversations

By Amy Lindholm, Management Analyst, SCAO Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB)

In 2021, the Michigan Judicial Institute (MJI) and FOCB offered two additional training webinars featuring parents and their perspectives on child support and friend of the court services. The first panel in 2020 focused on fathers. In 2021 we heard first from a panel of mothers, and then a combined panel of both mothers and fathers.

Reflections on the Changing Child Support Program

By Suzanne Hollyer, Director, Oakland County Friend of the Court

I recently had the opportunity to attend the National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) annual Leadership Symposium. I attended as the outgoing President of the Friend of the Court Association (FOCA). The incoming Friend of the Court Association President, Sara Anderson of Jackson County, and Vice President, Kristy Bray of Washtenaw County attended along with me. Many of the sessions focused on managing child support programs in the era of COVID-19 spikes, declining caseloads, and the “Great Resignation” (people resigning, retiring, or reordering their work life in response to the pandemic) – a new concept I had previously observed but not heard named. Several presentations focused on our collective handling of the COVID-19 crisis and the changing nature of the child support program. It became clear that the program is suffering somewhat of an identity crisis – not just in Michigan, but nationwide. Finishing up this two-year term as FOCA president during a time of great introspection in the child support program caused me to also reflect on how much the program has changed since I last served as President of the Friend of the Court Association.

Navigating the Confusing Language of the Child Support Program

By Steve Capps, Director, SCAO Friend of the Court Bureau

“Pourquoi me parlez-vous en français?” is French for “Why are you speaking to me in French?”  Many commonly used terms in the child support program are actually derived from French words.  Why is this?  How did we get here?

Perspectives from a Retiring FOC Director

By Jack Battles, former Genesee County Friend of the Court Director

Prior to joining the Genesee County Friend of the Court (FOC) in August of 2006, I had enjoyed a successful 20 year legal practice focused mainly on family law and criminal defense.  At the time I felt my background in the legal community provided me with the necessary tools to take over the office and be successful.  I soon found I had underestimated the requirements of the office and the drastically changing economic environment in Genesee County.

Legal Corner - October 2021

"The Legal Corner" provides a summary of recent Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals decisions relevant to the child support program, as well as recently released state memoranda.

Editor’s note: Court rule updates, SCAO form updates, legislative activity, and published opinion summaries have been published here with permission from the Michigan Judicial Institute’s “IMPACT” publication.

Funding to Establish Parenting Time

By Steve Capps, Director, Friend of the Court Bureau

While child support professionals are probably familiar with Part D of the Social Security Act, many may not be aware of other parts of the Act, such as Part A which funds services for people receiving public assistance, or Part E which funds child welfare services for children who are abused or neglected. Many families receive more than one of the Social Security Act services – some for generations.

The Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB) recently studied Michigan’s child support caseload in several counties and matched it with other types of cases involving the same parties. We found that 45 percent of abuse and neglect court cases studied also have a domestic relations case (divorce with children, paternity, or support) associated with someone in the family.

A Non-Traditional Path: Retiring FOC Director Looks Back on Two Decades

Friend of the Court Bureau interview with Tom Watson, Director, Berrien County Friend of the Court (FOC)

Berrien County Friend of the Court, Tom Watson, announced his retirement effective July 30, 2021 after serving as the office’s Director for over 21 years.  Watson joined the Berrien County Trial Court in May 2000 after a 25-year career in the financial institution industry.

Change Is Among Us: Retiring FOC Director Reflects on Four Decades in the Child Support System

By Elizabeth Roszatycki, Director, Bay County Friend of the Court (FOC)

I first entered the Bay County FOC office the first week of January 1978.  The FOC Director Leonard Portnoy had hired me to fill the new role of Custody “Investigator” in response to recent custody legislation.  He and I had absolutely no idea what to do or how to proceed.  After 43 years of service exclusively in an FOC office, the evolution of the work of FOC offices has profoundly affected my life.  

Child Support Enforcement: One Size Does Not Fit All

By Hon. Margaret Zuzich Bakker, 48th Circuit Court, and Steve Capps; Director, Friend of the Court Bureau

For decades, parents who did not pay their child support were labeled “deadbeats,” which assumed they were deliberately choosing to avoid supporting their children, lacking a sense of responsibility to help raise them.  Child support laws made sure these parents were punished accordingly.  Today we know that people are more complex and there are many reasons a parent may be unable to pay despite having a desire to pay.  This led the 48th Circuit Court (Allegan County) to ask whether there might be a better way to enforce support obligations for the parents who want to pay, but lack the ability. 

Michigan Child Support Growing Its National Reputation

By Nikki Withrow, Management Analyst, Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB)

Michigan is often considered the birthplace of child support in the United States.  While the federal government first became involved in child support in the 1950s, leading to budding child support programs in other states, Michigan’s program began in 1919 without federal support.  From 1950 to 2000, Michigan served as a model for federal legislation and was recognized as a leader among the states.  As other states began to adopt federal requirements that often had first been implemented in Michigan, and hard economic times forced Michigan to focus internally, leaders in other states began to emerge.  While innovation in Michigan continued, it was often unknown outside the state.  

Happily, in 2020 and 2021, Michigan has once again been able to share its child support expertise on a national level by serving on 13 national committees and delivering 21 national trainings.

Announcing the Child Support Specialty Docket Establishment Guide

By Nikki Withrow, Management Analyst, Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB)

The FOCB recently published the Child Support Specialty Docket Establishment Guide to help courts develop and implement child support specialty dockets (CSSDs).  The guide discusses both planning and operational considerations and contains targeted questions to shepherd the planning process.  The guide also provides tips and examples from other specialty courts.

Introducing the New “Dashboards & Visual Reports” Tool -- aka Data Visualizations, aka Data Viz

By Amy Gilmore, Performance Management Specialist with the Planning, Evaluation, and Analysis Unit, Michigan Office of Child Support

Have you noticed a change to the “Application Quick Links” on mi-support lately? Need a hint?

Legal Corner - Spring 2021

"The Legal Corner" provides a summary of recent Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals decisions relevant to the child support program, as well as recently released state memoranda. 

Editor’s note: SCAO form updates and published opinion summaries have been published here with permission from the Michigan Judicial Institute’s “IMPACT” publication.