KUDOS!

BY MICHELLE LETOURNEAU (OAKLAND)

Kudos to the following Referees/Judges-elect who succeeded in judicial races on November 5th:

• Kim Gildner (Alpena/Montmorency) - Elected to Presque Isle Probate Court
• Mary Hood (Genesee) - Elected to Genesee County Circuit Court
• Adrienne Scruggs (Washtenaw) - Elected to Wayne County Circuit Court

And to those Referees who fell short on election night, you are all truly inspirational and also deserving of Kudos!  Thank you all for your continued dedication to Michigan families! 

​Kudos to Brian Nicholas (Macomb) for his appointment as the new Macomb County Friend of the Court Administrator!  Prior to his appointment, Brian served as the Chief Referee for the Friend of the Court since 2014 and as a Macomb County Domestic Referee since 2007.  Brian has been with the Macomb County Friend of the Court since 2002.
 
Kudos to Erin Magley (Ottawa) and Kelly Ward (Van Buren), for being willing to participate in the workgroup for the SCAO Weighted Case Study!    Thank you to Erin for her diligence in helping her fellow Referees prepare for the upcoming NCSC weighted caseload study and for answering questions in anticipation of the work study.
 
Kudos to Lisa Harris (Oakland) and Holly Spoelman (Muskegon), for participating in the Juvenile Justice Partnership Committee.  Thank you, Holly, for keeping RAM updated on the status of the Committee, for participating in the training workgroup, and for your involvement.

Kudos to Sahera Housey (Oakland), Tyler Martinez (Oakland), Jolene Clearwater (Allegan), and Dale Murney (Berrien) for presenting at the August 13 & 14, 2024 MJI New Family Division Referee Seminar.

Kudos to Rebecca Decoster (Oakland) and Tyler Martinez (Oakland) for presenting at MJI’s “What Jurists Look for in Custody and Parenting Time Reports” on August 22, 2024.

Kudos to Kelly Chard (Oakland) for her service and dedication to Oakland County families as she prepares for her upcoming retirement.

Kudos to Shannon Haneline (Oakland) and KC Mayer (Oakland) for their willingness to speak at the 2024 MCSF Boyne Conference about the UCCJEA.
 
Kudos to Kate Weaver (Oakland) for her involvement in several committees and organizations!  Kate was a featured speaker for the ERICSA Sovereign Citizens and Bench Panel, the NCSEA Custody and Parenting Time in IV-D Cases Training, and the MJI Sovereign Citizens Training.  Kate is also the Author of LexisNexis’s Michigan Family Law Paternity Chapter.  Way to go, Kate!  Thank you for your dedication to your fellow Referees and to Michigan families.

Don’t be shy about sending your professional, personal, and community involvement accomplishments to be recognized in this section. We love celebrating the multi-talented, multifaceted professionals in our group! ​Please forward anything you’d like to share about yourself or a colleague by emailing Michelle Letourneau (Oakland) at ​[email protected] anytime throughout the year.