Steele bill preserves three-judge bench at 48th District Court

State Rep. Donni Steele today led the Michigan House in approving legislation to preserve a third judgeship at the 48th District Court, helping ensure residents across Oakland County continue to receive timely access to the local court system.

Steele’s plan would eliminate a planned elimination of one District Court judgeship at the 48th District Court in Oakland County, which serves Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield Township, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, and Sylvan Lake. The legislation would maintain the current level of 3 District Judges.

“Our fundamental responsibility as a government is to protect our citizens,” said Steele, R-Orion Township. “The 48th District Court handles a wide range of cases that affect families, businesses, property owners, and public safety. Preserving this judgeship helps ensure residents can continue receiving timely and effective service from their local court.”

The 48th District Court is currently scheduled under state law to lose one judgeship through attrition when a qualifying vacancy occurs. The provision was enacted as part of a broader statewide effort to reduce judicial positions more than a decade ago.

Steele said circumstances have changed significantly since then.

“When these reductions were adopted years ago, Michigan’s legal landscape looked very different,” Steele said. “Since then, the Legislature has enacted major reforms affecting criminal justice, landlord-tenant law, auto insurance, expungements, and many other areas. Today’s courts are handling more responsibilities and more complex cases than lawmakers could have anticipated in 2011.”

Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield Township, and the City of Birmingham passed resolutions supporting this legislation. They recognize the importance of preserving timely access to justice, preventing case backlogs and delays, and ensuring the continued efficient operation of the 48th District Court.

“The role of government is to protect people, their rights, and their property through a fair and effective legal system,” Steele said. “This legislation helps ensure the residents served by the 48th District Court continue to have access to the level of judicial service they expect and deserve.”

House Bill 4833 now advances to the Senate for consideration.