Sec. 3.
(1) There is created in each judicial circuit of this state an office of the friend of the court, except as provided in subsection (2).
(2) If each county in a multicounty judicial circuit has a separate office of the friend of the court on the day before the effective date of this act, each county in that circuit shall have a separate office of the friend of the court on the effective date of this act. If a vacancy occurs in the position of the friend of the court in such a county, the chief judge may merge the office of the friend of the court in that county with the office of the friend of the court in another county of the judicial circuit.
(3) The head of each office is the friend of the court serving under section 21(1) or appointed according to section 23.
(4) The friend of the court is an employee of the circuit court in the judicial circuit served by the friend of the court.
(5) The duties of the office shall be performed under the direction and supervision of the chief judge.
(6) Except as otherwise required by federal law on cases that are eligible for funding under title IV-D, the friend of the court is only required to perform activities under this act or the support and parenting time enforcement act when a party in that case has requested title IV-D services.
(7) Each friend of the court shall take all necessary steps to adopt office procedures to implement this act, the Michigan court rules, and the recommendations of the bureau. Office of the friend of the court duties shall be performed in accordance with the Elliott-Larsen civil rights act, 1976 PA 453, MCL 37.2101 to 37.2804.
(8) An office of the friend of the court shall be open to the public making available all of the office's services not less than 20 hours each month during nontraditional office hours. This subsection does not require an office of the friend of the court to be open for a greater number of hours than it was required to be open before January 1, 1997.
History: 1982, Act 294, Eff. July 1, 1983 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 365, Eff. Jan. 1, 1997 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 210, Eff. Oct. 1, 2004 Popular Name: Friend of the Court
Structure Michigan Compiled Laws
Act 294 of 1982 - Friend of the Court Act (552.501 - 552.535)
Section 552.501 - Short Title; Purposes and Construction of Act.
Section 552.502 - Definitions; a to I.
Section 552.502a - Definitions; M to T.
Section 552.504b - Information and Records to Be Provided to Citizen Advisory Committee.
Section 552.505a - Open Friend of the Court Case; Closure.
Section 552.508 - Expediting Relief; Methods.
Section 552.509a - Centralized Receipt and Disbursement of Support and Fees.
Section 552.512 - Reporting Information to Consumer Reporting Agency.
Section 552.515 - Certain Actions by Employee Providing Domestic Relations Mediation; Prohibition.
Section 552.517a - Repealed. 2002, Act 571, Imd. Eff. Oct. 3, 2002.
Section 552.517c - Review of Support Order in Another State; Procedures.
Section 552.517d - Motion for Modification of Parenting Time Order.
Section 552.517e - Arrearage Payment Schedules; Administrative Adjustment.
Section 552.518 - Information From Employer or Former Employer Relative to Parent.
Section 552.520 - Information Requested by Department of Human Services.
Section 552.522 - Appointment of Attorney to Assist Friend of the Court; Compensation.
Section 552.525 - Removal of Friend of the Court; Approval.
Section 552.526 - Grievance Procedure; Record; Powers and Duties of Citizen Advisory Committee.
Section 552.527 - Compensation and Expenses of Friend of the Court and Employees.
Section 552.528 - Compilation of Data.
Section 552.531 - Repealed. 1996, Act 366, Eff. Jan. 1, 1997.
Section 552.533 - Repeal of MCL 552.251 to 552.255.