Juvenile Court

Deborah Shaw, Juvenile & Probate
Court Administrator

Danielle Domzalski
Juvenile Services Supervisor

Erin Ostwald
Juvenile Register

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The Juvenile Unit of the Family Division of the 44th Circuit Court has the responsibility of handling Child Protection and Juvenile Justice cases. The portion of Michigan Law giving authority to the Juvenile Court is the Juvenile Code .

Child Protection cases arise when a petition is filed, usually by the Department of Human Services (DHS), alleging that there has been child neglect or abuse. The overall purpose is to assure the safety of children and prevent any further abuse or neglect, rather than to punish adults. The Child Protection area also handles Adoptions and processes youths' request for Emancipation of Minors.

Juvenile Justice cases arise when a petition is filed with the court. A petition is usually filed by the Prosecutor, alleging that one or more laws have been broken by a youth under age 17, which leads to a Juvenile Justice "Delinquency" case. In general, The court’s role is to support the current and future safety of the community by providing services to support the success of youth and their families in avoiding future system involvement. Petitions are also filed related to Status Offenses such as when parents come to court regarding Incorrigibility or when the school district elects to bring issues related to Truancy to court. There are also requests for Personal Protection Against Minors. Finally, when a youth under age 17 receives a traffic ticket, there is a way to handle the ticket informally through Juvenile Court.

Mission

In collaboration with county service agencies, we focus on community and child safety while providing youth and families with a supportive environment of individualized and rehabilitative services, accountability, permanence and healing.

Vision

All Livingston County children and families who interact with the Court feel valued and supported and achieve successful rehabilitation, reunification and permanency through creative individualized services.

We Value:

Knowledge: We value knowledge and a commitment to developing an environment which fosters personal development and professional growth so everyone who interacts with the court experiences service with a high level of competence.

Compassion: We recognize the gravity of our involvement in the lives of children, families and those who interact with the Juvenile Court. We are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Fairness: We apply the law, policies and procedures consistently so that decisions in all interactions are free from bias and promote justice.

Service: We believe in going above and beyond by approaching each day as an opportunity to provide an exceptional level of service for everyone who interacts with the Juvenile Court.