Legal System
17th Circuit Court
The Circuit Court handles civil cases involving more than $25,000, criminal cases where the offense is a felony or serious misdemeanor, domestic relations cases (divorce, custody, child support), child abuse and neglect cases, and delinquency cases. The Circuit Court also hears appeals from lower courts, appeals from local government boards such as zoning appeals, and appeals from some administrative agencies of state government (such as the Driver's License Appeal Division of the Secretary of State).
Each Circuit Court in Michigan has a Family Division that hears cases dealing with nearly every aspect of family law, including the following:
- Adoption
- Child abuse and neglect
- Child and spousal support
- Child custody
- Delinquency
- Divorvce
- Person protection orders
- Emancipation of minors
- Name changes
- Parental consent waivers
- Parenting time
- Paternity
