Oakland County Courthouse
Courtroom 2A, Second Floor
248-858-0340

Signatures

Original signatures must appear on all orders. Clients and Attorneys must both sign orders (if applicable).

Please note, pursuant to MCR 1.109(E), electronic signatures are permitted, but only the Judge can affix her own signature.

True Copies

Our clerks will be happy to process true copies of each order signed.

Returning Orders

We can mail true copies of orders to you. If you do not attach an envelope, we will hold your true copies for ten (10) days. Because of space constraints, we cannot hold them for a longer period. If not picked up within ten (10) days, true copies will be discarded.

Adjourned Motions

Please notify the chambers immediately upon the adjournment of a motion.

Abandoned Motions

Unless excused by the Court, the moving party must appear for the motion. Failure to appear may result in a dismissal of the motion. To be excused by the Court, the moving party must call chambers by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday to advise the clerk that the motion has been adjourned or withdrawn. If a matter is re-praeciped more than three times, the motion will be dismissed.

Praecipes Filed Late

If you were unable to timely or properly file a motion, we cannot add it to the motion call. You may re-praecipe the motion for hearing on a subsequent motion day. Be sure to check the legal newspapers to find out if your motion is scheduled. If it is not on the call, check with the Assignment Office. Notify opposing counsel to avoid needless trips to the courthouse.

Motions for Summary Disposition

Please schedule the motion hearing with the staff attorney for Judge Gant and file the motion with the Court Clerk. Should the parties wish to provide a Judge's Copy, please direct it to the staff attorney's attention. Please do not praecipe the hearing, as the Court will issue a scheduling order and serve it on all interested parties.

Emergency Motions

The Judge may consider hearing an emergency motion at any time. A written petition explaining a request for an emergency motion can expedite the Court's handling of emergency matters.

Motions to Settle Orders

Present the Judge with a transcript of the proceeding in which an order was made. Requests to review the video tape of an earlier hearing must be made prior to the hearing on the motion.

Requests for Evidentiary Hearings

If you have an issue that involves a factual dispute, you must file a motion to request an evidentiary hearing before the Judge. Requests for hearing before a referee may be made at the Early Intervention Conference without filing a motion.

Service Issues

The Court will not typically adjourn a moving party's motion based on a respondent's claim of improper service. The respondent should contact the moving party to ask for an adjournment of the motion or raise service issues in the response.

Domestic motions are heard on Wednesdays beginning at 8:30 a.m. First come-first served. Check in by listed number, which can be found on the motion call list. Pursuant to Local Court Rule 2.119(C), if the moving party of a praeciped motion has not checked in with the clerk by 9:30 a.m., the Court may dismiss the motion on its own or upon request of the opposing party. If counsel for the opposing party in a motion praeciped for hearing has not checked in with the clerk by 9:30 a.m., the clerk shall call the case upon request of the moving party and if appropriate, the Court shall grant the requested relief.

Scheduling Order

The Judge's Clerk will issue a scheduling order following the Settlement Conference. Please be sure to take your copy of the scheduling order with you, as that will be the only notice of subsequent dates. The order will contain deadlines for discovery cut-off, witness list exchange, mediation, and other important information. A mediator will be named, if needed, and a trial date will be set. Ask the clerk for the form when checking in.

Trial Dates

Trial dates are set at the Settlement Conference. Parties and counsel are expected to comply with all dates set forth in the Scheduling Order. Requests to adjourn must be made by written motion. Stipulated orders may be considered. All orders for adjournment must comply with MCR 2.503.

Trial Briefs

Trial briefs must be filed in all cases. Refer to Scheduling Orders for specific requirements. Be sure to identify uncontested issues. Failure to follow requirements of the Scheduling Order may result in rejection of the trial brief.

Trial Exhibits

All exhibits are to be marked prior to Trial, and a book of proposed exhibits must be submitted to the Court. Parties and counsel must discuss all proposed exhibits with each other prior to the day of Trial. Parties and counsel must identify and simplify issues to be settled by the Court.

Findings of Fact

Proposed findings of fact must be submitted to the Court after the conclusion of Trial.

Mediation

Before the Judge will try a case, it must be mediated.

Settlements

Settlements may be placed on the record by notifying the Judge's Clerk and requesting a time for hearing. No written motion is required.

Default Judgments

Prior to presenting proofs, check to be sure you have filed a Default against the defendant. You must give notice if you intend to take a Default Judgment unless judgment is requested on the day of Trial. Proofs of service should be filed at the time of or before taking a Default Judgment, MCR 2.603.

PPO Hearings

A party petitioning the Court for a Personal Protection Order must appear in person.

Do not file a Praecipe or Notice of Hearing. File the original with the Court Clerk and, should the parties wish to provide a Judge’s Copy please direct it to the staff attorney’s attention. Pursuant to the Court Rules, a hearing will not be held unless ordered by the Court.

• Hats are not allowed to be worn in the courtroom.
• Sunglasses are not allowed to be worn in the courtroom.
• Gum chewing is not allowed in the courtroom.
• Cellphones must be silenced.