Sec. 1011.

(1) Not later than July 1, 2003, in each judicial circuit, the chief circuit judge and the chief probate judge or judges shall enter into an agreement that establishes a plan known as the "family court plan" that details how the family division will be operated in that circuit and how the services of the agencies listed in section 1043 will be coordinated in order to promote more efficient and effective services to families and individuals. If a probate court district includes counties that are in different judicial circuits, the chief judge of each judicial circuit that includes a county in the probate court district and the chief probate judge shall enter into a family court plan for each circuit.

(2) If, in any judicial circuit, the agreement required under subsection (1) is not entered into on or before July 1, 2003, the supreme court shall develop and implement the family court plan for that judicial circuit.

(3) A family court plan required under subsection (1) shall provide that a judge's service pursuant to the family court plan be consistent with the goal of developing sufficient judicial expertise in family law to properly serve the interests of the families and children whose cases are assigned to that judge. The chief judge of the circuit court shall have the authority and flexibility to determine the duration of a judge's service pursuant to the family court plan in furtherance of this goal.

(4) A judge serving pursuant to the family court plan shall receive appropriate training as required by the supreme court.

(5) A family court plan required under subsection (1) may provide that when a judge's service pursuant to the family court plan ends, the pending cases of that judge are to be reassigned to another judge or judges serving pursuant to the family court plan or are to be resolved by that judge.

(6) A family court plan required under subsection (1) shall specifically identify any probate judge serving pursuant to the family court plan.

(7) A family court plan required under subsection (1) shall be reviewed and revised periodically, as necessary, by the chief circuit judge or judges and the chief probate judge or judges, and shall be submitted for approval by the supreme court.

History: Add. 1996, Act 388, Eff. Oct. 1, 1996 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 298, Imd. Eff. July 28, 1998 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 682, Eff. Apr. 1, 2003