Court closure on June 20 in observance of Juneteenth

Ottawa County, Michigan sent this bulletin at 06/10/2022 08:22 AM EDT
Court Press Release

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June 10, 2022

Court closure on June 20 in observance of Juneteenth

On June 1, 2022, the Michigan Supreme Court recognized Juneteenth as an official court holiday, to be celebrated this year on June 20. Juneteenth is an important day of remembrance, as it celebrates the day (June 19, 1865) when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas and enforced the law freeing the people still enslaved there.

In its June 1, 2022 Order, the Michigan Supreme Court mandated the closure of local courts, although a full docket of cases had already been scheduled for hearing on June 20, 2022.

In order to implement the Court's Order with as little difficulty and delay to litigants as possible, the Ottawa County courts have approved the following:

Court Closure Table

*MCR 8.110(D)(2)(d) permits a judge to continue trials and conduct “necessary judicial matters” with the approval of the chief judge. The chief judges of the 20th Circuit and Ottawa County Probate Courts have given that authority to each circuit and probate judge. Litigants and their counsel who have not requested adjournment will receive notice from the court if a matter scheduled for June 20, 2022 will be held virtually (on Zoom) as a necessary judicial matter.

This closure applies only to Ottawa County courts and not to other Ottawa County departments or offices which will be open for business.