Complaints against Friends of the Court

Michigan law provides several ways to express concerns about operations of the FOC Office. Grievances or comments cannot be used to complain about a Judge's decision.

Formal Grievance Procedure

Procedure for parties dissatisfied with the FOC operations or employees. The grievance is first filed with the FOC office and can be prepared on a grievance form or in a letter that is clearly labeled "grievance." The FOC director or designee must respond to the grievance within 30 days or provide a reason for the delay in response.

If a party is not satisfied with the FOC’s response, they may submit the original grievance and the FOC's response to the Chief Judge for the circuit court for a review. The Chief Judge must respond to the grievance within 30 days or provide a reason for the delay in response.

Grievances can only address a FOC office's operations, procedures, or employees. The FOC grievance process cannot be used for issues under a judge's control, such as a court order or the outcome of a court hearing.

The grievance process is only available to parties to a FOC case.

Link to State Court Administrator's Office