Friend of the Court S.M.I.L.E. Program

Pursuant to an Administrative memo issued by the Chief Judge of the Berrien County Trial Court, all parties involved in a divorce action with minor children or a custody or parenting time dispute shall be required to attend one session of the Friend of the Court S.M.I.L.E. Program. This Program will be held two times per month and provide general information regarding the Friend of the Court’s office, the Court system, and other important information for people going through a divorce or custody issue. Any person interested in a Domestic Relations’ case involving children may attend this Program.

The following schedule will be in effect through July 2012:

The following are addresses for the three locations where the S.M.I.L.E. Program is presented:

BERRIEN COUNTY COURTHOUSE Jury Room, 2nd Floor, 811 Port Street, St. Joseph, Ml

ST. JOSEPH HIGH SCHOOL Room 250, 2521 Stadium Drive, St. Joseph, MI.

WESTSIDE SCHOOL 1st Floor Conference Room, 111 Spruce Street, Niles, MI.

DIRECTIONS TO THE NILES COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATION CENTER (OLD WESTSIDE SCHOOL) for the S.M.I.L.E. Program:

From St. Joseph or North end of County:

Take St. Joe Valley Parkway (Bypass) to Exit #5 Niles/Buchanan Road; Turn Left (East) toward Niles and drive 2.4 miles;
Turn Right on Spruce Street (one block before traffic light);

Turn Left on Clay (1"1 driveway on left is parking lot for Westside School).

The S.M.I.L.E. Program presentation is approximately two hours and will focus on general policies and procedures, not individual cases. Please do not bring your children to the Program. You may attend any of the scheduled sessions; however, you are encouraged to attend the Program as soon as possible in order to obtain information in the early stage of your domestic case. It is preferable, but not required, that the parents attend the same session if possible.