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- Trial Court
Trial Court - Hon. Mabel Johnson Mayfield, Chief Judge
Our Most Recent UpdateAugust 13th, 2021Per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) current guidelines, Berrien County moved into the Substantial category for COVID-19 transmission rates effective August 8, 2021. In consultation with the Berrien County Health Department, the Berrien County Trial Court will update the following policies as they relate to the use of face coverings in the court facilities. |
Trial Court Divisions
Court Hearing Accessibility
*All case types and hearings will be scheduled by default as listed above. Alternative participation method may be determined by the judicial officer at time of scheduling. Should a party wish for alternative participation method (i.e. an in-person hearing that the party wishes to participate via Zoom), the party must make a request to the assigned judge no later than fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled hearing with final determination to be made by the jurist.
| Criminal Division |
| Hearing Type | In-Person or Remote |
| Competency Hearings | In-Person |
| Informal Hearing | Remote via Zoom |
| Formal Hearings | Remote via Zoom |
| Expungements | Remote via Zoom |
| Motions | In-Person |
| Preliminary Exams | In-Person |
| Pre-Trial Conferences | Remote via Zoom |
| Probation Violation Summons/Hearings | In-Person |
| Projected Pleas | Remove via Zoom |
| Sentences | In-Person |
| Status/Case Conferences | In-Person |
| Traffic Tickets | In-Person |
| *Treatment Court hearings will be in-person or remote at the discretion of the assigned judge and will be notified accordingly. *Incarcerated individuals will appear in-person. *Weddings (scheduled by the criminal division) may be scheduled beginning 7/1/2021. |
| Civil Division |
| Hearing Type | In-Person or Remote |
| Business Court Proceedings | Remote via Zoom |
| Contested Small Claims Hearings | In-Person |
| Landlord Tenant | In-Person |
| Motions | Remote via Zoom |
| Pretrial, Scheduling, Status, or Settlement Conferences | Remote via Zoom |
| Small Claims Pretrial Conferences (Small Claims Culling) | Remote via Zoom |
| Trials | In-Person |
*Personal Protection Order cases will be in-person or remote at the discretion of the assigned judge and will be notified accordingly. |
| Family Division |
| Hearing Type | In-Person or Remote |
| Abuse Neglect Preliminary Hearings | In-Person |
| Adoptions as Requested | In-Person |
| Child Support Motions and Review | Remote via Zoom |
| Contested Domestic Relations Matters (Post-Judgement Issues) | Remote via Zoom |
| Delinquency Preliminary Hearings | Remote via Zoom |
| Delinquency Probation Violation Hearings (Unless Detained) | In-Person |
| Review Hearings (Abuse Neglect and Delinquency) | Remote via Zoom |
| Order to Show Cause Hearings | In-Person |
| Permanency Planning Hearings | Remote via Zoom |
| Pretrial, Status, and Settlement Conferences | Remote via Zoom |
| Probate Hearings | Remote via Zoom |
| Terminations (Abuse Neglect) | In-Person |
| Trials (Domestic, Abuse Neglect, Delinquency) | In-Person |
| Waiver or Designation Hearings (Delinquency) | In-Person |
*Personal Protection Order cases will be in-person or remote at the discretion of the assigned judge and will be notified accordingly. |