On order of the Court, the State Court Administrator is authorized, until July 1, 2003, or until further order of this Court, to approve the experimental use of two-way interactive video technology to conduct proceedings between a courtroom and a hospital, mental health facility, jail, detention facility, or other placement facility, in the following circumstances:
(1) Hearings concerning initial involuntary treatment and continuing treatment in mental health cases in the probate court in the counties of Calhoun, Chippewa, Genesee, Gogebic, Livingston, Ottawa, Saginaw, Washtenaw, and Wayne.
(2) Preliminary hearings and review hearings in child protective proceedings in the family division of the circuit court in the counties of Calhoun, Chippewa, Genesee, Gogebic, Kalamazoo, Kent, Livingston, Ottawa, Saginaw, Washtenaw, and Wayne.
Preliminary hearings held in juvenile delinquency proceedings to satisfy the requirements of MCR 5.935(A)(1), and post-dispositional progress reviews and dispositional review hearings, where the court does not order a more physically restrictive level of placement or more restrictive treatment of the juvenile, in the family division of the circuit court in the counties of Calhoun, Chippewa, Genesee, Gogebic, Kalamazoo, Kent, Livingston, Ottawa, Saginaw, Washtenaw, and Wayne.
Each court seeking to participate must submit a local administrative order for approval by the State Court Administrator pursuant to MCR 8.112(B), describing how the program will be implemented, and the administrative procedures for each type of hearing for which interactive video technology will be used. Upon a court's filing of a local administrative order, the State Court Administrative Office shall either approve the order or return the order to the chief circuit or probate judge for amendment in accordance with requirements and guidelines provided by the State Court Administrative Office.
The State Court Administrative Office shall assist courts in implementing the technology, and shall report to this Court regarding its assessment of the program. Those courts using the technology shall provide statistics and otherwise cooperate with the State Court Administrative Office in monitoring the use of two-way video proceedings.
Administrative Order 2000-4 is rescinded.
Staff Comment: Administrative Order 2000-4 authorized the experimental use of two-way interactive video technology for specified involuntary commitment and child protective proceedings in the probate court and the family division of the circuit court in certain counties. Administrative Order 2001-4 reauthorizes this use, but expands the number of counties in the pilot project and includes authorization to use interactive video technology in select juvenile delinquency proceedings.
The staff comment is published only for the benefit of the bench and bar and is not an authoritative construction by the Court.