45th District Court

05/11/2026

Last week we celebrated Bring a Child to Work Day. The kids had great questions and we loved showing them the inner workings of the Court!

05/08/2026

This week treatment court professionals from all over the state gathered in Lansing. MATCP (Michigan Association of Treatment Court Professionals) provides leadership and education to treatment courts statewide to empower lives and change futures. The 45th is proud to host 3 treatments courts: Behavioral Health and Wellness, Veterans Treatment Court, and Operation Drive.

04/29/2026

Today we celebrated Second Chance Month at the Northwest Activities Center in Detroit. Over 5 million Michiganders have benefitted from Michigan's Clean Slate legislation. This law recognizes that people can grow, change, and contribute and has allowed our citizens to return to the workforce, obtain housing, and pursue higher education.

04/17/2026

Meet the Judges with the Oakland County Bar Association.

03/19/2026

We’re excited to have Hon. Jaimie Powell Horowitz of the 45th District Court, David G. Marowske of Lakeshore Legal Aid, and Cheryl B. Luckoff of The Law Office of Cheryl B. Luckoff present “Opening Doors: A Practical Approach to Landlord–Tenant Cases and Rental Assistance” during the Oakland County Bar Association’s District Court Bench/Bar Conference on March 20.

Together, they will offer a well-rounded perspective on navigating the new summary proceeding rules, with insights from the bench and from practitioners representing both tenants and landlords.

Learn more and register at: ocba.org/dcbb.

03/18/2026

March is National Reading Month, a month dedicated to fostering a love of reading! Today Judge Horowitz had the pleasure of sharing some of her favorite books with the wonderful students at Einstein Elementary.

03/14/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- CITY MOURNS THE LOSS OF A TEAM MEMBER

On the night of March 13, 2026, the Department of Public Works Supervisor, Doug Chmiel, was responding to emergency cleanup operations following the recent severe windstorm. While clearing the road for emergency vehicle access, he was struck by a falling limb. Emergency crews responded to the scene, and he was transported to Corewell Health William Beaumont Hospital. Tragically, Doug later passed away despite efforts by Huntington Woods Public Safety on scene and Corewell Health Staff.

This is a profound loss for the entire Huntington Woods staff and community. Our employees are the foundation of our organization, and losing a colleague who was dedicated to their work and community is truly heartbreaking.

Doug Chmiel leaves behind his loving wife and three young children. Our hearts are with the family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. The City of Huntington Woods will ensure Doug’s family receives our full support, and we ask that their privacy be respected.

The City of Huntington Woods will provide counseling and support services through its Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to all staff.

A GoFundMe page is being established to support the family at this time. Please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-dawn-3-children-after-loss-of-husband-and-veteran if you are able to contribute.

02/05/2026

It's time to celebrate Black History Month!

In 1997, Justice Conrad Mallett became the first Black Chief Justice on the Michigan Supreme Court https://buff.ly/2G9BxG5

01/27/2026

Tonight Judge Horowitz and Judge Appel attended the Oakland County Bar Foundation Fellows Reception in their continued commitment to supporting initiatives that address increased access for all to our legal system.

01/23/2026

The 45th District Court is pleased to announce Operation Drive! We are so grateful to the Supreme Court Administrator's Office for awarding us this grant to work with local stakeholders to eliminate barriers that prevent otherwise safe drivers from obtaining a license. Judge Derek Meineke of Royal Oak pioneered this program which has led to the restoration of thousands of drivers licenses allowing participants to get to and from work safely, seek better employment, avoid the endless jail cycle for driving offenses, and care for their family. We are so grateful to our stakeholders for their letters of support and participation: Office of Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald , Marian for Mayor (Mayor McClellan, Erik Tungate, City of Oak Park (thank you for your efforts City Attorney Josh Kaplan) and Michigan Indigent Defense Counsel, John Angott!