April 22, 2003





Administrative Order 2003-4

Video Proceedings 
(Family Division of Circuit
Court and Probate Court)
_______________________________


          On order of the Court, the experimental use of two-way interactive video
technology authorized by Administrative Order No. 2001-4 is extended until July 1,
2004, or until further order of this Court.  

          Also, the counties of Allegan, Charlevoix, Emmet, and Ontonagon are
added to those that may be approved by the State Court Administrator under AO 2001-4
to conduct hearings concerning initial involuntary treatment and continuing treatment in
mental-health cases in the probate court, and the counties of Allegan and Ingham are
added to those that may be approved to conduct, in the family division of the circuit
court: (1) preliminary hearings and review hearings in child-protective proceedings;
(2) preliminary hearings held in juvenile-delinquency proceedings to satisfy the
requirements of subrule 5.935(A)(1) of the Michigan Court Rules [to be redesignated
MCR 3.935(A)(1), effective May 1, 2003]; and (3) postdispositional 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.

          Finally, prisons, the offices of Family Independence Agency child-
protective workers, and the offices of foster-care workers from the FIA or private
agencies with whom the FIA contracts for child foster-care services are added to the list
of venues that may be linked to a courtroom for the conduct of those proceedings
authorized by AO 2001-4.