Michigan lawmakers consider bill to overhaul family court system

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(The Center Square) – Michigan lawmakers are considering legislation that would overhaul the state's family court system, as concerns grow about inconsistent rulings and a lack of specialized training among Michigan judges.

House Bill 5445 was introduced by Republican lawmakers and is now before the Michigan House Committee on the Judiciary. It would require training for judges handling family law cases, limit how often judges rotate between court divisions and encourage a “one family, one judge” approach.

Supporters say the changes are needed to bring more consistency to cases involving custody, child welfare, and domestic issues – areas they argue require specific expertise.

The advocacy group Stronger Courts for Michigan Families is one of the groups supporting this legislation. It recently reported that a 2025 EPIC/MRA survey found that 92% of Michigan voters support requiring judges to have specialized training before presiding over family law cases.

“This isn’t a niche issue – it’s a kitchen-table issue affecting families in every corner of Michigan,” said Donald Wheaton, chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Family Law Section. “Families deserve a system where judges understand the complexities of these cases and can provide consistent, informed decision-making.”

The same poll found 51% of voters support a “one family, one judge” model, compared to 31% opposed.

Lansing-based appellate attorney Liisa Speaker told The Center Square in an exclusive interview that her experience handling appeals has exposed patterns across the state, particularly in cases where judges do not follow existing law.

“We see a lot of things happening around the state … you see trends,” Speaker said. “It just seemed like there were a lot of cases that we were able to appeal and were successful on appeal a lot of times because there were judges who weren’t following the law.”

Speaker said those issues show the necessity for ongoing efforts by the State Bar’s Family Law Section to pursue legislative changes for Michigan’s family court system.

The proposed bill would require new judges assigned to family court to have prior experience or training in family law, child law, and domestic violence. It would also create a non-rotating family court bench, meaning judges would remain assigned to family cases instead of moving between divisions.

Additionally, the proposal seeks to ensure that one judge handles related cases involving the same family, rather than splitting different cases involving the same family across multiple judges.

Speaker explained that those changes could reduce delays and improve outcomes by allowing judges to better understand the families appearing before them.

“We have families that are on their third, fourth, or even fifth judge just to finish one proceeding,” she said. “Every time a new judge comes in, the families have to tell their whole story all over again.”

The bill remains in committee and would need a hearing before further advancing in the legislative process. Advocates say they are working to build support among lawmakers.

Speaker said the legislation is not expected to resolve every issue within the system but could lead to meaningful improvements.

“Nothing we do is going to be perfect,” she said. “But there’s a lot of ways it could be improved.”