State Court Administrative Office

The State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) is the administrative agency of the Michigan Supreme Court. Article VI, Section 3 of the Michigan Constitution states that the Michigan Supreme Court "shall appoint an administrator of the courts and other assistants of the supreme court as may be necessary to aid in the administration of the courts of this state." The Supreme Court has administrative oversight of Michigan's courts and exercises that oversight through the SCAO.

What's New for Trial Courts

​​ Click link for the judicial branch's response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Guidance Regarding Court Operations: MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING STILL REQUIRED

​Keeping both court visitors and staff safe remains our number one priority. Downward trends in COVID-19 cases and test positivity, along with increased vaccination rates, keep Michigan’s judiciary on a steady path to increase capacity. However, current public health conditions warrant continued safety precautions as outlined in Administrative Order 2020-14 and the corresponding Return to Full Capacity Guide. Simply put, both staff and visitors wear masks and follow social distancing practices as described in the Guide. Read May 14, 2021 SCAO Memo here​.

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MICHIGAN COURTS LOG MORE THAN 3 MILLION HOURS OF ZOOM HEARINGS

Michigan Supreme Court announced today that courts across the state have logged more than 3,000,000 hours of Zoom hearings since proceedings moved online more than a year ago. In other technology, the MSC’s online Virtual Courtroom Directory—a tool that enables the public to search and access live-streamed or recorded court proceedings—has been used nearly 260,000 times since it was launched last year. Also, YouTube videos from Michigan courts have been viewed nearly 38 million times and trial court YouTube channels now have more than 110,000 subscribers. Read more here.

For First Time in History, Diverse Stakeholders to Develop Strategic Plan for Judiciary​

For the first time in history, a diverse group of justice system stakeholders will develop a strategic plan for Michigan’s judiciary. Created by the addition of Michigan Court Rule 8.128, the Michigan Judicial Council (MJC) will include judges, administrators, attorneys, county clerks, and the public. With a commitment for the MJC to be representative of Michigan’s diverse population and regions, the Court is seeking qualified applicants to serve. Application deadline extended to May 14. Read more here​.

Veteran Legal Aid Attorney Liza Rios Named Deputy State Court Administrator​

The Michigan Supreme Court today announced that veteran legal aid attorney Elizabeth “Liza” Rios has been named Deputy State Court Administrator. In the post, Rios will take charge of day-to-day operations at the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) and build collaborative efforts with stakeholders to support the Court’s strategic direction for trial courts statewide. Rios comes to SCAO from the Michigan Advocacy Program where she supervised a 40-person staff at Legal Services of South Central Michigan. Read more here.​