Lenawee County — The presiding judge at a pretrial in a child-protective petition granted an adjournment of a jury trial originally set for Feb. 21, 2025, and scheduled the trial for the week of April 7, 2025, to allow time for parties and experts to review medical records and prepare testimony.

The change followed defense counsel’s statement that she was still waiting for medical records needed by an expert and would not be ready for trial on the Feb. 21 date. Nicole Underwood, counsel identified in the record as the lawyer guardian for the minor children, told the court: “I think that the adjournment is in the best interest of the children considering the parties are seeking additional information, records.”

The judge said the court would reserve the whole week of April 7 for the jury trial and estimated the matter would require roughly three days. The judge scheduled a final pretrial and pretrial review for Monday, March 31, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., and instructed parties to file and exchange jury instructions, voir dire questions, verdict forms and the final witness and exhibit lists in advance. At the hearing the court directed counsel to try to have those materials filed or exchanged by March 10, 2025, and stated the court would accept objections to be heard at the March 31 pretrial.

Department counsel, Troy Tipton, said the department had subpoenaed two physicians and requested the parties’ consent for those witnesses to testify by Zoom. Defense counsel said she had no objection to virtual testimony “as long as they have the records that they can reference during that testimony.” The court said it would prepare a stipend order if needed for the remote physicians.

The court explained logistics for trial preparation and urged the parties to collaborate on a consolidated exhibit binder so jurors and the court would not need to cross-reference multiple sets of documents. The judge also reminded counsel that prior orders in the case remain in effect.

Discussion at the pretrial clarified which petition the court would proceed on: parties confirmed they would try “petition 2” (the pleading filed Dec. 13, 2024) at the scheduled jury trial week in April.

The court encouraged counsel to resolve discovery or scheduling conflicts by motion or by requesting a settlement conference if issues arise before the March pretrial. No formal evidentiary rulings were made at the hearing.

Ending — The court adjourned the Feb. 21 jury trial to the week of April 7, 2025, set final pretrial for March 31, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., and ordered that filing and exchange of jury instructions, voir dire, verdict forms and final witness/exhibit lists occur in advance (parties discussed March 10 and March 24 as filing targets). The court left the details of remote witness stipends to a subsequent court order.