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Marion Township resident criticizes judge's handling of family court case during public comment
Summary
Steve Williams told the Livingston County Board of Commissioners that a recent custody hearing involved a refused subpoena, appointment of a guardian ad litem and court-ordered limits on contact; he said the judge imposed a bond to file further motions and that he intends to contact the Judicial Tenure Commission.
Steve Williams, of Marion Township, used the board's public-comment period on Aug. 11, 2025 to describe his dispute with a family court judge and to say he is exploring formal complaints.
Williams said the contested custody hearing required three deputies, a clerk and a judge and lasted three days. "After making derogatory remarks about the memories of police," he said, a judge "refused to let this deputy who had driven a 100 miles one way testify," and the judge instead appointed a guardian ad litem. Williams said the guardian ad litem "met with different people, met with the child with the birth father present" and then issued recommendations that Williams described as restricting his interactions with the child.
"They told my wife that the child could no longer refer to me as 'big dad,'" Williams said, and that he was not allowed to accompany his wife to custody exchanges. Williams said the judge has ordered a change in the exchange time and location from Sunday afternoon to 5 p.m. on Friday in Novi; Williams added that, he believes, traffic conditions make that time difficult for residents who commute. He also said the judge has "imposed" a requirement that the Williamses post a bond to file further motions but did not specify an amount.
Williams told the board he plans to file a complaint with the Judicial Tenure Commission and asked the commissioners for suggestions on how to proceed.
Commissioner Mel, identified in the record as a newly elected official, responded during commissioner comments by reminding the public that the Board of Commissioners does not have authority over judicial decisions. "If you have a problem with a judge, appeal it to the next judge," Mel said, and noted the appropriate channels for judicial discipline.
No county action or direction to staff regarding Williams' comments appears in the meeting transcript.
