Berrien County trial court reports steady filings, asks committee to consider restoring law clerk

The Berrien County Trial Court reported a largely steady 2025 caseload at the March 19 Administration Committee meeting and asked county officials to consider restoring a law clerk position removed from the 2026 budget.

Carrie Smietanka-Haney, of the Trial Court, said filings declined about 1% in 2025 and that clearance-rate calculations are still being compiled and will be released soon. She said the State requires a Public Satisfaction Survey every two years; the court will run anonymous surveys at the courthouse April 13–17 and is coordinating with the county jail to include incarcerated people in the survey sample.

Hon. Judge Mayfield described rising continuing-education credit requirements for judges and discussed training opportunities. On media coverage, Mayfield addressed a recent Herald-Palladium article and quoted the line that prompted questions: "referees are like judges," then clarified that referees perform discrete duties and can assist with juvenile and domestic-relations matters such as child-support cases. Mayfield and Smietanka-Haney said the court is exploring broader training — including motivational-interviewing classes — for nonjudicial staff who regularly handle volatile situations.

Smietanka-Haney said one law clerk position was removed from the 2026 budget and that restoring that position would help the court "serve the public well"; Vice Chairman David Vollrath asked the court to return with a breakdown of duties and the information needed to reinstate the position. No formal staffing decision was made at the meeting.