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What should I do when a court notice arrives?
Read the entire notice and keep it with the motion or other papers that led to it. Write down the event date, the assigned judicial officer, the stated purpose, and any instructions for submitting documents.
Identify the event
Check whether the notice describes an Early Intervention Conference, a motion hearing, an investigation appointment, mediation, or a trial. Preparation depends on what is actually scheduled.
Confirm how to attend
Check the latest notice for the building and room or the remote appearance instructions. Do not assume an earlier hearing link or another person’s courtroom applies to your case.
Save the complete record
Gather the current order, later amendments, pending motion, attachments, and response. Keep proof of submission or service with the corresponding document.
If the notice conflicts with a calendar entry or leaves the location unclear, use the assigned court office’s official contact information to resolve it before the event.
Your assigned court
How do I find my Oakland County family court judge?
Look at your case paperwork for the assigned judge. The county’s Family Division judge directory links to each judge’s current guidelines. Use those instructions to check the procedure for the event in your case.
If you do not know the assignment, the county directs visitors to the Friend of the Court switchboard for routing to the appropriate team. Keep your case number available when contacting the court.
A lawyer or another parent’s experience with a different judge does not establish the instructions for your hearing. Save the relevant directions with your hearing notice so you can check deadlines and document requirements together.
Official county references: Family Division judge directory and individual guidelines · Friend of the Court judicial teams.
Friend of the Court
How do I find my referee and hearing calendar?
The Oakland County referee directory links to individual referee pages and calendars. The county’s EIC instructions also identify Court Explorer as a way to find the referee assigned to your case.
Match the referee’s name to your notice before using a calendar. Confirm the exact time and attendance instructions for your event; a general calendar listing is not a substitute for reading the notice.
When you receive a recommendation or order, keep the entire document and the information showing when it was sent or served. Ask your attorney promptly about its effect, any objection deadline, and the procedure that applies to that document.
Official county references: Friend of the Court referee directory and calendars · Oakland County Court Explorer.
Prepare a useful case file
What should I bring to a family law consultation?
A short, organized set of records helps us identify the question the court needs to decide. You can begin the consultation before you have every document.
Case papers
The complaint, current judgment or orders, amendments, pending motions, and the next hearing notice.
Parenting schedule
The ordered schedule, actual recent exchanges, school calendar, and any specific holiday or transportation disagreement.
Income and expenses
Available pay records, recent tax returns, insurance information, childcare costs, and the support order if one exists.
Relevant communications
Complete messages about the disputed issue, with dates and enough context to understand the exchange.
A factual timeline
A brief account of what happened, when it happened, and which document supports each significant event.
The decision you need
State the specific issue and the arrangement you want considered. Identify approaching deadlines and practical concerns.
Keep private records for your consultation or the authorized filing process. Do not post case documents publicly to explain the dispute.
Prepare for a holiday parenting time dispute · Discuss an Oakland County divorce · Review child support questions
Early Intervention Conference
How should I prepare for an Oakland County EIC?
The county describes the Early Intervention Conference as a required hearing with the assigned referee. Its EIC page lists the forms to complete before the conference and the available submission methods. Use that current page with the instructions sent in your case.
Read the notice and county instructions
Confirm the referee, date, exact time, and attendance method. Note any document deadline separately from the hearing date.
Gather and complete the requested forms
Use the county’s current EIC forms and ask about anything unclear. Keep a copy of what you submit and the submission confirmation.
List the immediate questions
Bring a concise list of the parenting, support, or procedural issues you need addressed. Separate the existing arrangement from the change you are requesting.
Record the next steps
After the conference, save any written instructions, recommendation, or order. Confirm the next event and any tasks or deadlines with your attorney.
Official county references: Early Intervention Conference instructions and forms.
What is the SMILE program?
Oakland County’s SMILE program provides parent education about conflict and co-parenting. The county publishes participation instructions and current session information on its programs page. Check that page and your case instructions when arranging attendance.
Official county references: Friend of the Court programs, including SMILE.
Court contacts
Where are the Family Division and Friend of the Court?
These are separate locations in Pontiac. Follow the location or remote appearance instructions on your current notice.
Circuit Court — Family Division
- Address
- 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Department 404
Pontiac, MI 48341 - Phone
- 248-858-0344
- Official information
- Family Division information
Judge guidelines
Friend of the Court
- Address
- 230 Elizabeth Lake Road
Pontiac, MI 48341 - Phone
- 248-858-0424
- Official information
- Referees and calendars
EIC instructions and forms
Check the county pages for current office hours, closures, submission procedures, and contact changes. If you need an accommodation or language assistance, raise that need with the assigned office before the hearing.
Source directory
Official Oakland County resources used in this guide
- Oakland County Circuit Court Family Division
- Family Division judge directory and individual guidelines
- Friend of the Court judicial teams
- Friend of the Court referee directory and calendars
- Early Intervention Conference instructions and forms
- Friend of the Court programs, including SMILE
- Oakland County Court Explorer
This Haque Legal guide organizes public court resources and practical preparation steps. Use the county’s current pages and the instructions in your own case for assignments, calendars, forms, and locations. Haque Legal is independent of Oakland County and its courts.