A committee formed in 1998 to scrutinize the county agency that handles child custody cases and child support payments has failed to make a dent in the process.
The Friend of the Court Citizens Advisory Committee was created three years ago in response to angry protests, as divorced fathers converged on the elected county Board of Commissioners.
The committee chairman, lawyer Anthony Bellanca, said state law and court rules have prevented the nine member panel from carrying out its mission. The confidentiality of Friend of the Court files has tied the committee members' hands, Bellanca said.
As a result, the committee has done little to address the complaints that sparked the fury of 1998, when a group called 'Parents for Children' demanded Friend of the Court reforms.
'We still can't carry out our major functions,' Bellanca said. 'We can't review the files, even just to take a look at them.'
The committee handled no complaints, or grievances, by non-custodial parents in 2000. Friend of the Court staff reviewed the 53 grievances filed last year. Dan Wilson, state director of "Parents for Children", said he believes the Macomb County Friend of the Court has frustrated the committee by 'stonewalling' attempts to gather information.
'How can a person bringing the complaint not be allowed to release information from their own file?' said Wilson, a Chesterfield Township resident.
A state official said committees in Macomb and other counties have used the confidentiality problem, which was recently solved, as an excuse to shirk their responsibilities.
Sharon Deja, a manager of the Friend of the Court Bureau, said some counties failed to 'rattle the bushes' and address complaints expressed by non-custodial parents.
More importantly, Deja said, the committees should look at the overall picture in their county, not individual cases.
'They can consider policy and process. Does their Friend of the Court need more staff?' said Deja, whose bureau answers to the State Court Administrative Office.
'They (committee members) are supposed to determine if there's some type of systemic problem. Their role is to get their Friend of the Court to run more efficiently. The Macomb County Friend of the Court oversees 39,000 cases and handles $100 million in child support payments a year. A state law calling on each county to form a citizens advisory committee was enacted in 1996 but, five years later, only about 30 counties have complied. Of those, only 13 have active committees,' Deja said.
Lynn Davidson, director of the Macomb County Friend of the Court office, said the Macomb committee has kept a low profile. She said it hasn't produced any suggestions that resulted in significant changes.
A subsequent state law in 1999 dealt with the confidentiality problem, giving the committees access to Friend of the Court files and records. But that law was subject to revision of court rules by the State Court Admistrative Office.
Those revised rules, which took two years to complete, specify what types of documents and records can be turned over to a citizens advisory committee. In many cases, the county circuit court will determine which records can be released to a committee.
The revised rules were released Dec. 8 but the Macomb committee was not aware of their completion.
Committee chairman Bellanca said the panel spent the past year discussing the Friend of the Court's computer problems and upcoming office renovations. 'We've had some things to do this past year,' Bellanca said. 'It's not like we come in, shake hands, and leave.'
- The Macomb Daily - Monday, January 15, 2000
