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NOTICES​​​


Effective September 16, 2024, the Court Clerk's Office will be open to the public from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Friday. Emergency civil filings may be submitted through the e-filing system.  Self-represented parties may place emergency filings in the drop box located in the lobby of the Justice Center.

Other court are open to the public on Friday afternoons. 

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On Thursday, July 13, 2023, ​the 15th District Court went live with e-filing! Attorneys are required to e-file as required by Michigan Court Rule 1.109(G)(3)(f). Civil Case documents mailed to the 15th District Court by attorneys and postmar​​ked after July 13, 2023 will be returned.

Self-represented parties may participate in the e-filing program but will not be required to do so.

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​​Effective APRIL 3, 2023, the 15th District Court will no longer accept documents via facsimile (FAX) in General Civil (GC) cases. 

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Case Evaluation 

Due to revisions in the Case Evaluation Court Rules, the 15th Judicial District Court ceased its practice of referring all No Fault Provider cases valued at $5,000.00 or more to case evaluation. If a case has already been docketed for case evaluation, the case evaluation hearing will take place as scheduled. Any case that has not been scheduled, ​will not be scheduled. However, parties may agree to case evaluation by submitting a stipulation and proposed Order to the Court.  The Stipulated Order must be submitted to the Court by the Status Conference date and time.​

Upcoming dates:

  • CASE EVALUATION DOCKET ON 09/17/2024​ WILL BE HELD VIA ZOOM

Please see the Civil Division page for more​ information.​

Civil Sche​du​le for the week Oct 28 - Nov 1, 2024

  • If your General Civil case has settled, PLEASE submit settlement documentation to MiFile​​​.
  • If you would like to ADD or CHANGE an attorney within the SAME law firm, PLEASE submit an APPEARANCE. Currently, the MiFile e-filing system is significantly delayed in processing a Substitution of Counsel if an attorney is already listed in the JIS case manage​ment system. 
  • All civil proceedings will continue to be conducted via Zoom video conferencing unless parties are notified otherwise by the Court.
  • October 30 - Oral Motions for Summary Disposition (MSD): For cases in which the Court will hear oral argument via Zoom at 9:30 a.m., the Attorney of Record will receive a Zoom invitation via email. 
  • October 30 - Motions, other than motions for summary disposition, will be held via Zoom. Parties will receive a Zoom invitation via email. Zoom invit​ations are only sent to the Attorney of Record. Please note motions will be held at 1:30 p.m.
  • October 30 - All cases set for Pretrial at 2 p.m. will be scheduled by the Court for Final Settlement Conference and Jury Trial or Bench Trial, if there was no jury demand. No appearance required
  • October 30 - Cases set for Entry of Order at 3 p.m. will be dismissed by the Court if an order closing the case has not been received by this date. No appearance required.
  • October 31 - Bench Trial at 10 a.m. will be held in-person. Parties should appear at their scheduled time in Courtroom 2 on the 5th floor of the Ann Arbor Justice Center.
  • November 1 - Final Settlement Conferences at 10 a.m. will be h​​​eld in-person. Parties should appear at their scheduled times in Courtroom 2 on the 5th Floor of the Ann Arbor Justice Center.​ ​Final Settlement Conference Instructions​ for Civil Provider Cases
  • November 1 - Motions for Summary Disposition (MSD) scheduled at 11 a.m.: In those cases which the Court has dispensed with oral argument pursuant to MCR 2.119(E)(3), the Court will render a written Opinion and Order. No appearance required. In those cases which the Court will hear oral argument via Zoom, the Attorney of Record will receive a new Notice to Appear with a Zoom invitation via email and MiFile. Please note oral argument cases will be adjourned to the next available Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
  • Livestream video is available on the Court's YouTube channel.​
  • ​​​​​​​​​​Stay updated by subscribing to the Court's Twitter Account, @15thAnn.​

Criminal Misdemeanor Schedule

The Court has the ability to conduct hearings via Zoom technology. If you would like to have a Zoom hearing, see the "Court Appearances via Zoom" section below for contact information. 

State Pretrial Dockets

Parties whose cases are assigned to Judge Perry may request a hearing via Zoom on October 9 and October 23.     

Parties whose cases are assigned to Judge Valvo may request a hearing on October 17 and October 31.

City Pretrial dockets 

Parties whose cases are assigned to Judge Valvo may request a hearing on October 10 and October 25.

Parties whose cases are assigned to Judge Perry may request a hearing via Zoom on September 30, October 3, October 28, and October 31.     

Domestic Violence dockets

Parties whose cases are assigned to Judge Perry may request a hearing via Zoom on October 2, October 16, and October 30.​

Additional dates may be given for emergency hearings as needed.

Landlord-Tenant Schedule

Landlord-Tenant dockets are held every Tuesday starting at 1:30 p.m. Dockets are held by Zoom unless parties are notified by the Court that they need to appear in person. ​​

**During the weeks of Christmas and New Years, the Landlord-Tenant dockets will be held Monday afternoons at 1:30 p.m.**

​Small Claims

​​Pursuant to MCL 600.8407(2)(a), the Court will not accept from a person, sole proprietor, partnership, or corporation more than five (5) small claims filings per week.

Small Claims Mediation

Small claims cases will be scheduled for online mediation through the Washtenaw County Dispute Resolution Center (DRC).  Notices will be mailed along with the information sheet for the online platform, MI-Resolve (text format) or Zoom mediation, that the parties have been assigned to use. 

DRC Mediation Information Sheet

Court Appearances via Zoom

Some parties who are scheduled to appear in person are able to appear via Zoom. You must email the contact person for your assigned Judge to request a Zoom hearing. This must be done at least 24 hours in advance during normal business hours. If approved, parties will receive an email from the Court containing a link to the Zoom hearing.

Virtual Appearance Information Sheet ​​​​​

OfficeContact Person
Judge BurkeKelsey Smith
[email protected]​​  
Judge PerryKaren Zaleski

[email protected]

Judge ValvoAlysha Rossetto

[email protected] ​

Magistrate GarwoodClerks Office

Call 734.794.6750, ​select option 2 for Traffic/Criminal or 
​option 3 for Civil


The 15th District Court is fully open to the public during normal business hours. A​ judge or magistrate may use his or her discretion in deciding whether or not to livestream public court hearings on YouTube. You may access the Courts' proceedings by following these links:

Magistrate Garwood

Judge Burke

Judge Valvo

Judge​ Perry

About the Court

The 15th Judicial District Court is located in downtown Ann Arbor in the Ann Arbor Justice Center. The court is presided over by three judges: the Honorable Joseph F. Burke, the Honorable Miriam A. Perry and the Honorable Karen Quinlan Valvo. There is also one appointed magistrate, the Honorable Tamara Garwood. Daily court operations are overseen by Court Administrator Shryl Samborn​.

The court is comprised of four divisions: Administration, Civil, Traffic/Criminal, and Probation. Administration is responsible for the administrative management of all non-judicial functions of the Court. The Civil Division maintains the court files for general civil, landlord-tenant, and small claims cases. The Traffic/Criminal Division maintains the records for all traffic and criminal misdemeanors, civil infractions, ordinance violations, and University of Michigan Regents violations. The Probation Department is responsible for pre-sentence investigations, alcohol assessments, supervision, counseling, and referrals to outside assessment and treatment programs for those who are placed on probation.

The 15th Judicial District Court has jurisdiction over cases which include but are not limited to:

  • Civil Cases where the disputed amount is $25,000 or less
  • Small Claims cases where the disputed amount is $7,000 or less
  • Landlord/Tenant disputes
  • Criminal & Traffic Misdemeanors punishable by 1 year or less in jail
  • Arrest Warrant &Search Warrant Issuance
  • Ann Arbor City Ordinance Violations
  • Traffic & State Civil Infractions
  • University of Michigan Regents Ordinance Violations
  • Felony Probable Cause Conferences & Preliminary Exams 

Notice to Visitors

Please note that all visitors to the Ann Arbor Justice Center must successfully pass through the security screening process to enter. All visitors and their belongings are subject to search by Court Security Officers. All visitors are required to pass through metal detectors. All purses, briefcases, or other containers are required to pass through an x-ray machine. These items are not allowed: 

  • Weapons, e.g. cutting edge instruments such as pocket knives
  • ​Any other items that may be construed as weapons by Court Security Officers  
  • Food & Beverages 

Please do not bring any prohibited items with you into the courthouse; leave them at home or in your vehicle.

Requests for ADA Accommodations or Foreign Language Interpreters​

Please contact the court prior to your visit if you will need an ADA accommodation or a Foreign Language Interpreter. Request forms are located the court's Forms web page in the Miscellaneous section. More​ information can be found on the Local Administrative Orders web page. Questions should be directed to Court Administrator Shryl Samborn at 734.794.6757 or [email protected].    
  

For information about​ disability resources, including parking, please visit the City of Ann Arbor Streets, Buildings, and Parking web page