MAC COVID-19 Update
Michigan Supreme Court issues new order on virtual court proceedings

“The Michigan Supreme Court today took comprehensive steps to allow Michigan courts to conduct additional remote proceedings in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus,” the court said in a statement. “These steps build on a series of emergency measures already implemented to mitigate transmission and protect the public and court staff. The key element of today’s action is Administrative Order 2020-6 , which provides expanded authority to judges to conduct proceedings remotely. …
 
“Today, the State Court Administrative Office also released ‘Michigan Trial Courts Virtual Courtroom Standards and Guidelines.’ The detailed document covers key concepts to help courts manage remote proceedings and addresses conditions set by AO 2020-6, including:

  • Making sure remote proceedings are consistent with the party’s Constitutional rights;
  • Ensuring litigants and their lawyers can communicate confidentially;
  • Providing public access during the proceeding or immediately after by video recording, unless the proceeding is closed or limited by court rule or statute; and
  • Sufficient recording of the proceeding to produce a verbatim written transcript.
  • Acting on input from the Michigan Association of Counties and other local government groups, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has issued an Executive Order to alter deadlines under the state's Freedom of Information Act during the corona crisis.

NACo offers webinar on resources to aid the elderly during crisis

The National Association of Counties and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging are cohosting a webinar on Thursday, April 9 from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. to detail best practices for county officials to safely and effectively serve our elderly residents during the coronavirus pandemic.


This is of particular concern in Michigan, which in 2017 led the nation in Michigan led nation in the number of counties with a median age over 50 – 13. Overall, 17 percent of the state’s approximately 10 million residents are age 65 or older.

MAC adds ‘heat map’ to website for county-by-county data

Working with our partners at the data firm Munetrix, MAC has installed an interactive “heat map” of the state showing COVID-19 data by county. In addition to the number of cases and deaths, the map will show cases per 100,000 residents.

Munetrix has offered to share the embed code for this map with our county members for their websites. If you wish to receive the code, send the request to melot@micounties.org.

Latest posts to MAC Resources Page



As always, be sure to check our ongoing resource pages that we update daily: