Kalamazoo Transparency Act Launches to Hold Local Courts Accountable Using the Government's Own Data

A new public interest project extracts court performance data from state reports and makes it accessible to every resident of Kalamazoo County

KALAMAZOO, Mich., March 29, 2026 — The Kalamazoo Transparency Act is a public interest data project built to bring government accountability to Kalamazoo County's court system. We extract data from reports published by the Michigan Supreme Court State Court Administrative Office and put it where it belongs. In the hands of the public.

Our mission is simple. The State of Michigan publishes annual reports on court performance, judicial workload, child support enforcement, and grievance outcomes. These reports are public record, but they are buried in PDFs on government websites that most residents will never find. We find them. We read them. We publish what they say.

We currently cover three courts. The 9th Circuit Court, which handles felonies, family law, and civil cases. The 8th District Court, which handles misdemeanors, traffic, and civil infractions. And the Probate Court, which handles estates, guardianships, and mental health commitments.

Here is what we have found so far. The 9th Circuit Court is operating at 119 percent of its recommended judicial workload. The Friend of the Court has not ruled in favor of a single citizen grievance in five years. Child support collection rates and enforcement patterns raise serious questions when compared to state averages.

Every number on our site links directly to the government report it came from. We do not editorialize. We do not invent. If a number is wrong, the source document will prove it. We collect no personal data. We do not target individuals. We do not request sealed records.

We believe the public has a right to understand how its courts are performing. The data was always available. We are making it readable.

“This is public data from public reports about public institutions. The only thing we did is make it accessible. That should not be controversial.,” stated Kalamazoo Transparency Act.