97 Percent of Michigan's Friend of the Court Offices Answer to No One. Kalamazoo Is One of Them.

Only 2 of 75 counties have independent oversight. The other 73 let the FOC investigate complaints against itself.

KALAMAZOO, Mich., March 31, 2026 — Michigan law allows every county to create a Citizen Advisory Committee to independently review how the Friend of the Court operates. Out of 75 FOC offices in the state, two have one. Kent County and Macomb County. The other 73, including Kalamazoo, do not.

Without a Citizen Advisory Committee, the only way to complain about the FOC is through the FOC. The office investigates complaints filed against itself. It decides whether the complaint has merit. It decides whether to take action. There is no outside reviewer. No independent body. No second opinion.

The state's own grievance report explains why most counties do not have advisory committees. The cost of staffing and supporting them. That is the stated reason. Oversight was too expensive.

In Kalamazoo County, the result is visible in the data. In 2022, the FOC classified 83 percent of grievances as nongrievable, meaning it decided the complaints were not even eligible for review. The statewide rate was 23 percent. In 2023, every grievance filed in Kalamazoo ended in no corrective action.

The system is not broken. It is working exactly as designed. There is no one watching, and the outcomes reflect it.

“Oversight was available. It was optional. 73 counties chose not to use it. Ask the families in those counties how that is working out.,” stated Kalamazoo Transparency Act.