Washtenaw County Trial Court administrator among 13 featured in MSC report

The Michigan Supreme Court recently released a report highlighting the efforts of Michigan court administrators, who work with judges and staff to manage the daily operations of trial courts to ensure accessibility, efficiency, and engagement.   

The report, “How Court Administrators Are Opening the Doors of Engagement to Michigan’s Courts,” features 13 court administrators from around the state who ensure their court staff are prepared to provide the best possible service to the public. Dan Dwyer from the Washtenaw County Trial Court, is among those featured.

“Working behind the scenes, court administrators work hard to ensure that courthouse doors are open to all and our customers are treated with dignity and respect,” said Chief Justice Bridget M. McCormack, who announced the report during the 2019 Court Managers Conference. “Efficient courts that are engaged with their local communities always have a common denominator – a dedicated and passionate court administrator. And my colleagues and I are especially grateful to court administrators who step up and try new technology to improve service to the public.”

The judges of the Washtenaw County Trial Court, led by Chief Judge David S Swartz, rely upon Dwyer and his staff to oversee and manage all the non-judicial functions of the Court. These activities include: budgeting and finance; caseflow and jury management; community and media relations;  human resources; liaison with other governmental entities at the state and local level; purchasing; space management; and technology development, implementation and use.

Dwyer works closely with the judges in defining the Court's goals and objectives, developing short and long-term strategic plans, and designing management strategies to meet the needs of the public and the Court.