In my law practice, I drive from various courts across Michigan in a 2009 Ford Explorer. That vehicle has 110,000 miles burned into it over the past 3-years. That's a lot of court appearances.Here are the numbers behind those miles for this past calendar year.
Michigan Court of Appeals. Although I had not argued before the Court of Appeals in more than two years, I had 4 arguments before the intermediate appellate tribunal in 2011. Also filed 25 briefs in that court; most of them applications for leave to appeal guilty pleas. In the first week of 2012, I have two arguments.
Oakland County. This is where we hold a "home field" advantage. In 2011, I appeared in the circuit court, including the family court division, 118 times. An additional 86 appearances were made in the Oakland County Probate Court. Getting to know the judges pretty well over there.
Getting to know the Friend of the Court Referees as well with 30 trips to the FOC for early intervention conferences, or evidentiary hearings.
Macomb County. Went "East Side" for 24 court appearances in 2011, all of them in the circuit or family courts; no East Side probate court appearances this year. Many of these were for the Attorney General.
Wayne County. In 2011, we made 20 court appearances in the "D"; fifteen were in the circuit and family courts, while the remaining 5 were all in the Wayne County Probate Court.
Genesee County. Just to the North of our offices [we can be in Flint in less than a half hour], I made the dash to the Genesee County Circuit Court 10 times in 2011. In addition, we made 4 trips to the Genesee Friend of the Court for hearings.
Livingston County. Only five appearances in Livingston County Circuit Court this year; all on a single divorce case.
District Courts. In 2011, we appeared in many of the various district courts placed throughout the counties in which we appear. 80 district court appearances to be precise; most of them for criminal matters.
Administrative Hearings. Only three of these this year; for drivers license restorations and an implied consent refusal.
Keep in mind folks, these statistics are for but one attorney in the Karlstrom Cooney law firm; my partners have many other court appearances in these courts. They do have, however, more "transactional" law practices than mine. Along with Kay Caruso, Stuart Cooney, and Peter Keenan, we are the firm's litigators.
So these are my numbers for this year; it was a productive one. We have our clients to thank for keeping us well engaged.
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