Court to host 15th annual celebration of Adoption Day

The Family Division of the Oakland County Circuit Court will celebrate the 15th Annual Celebration of Michigan Adoption Day on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 9 a.m., in the Board of Commissioners Auditorium at the Oakland County Courthouse. This event is being held in conjunction with over 30 other courts throughout the State of Michigan highlighting the importance of adoption and the needs of children in foster care.
 
Typically courthouses are not a place of happiness and celebration, but on Tuesday, Nov. 21, seven children and four families will celebrate their finalizations with the theme of “Giving Thanks for Families,” coinciding with the Thanksgiving holiday.  

Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Amy Ronayne Krause will be on hand to present a proclamation and celebrate the finalizations along with the Oakland County Family Division judges and Circuit Court Chief Judge Nanci Grant.

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, there are approximately 13,000 children currently in foster care, including more than 300 children who still need a forever family through adoption.  More than 1,900 children were adopted through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and partner adoption agencies in fiscal year 2017. In 2016, Oakland County finalized the adoptions of 318 children.       

In conjunction with Adoption Day, the Family Division judges will present two special awards recognizing individuals whose contributions have significantly and positively influenced the lives of children in Oakland County. Circuit Court Judge Lisa Gorcyca, presiding judge of the Family Division, will be presented with the first “Joan E. Young Champion of Children” award, named after Judge Joan Young who retired in 2017 after serving on the Circuit and Probate benches for 28 years, 19 of which were in the Family Division. The “Sandra Silver Advocate for Children” award, named after the late Judge Sandra Silver who served in the Probate Court for 12 years, will be presented to Nadine R. Hatten of the Law Firm of Nadine R. Hatten PLLC.

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