Findling law is a leading Michigan divorce law firm located in Oakland County which is the the second most populous county having a population of over 1.2 million people. There are seven family division judges in Oakland County that make up the Judges of the Oakland County Divorce Court and we provide the skinny on each of them.
Divorce Court Judge Mary Ellen Brennan is the presiding judge of the Oakland County Divorce Court and Family-Focused Juvenile Drug Court. Judge Brennan was elected to the Oakland County Divorce Court on November 4, 2008 and is a graduate of James Madison College of Michigan State University and Wayne State University Law School.
Judge Brennan Courtroom is 2G, located on the second floor of the 1200 N. Telegraph building and her telephone number is 248-858-0355
Judge Brennan has specific rules and procedures regarding her courtroom which can be viewed here.
Divorce Court Judge Jacob Cunningham was elected to the Oakland County Divorce Court on January 2, 2019. In a pre-election interview, Judge Cunningham stated that he decided to run for divorce because he is “passionate about our court system” and he is “committed to helping families”. Prior to running for judge, Judge Cunningham was a judicial assistant for Judge Brennan. Judge Cunningham recognizes that “certain types of cases can be challenging” and “tend to keep him up at night”. Judge Cunningham went into the law “because it was a family business”. His mother was the court administer and his father is a seasoned attorney in practice for over 30 years.
Judge Cunningham’s courtroom is 5C, located on the 5th floor of the Oakland County courthouse (1200 N. Telegraph Rd. )
Judge Cunningham has specific rules and procedures regarding his courtroom which can be viewed here.
According to her Linkledin profile Divorce Court Judge Kameshia Gant was a former 46th District Court Judge candidate in the 2016 and 2018 election cycles. Before becoming a Judge, she was a litigator in the areas of criminal, probate, family and legal research. In addition, Judge Gant was a legal consultant for Neighborhood legal services in Michigan through the Children’s Justice Center’s Street Law program. which provides lessons and classroom discussions on within a social studies curriculum.
Judge Gant was appointed the the Oakland County Circuit Court Family Division (Oakland County Divorce Court) by governor Gretchen Whitmer upon Judge Karen McDonald’s retirement from the bench.
Divorce Court Judge Lisa Gorcyca was elected to the Oakland County Divorce Court in November of 2008. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and Detroit College of law, with honors in 1993. Judge Gorcyca is a former prosecuting attorney.
Judge Gorcyca’s Courtroom is 2A, located on the second floor of the 1200 N. Telegraph building.
Judge Gorcyca made national headlines after she jailed three for refusing to socialize with their father. A majority of the Oakland County family Court attorneys rallied in support on behalf of Judge Gorcyca as a compassionate and honest judge. The Michigan Supreme Court rejected a request to suspend Judge Gorcyca for her role in the case.
Judge Gorcyca’s telephone number is 248-858-0360 and her courtroom . Judge Gorcyca’s courtroom has recently moved to the West wing of the Oakland County Divorce Court. Judge Gorcyca has specific rules and procedures regarding her courtroom which can be viewed here.
Divorce Court Judge Lisa Langton was elected to the Oakland County Divorce Court in November of 2014 and assigned to the Family division, in 2015. Prior to her election, she was the deputy court administrator for the Juvenile division. She is a graduate of Ball State University, Honors College and a 1988 graduate of the Detroit College of Law.
Judge Langton’s Courtroom is W2, located in the West Wing of the Oakland County Courthouse.
Judge Langton’s telephone number is 248-858-1704. Judge Langton has specific rules and procedures regarding her courtroom which can be viewed here.
Judge Langton is married to news reporter Charlie Langton.
Divorce Court Judge Victoria A. Valentine was elected to the Oakland County Divorce Court in November 2016.
In an interview with Seethemagazine.com, Judge Valentine’s father and grandfather were both lawyers. “As far back as I can remember, (practicing law is what I always wanted to do.” Prior to her election, Judge Valentine’s practice of law concentrated on business contracts and litigation in her father’s West Bloomfield law firm.
Judge Valentine’s Courtroom is 2F, located on the second floor of the 200 N. Telegraph Rd. building and her telephone number is 248-858-5282. Judge Valentine has specific rules and procedures regarding her courtroom which can be viewed here.
The Oakland County Divorce Court is located at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd. Pontiac, Michigan.
The Oakland County Divorce Court works closely with the Oakland County Friend of the Court which provides services to parties with minor children involving divorce, family support, interstate and paternity cases. The Friend of the court is located at 230 Elizabeth Lake Rd., Pontiac, Michigan a few miles from the Court House.
The Oakland County Friend of the Court is staffed by referees, counselors, support specialists and support staff that assist the Oakland County Divorce Court Judges resolve disputes and perform other administrative functions.
An important consideration before entering the Oakland County Divorce Court and the Oakland County Friend of the Court are the security requirements. You will be subject to building security before you enter the court and must pass through a medical detector. The specific items being banned changes however, cellphones with a camera and weapons are always banned.
For many divorce, custody and family law related issues, there is no need to travel all of the way to the courthouse. You can access many resources online.
The Oakland County Divorce Court and Oakland County Friend of the Court also has many online resources including:
- Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.oakgov.com/courts/circuit/Pages/faq/default.aspx
- Michigan Child Support Formula Manual: http://courts.mi.gov/Administration/SCAO/OfficesPrograms/FOC/Pages/Child-Support-Formula.aspx
- Court Explorer – Case lookup: http://www.oakgov.com/clerkrod/pages/courtexplorer.aspx
- Michigan Court Rules: http://courts.mi.gov/Courts/MichiganSupremeCourt/rules/Pages/current-court-rules.aspx
- Payments due on domestic cases: https://www.govpaynow.com/gps/user/plc/1442;jsessionid=feb98f0673e1c5a48fcb3022a786
Findling Law is grateful to be able to practice law in Oakland County Divorce Court and throughout Michigan.
About Findling Law
Phone:+1 (248) 399-3300
After hours emergency?+1 (707) 968-7347
Email:Daniel@Findlinglaw.com
I have been exclusively practicing divorce and family law in Michigan for over two decades. The attorneys at Findling Law all share the core value of practicing law to help people navigate change in their lives, without compromising principles. We specialize in high socio-economic, high-profile and high-conflict cases, while also working with clients of all backgrounds. We recognize that the most important aspect of the practice of law is the application of the law to your specific circumstances.That is why we provide more free information on divorce and family law than any other Michigan law firm. We want to help you manage your situation. Allow our exceptional legal team to help you navigate the change in your life, without compromising principles.
By: Daniel Findling