The Berrien County Trial Court is celebrating National Adoption Month with its tenth annual Adoption Day proceedings at the courthouse on November 24.
Court administrator Carrie Smietanka-Haney tells us they’ll finalize adoptions for four families that day. The theme for Adoption Day this year is “Falling into Your Place,” honoring the importance of family, love, and belonging. Smietanka-Haney says the proceedings that day will be open to the public.
“So this is the one day a year that the families agree to allow the rest of the community in on their happy occasion,” Smietanka-Haney said. “We have had a huge amount of success with having folks participate.”
Smietanka-Haney calls Adoption Day one of the happiest days of the year at the courthouse.
“I talked to somebody today from a different county department who said he looked to come because he said he almost always has a tear in his eye, hard not to cry. Happy tears for those families when he comes.”
Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh of the Michigan Supreme Court will be a special guest with local judges including Chief Judge Mabel Johnson Mayfield and Family Division Judges Brian Berger and Paul Jancha on Adoption Day. The hearings will start at 10 a.m. on the 24th in Courtroom 403 at the Berrien County Trial Court.
Smietanka-Haney says families who have previously finalized adoptions with the court will share their stories at 12:30 p.m. in the Jury Assembly Room.
