Warren's 37th District Court Shuttered by Unspecified Building Issues — What Happened?

Residents with hearings, arraignments, ticket payments or small-claims cases at Warren's 37th District Court on July 20 were left without access to the court when its official Facebook page listed it as "Closed now." The court, at 8300 Common Road, serves both Warren and Center Line in Macomb County. The reason for the current closed status is unconfirmed, though the court posted notices of "building issues" closures on Dec. 16, 2025, and Jan. 30, 2026 — both due to excess carbon monoxide. No public statement from the court or city specifies what building problem exists today or when the court will reopen.

The 37th District Court normally operates Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m. The court has four judges: Chief Judge John M. Chmura, Judge Suzanne L. Faunce, Judge Michael C. Chupa and Judge Steven M. Bieda. The State Court Administrative Office has determined the court's caseload warrants adding one additional judge due to a 25 percent caseload increase. Arraignments, traffic hearings, small claims proceedings and fine payments all come to a halt when the building is closed.

Chmura has served on the 37th District Court bench since 1996 and as chief judge since 2008. He was charged in March 2026 with operating a motor vehicle while impaired after rear-ending a SMART bus in Sterling Heights with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.196. Mayor Lori Stone, Warren's first female mayor since taking office Nov. 20, 2023, has not publicly addressed the closure.

The existing courthouse is described as old, dilapidated and falling apart, with unsafe prisoner-public mixing in hallways. Its courtrooms are smaller than 1,100 square feet, compared to the State Court Administrative Office standard of 1,600 to 1,700 square feet, and seat only approximately 40 people — half the recommended 80-person capacity. The City of Warren has requested $10 million in state assistance to construct a new courthouse, citing the existing facility as obsolete. State Representative Ron Robinson advocated for the funding on March 9, 2026, testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor and Economic Opportunity. Robinson's District 58 includes parts of the City of Warren, Utica, Sterling Heights and Shelby Charter Township. The repeated closures suggest the facility's deterioration has reached a critical point.

Residents with pending cases should call the 37th District Court at (586) 574-4900 or check MiCOURT online at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search for updated hearing information. The court also maintains a division in Center Line at 7070 E. 10 Mile Road. Anyone scheduled to appear should verify their case status to avoid any risk of default judgments or bench warrants if the court was not able to notify everyone affected. Residents can contact Mayor Stone's office at (586) 574-4520 or [email protected] at One City Square, Warren, MI 48093 to demand answers about what specific building problem caused the closure, how long officials have known about the hazard, when the court will reopen and what contingency plans exist to prevent further disruptions.