Manistee County Michigan Sheriff's Department

    Deputy Blake E. Fitch

    Courthouse Security
    Office Phone: (231) 398-3575
    Pager: (231) 255-0866

The Courthouse Security Office is located on the first floor of the Manistee County Courthouse building, located at 415 Third Street in the City of Manistee, and across the hall from the County Controller/Administrator's Office.

Deputy Fitch will assist citizens in a variety of emergency & non-emergency situations.  Please advise him of anyone or anything that is suspicious or out of the ordinary anywhere in the vicinity of the courthouse.

 Courthouse Security Functions:

• Provide for the safety of 63 courthouse employees by patrolling through the courthouse and monitoring the facility via surveillance cameras.

• Provide for the safety and security of the 19th Circuit, 85th District, Probate, and Friend of the Court, including court room and presiding officials.

• Provide Bailiff Duties for the courts as requested.

• Conduct Foreclosure Sales and post notices of adjournments.

• Conduct tests of the courthouse emergency systems.

• Coordinate the transport of prisoners to and from the courts.  

Courtroom Etiquette:

All males need to remove their headgear prior to entering.  Cell phones and pagers need to be turned off or placed on either silent or vibrate.  Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.  Security staff may remove offenders from the building, and Judges may hold violators in contempt of court.  All persons conducting business with the court will address the Judge as “Your Honor”.  Litigants need to ask questions pertaining to legal matters with their attorneys and not security or court staff.

 Prohibited In Courtrooms:

• Weapons (any type)

• Electronic recording devices (unless approved by the court)

• Inappropriate attire, such as clothing with profanity, depicting violence or sexual acts, promoting drug or alcohol use; muscle shirts, tank tops, halter tops, shorts, cut-off jeans, baggy pants that fall below the hips, micro-mini skirts, pants with holes, and hats (except those worn for religious purposes or by women).

• Food, beverages, chewing gum, tobacco

• Newspapers or magazines

• Children (except those that are pertinent to a case)

• Excessive or loud talking