Mental Health, Drug, and Treatment Courts
Jun 08, 2022 11:45 AM
Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig
Mental Health, Drug, and Treatment Courts

This week's meeting will also be held via Zoom - please click here to join virtually if you are unable to attend in person.

Judge Hartig will speak about the new Mental Health Court she recently started and will give a quick update on her Sobriety Court. She will also present on the Youth Suicide Prevention event in September 2022, where survivors of youth death by suicide, parents of children lost to death by suicide, experts in detection of suicidal idealization and experts on what to do if you or someone you know may be considering death by  suicide. Also the 741-741 text death by suicide feature will be promoted. Judge Hartig will also be speaking to key issues during this election year.

Judge Hartig is a graduate of Traverse City Senior High School and Michigan State University (James Madison Honors College) and was one of six students nationally to be selected to intern at the White House during the tenure of President Ronald Reagan. Judge Hartig received her law degree from the Washington College of Law at the American University and graduated in the top 5% of her law school class.

Judge Hartig served as an Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor for five years prosecuting misdemeanors and felonies. Judge Hartig co-founded the Domestic Violence Assault Unit and specialized in prosecuting serious domestic physical and sexual abuse. After leaving the prosecutor’s office, Judge Hartig was in private practice for 14 years, specializing in criminal and traffic law. Judge Hartig was honored as a Michigan Super Lawyer in 2009 and 2010, designating her as among the top 5% of all attorneys in Michigan who practice criminal law.  She was elected to the bench as a District Court Judge in 2010.

Judge Hartig currently presides over the 52-4 Recovery Treatment Court and leads the 52-4 District Court’s first ever Mental Health Court which focuses on rehabilitating individuals with a high level of need.  Together with a team of court and professional volunteers, Judge Hartig works diligently to provide therapeutic and fair interventions for those individuals whose underlying cause of involvement with the criminal justice system is due to a substance abuse disorder or mental health diagnosis.  

Judge Hartig has conducted multiple townhall forums aimed at educating the citizens of Clawson and Troy about the current opioid epidemic.  In November 2017, in recognition of Judge Hartig’s relentless pursuit in the battle against opiate addiction, she was presented a certificate of special senatorial recognition from Senator Gary Peters and honored with the first ever Legacy Prevention Advocate Award by the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities. 

Most recently, Judge Hartig serves as a founding stakeholder in the newest chapter of Families Against Narcotics serving Oakland County. Judge Hartig is currently an active member and past president of the Oakland County District Judges Association, an active member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association, the Michigan District Judges Association, and the Michigan District Judges Association’s Legislative Committee.  She is also actively involved in judicial reform and has testified before the Justices of the Michigan Supreme Court on topics affecting the judiciary.  Additionally, Judge Hartig participated in and graduated from the 10-month  Leadership Oakland Cornerstone Program which brings together leaders from corporate, civic, and non-profit organizations throughout the community.  She was also given the honor of Distinguished Alumna and inducted into the Hall of Fame of Traverse City Central High School.    

Judge Hartig is a frequent volunteer at various Troy Public Schools, has donated her hair to Locks of Love, a charity providing free hair pieces to children with cancer, is an active member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of Troy, member of the Troy Community Coalition, Troy Community Foundation, and Board Member of the Women Officials Network. Judge Hartig was born in Clawson, Michigan and is a longtime resident of Troy, Michigan with her husband of over 25 years and her 2 adult children.

Troy Rotary meets at Bank of America Plaza, 2600 W Big Beaver Road in Troy.  This week's meeting will also be held via Zoom - please click here to join virtually if you are unable to attend in person.