The Law Office of Elizabeth L. McCree, PLLC

09/26/2026

Beginning October 2nd, Michigan youth under 18 will no longer receive work permits from school districts. You will need to apply for your work permit on this state website: https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/ber/wage-and-hour/youth-employment-standards-act-yesa/yepp

Employers of youth also need to register. If you have an existing permit you are fine, but if you change jobs after 10/2 you'll need to use this website.

MiSTEM convenes a statewide network of leaders in education, business and local communities to empower the next generation of innovators.

09/25/2026

Had a great day up in Lansing at the Children's Law Section Annual Meeting. Glad to continue serving on the council and I am excited to be chairing the committee that will bring back the Children's Law Journal in January 2027! I also am thrilled that I finally got to meet my amazing MIDC co trainer, Arrianna Jentink in person. Arri, you are amazing and you inspire me every time! Your work on behalf of youth in Michigan is game changing. She's taught tons of Youth Defense Attorneys to be strong advocates and listen to our youth!

09/18/2026

It’s time for a convening!

Please save the date for the Southwest Michigan Probate, Estate Planning, and Long-Term Care Summit—a multidisciplinary gathering designed to help our community better understand and navigate these often-complicated systems.

📅 March 24–26, 2027
📍 The Inn at Harbor Shores
💻 In-person and virtual attendance options

I have practiced in these areas of law in our community for more than a decade. However, the true catalyst for this summit was my experience navigating these systems following serious health emergencies involving both of my parents (as an only child who had also drafted both of their estate plans).

These dates are especially meaningful to me because the summit will take place just before the second anniversary of my Dad’s passing.

I see families confronting these issues every day, often during a crisis and without the information or support they need. I do not want other families in our community to have to navigate these systems alone or unprepared.

Registration details and the full agenda are coming soon.

Professionals and organizations interested in sponsorship, advertising, exhibiting, or being considered as a presenter or panelist may contact me at [email protected] to be added to the distribution list for the upcoming Professional Opportunities Packet.

07/31/2026

I can't believe 2 months has gone by this fast! Because of a funeral I am attending tomorrow, today is the last day for my summer interns. They have been AMAZING! Yuna drafted a perfect certificate of trust for a real estate sale in one of my probate estates and she took the lead with Addison in drafting an EXCELLENT appellate brief on one of my child protection cases. These are two tasks that would trip up seasoned attorneys! Jazaria lead the work on my criminal cases, drafting an excellent and successful motion for bond and drafting motions on Miranda and cellphone data. Jazaria, Addison, and Yuna created IRACs for the classes I taught for fellow youth defense attorneys across the state that I'm still receiving thank yous for. Carlos took on so many special projects, from mentoring one of my clients, to building office furniture, to helping me organize old paper files, to helping me research phone and computer server systems for my new office to teaching me how to properly water my office plants! Zrai left a lasting impression on my client when I took her to the jail for a visit and she told him she was praying for him (He just mentioned that to me yesterday). She helped me organize the children's room at the office, and she and Carlos even helped volunteer tonight at the Berrien Community Foundation Backpacks for Good event. No one believes she's still in high school!
Thank you to Yuna, Jazaria, Addison, Carlos and Zrai for an amazing summer!

07/25/2026

The signing of this juvenile justice reform package will bring significant change to Michigan's juvenile justice system. Changes will likely be phased in in different counties, but will be uniform throughout the state in 2027. I will give a breakdown of the changes in upcoming episodes of The Legal Hour.

I'm thankful to have had a small part in this push as a member of the council for the Children's Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. A few years ago I spoke with Lt. Gov. Gilchrist when he visited Benton Harbor about the task force and my experiences in the juvenile justice system as an assistant prosecuting attorney, youth defense attorney and lawyer guardian ad litem over the past 13 years I have practiced in Michigan (and for comparison some of my experiences working in juvenile courts in Georgia for over a decade). The task force did a lot of work speaking with stakeholders across the state, and I am hopeful these reforms will support the rehabilitative goals of the juvenile justice system while honoring the due process rights of all involved participants. This is VERY IMPORTANT work, and doing it right has tremendous positive impact on our communities, state, and world.

https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2026/07/24/whitmer-signs-bills-reforming-michigans-juvenile-justice-system?fbclid=IwdGRjcATQ2HpjbGNrBNDYDmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHmgEXHVlc5TUSpcts0X7UPxaKYbll8-hgsU8_lvZlnU6r4p8s8jTBn_eeI5t_aem_8S9pri0G6GKvtHB8LFn29g

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander.  She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator.  She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a ...

07/04/2026

A special edition of The Legal Hour where I reflect on 250 years of the Declaration of Independence and how I have learned over the past several years to look at and teach this document, how it shaped our history and shapes our future, and how my view of patriotism has changed.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/28/2026

Hello all, I will not be doing an episode of The Legal Hour tonight because I am working on a special episode on 250 years since the Declaration of Independence for this coming week, likely on July 3rd. Not sure yet if that will be live or recorded.

I do want to update people on the Benton Harbor Water litigation. The settlement has been approved and (this is an important issue that I have not seen reported) the class has been closed. The actual list of class members is not publicly accessible. I don't have a PACER account, so I'm not sure if the number of class members is on the transcript of the hearing, but if anyone has access to the transcript, please send it to me. You can read the published orders from the June hearing on the water settlement website here: https://bentonharborwatersettlement.com/important-documents/
The last two documents listed are from the June hearing and were published this week.

For July, I am working on a breakdown of the Karmelo Anthony trial and appeal and I am also planning on attending the probable cause hearing scheduled in Cass County at the end of the month for the man charged in the death of Timothy Johnson. I will give a legal breakdown of those proceedings at the end of July.

Important Documents Class Notice Covenant Not to Execute, and Assignment of Rights and Claims Agreement Second Amended Complaint Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Proposed Settlement Plaintiffs’ Brief in Support of Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement Opinion & Judgment ...

06/08/2026

This evening I went before the Benton Charter Township Planning Commission and received unanimous approval for a home occupation permit for the home I inherited from my father after his passing on March 29, 2025.

It was about a year ago today that I formally decided that I wanted to use this home to honor his legacy and leave a lasting impact in the community where I was raised.

So, in addition to law, mediation and education, I want this home to serve as an emergency/respite placement for children in foster care and a location for supervised parenting time, including availability on nights and weekends.

I don't want children and caseworkers sleeping in DHHS offices for days on end. I don't want children awaiting long term mental health or residential placement to be stuck in the ER for days or weeks on end. I don't want parents to be limited to one or two hours a week to bond with their children. So, I am creating a place that will offer solutions to those problems.

The planning commission has given me 90 days to get approval from DHHS, so I need the support from my foster care community! I'll be on the phone with licensing in the morning!

Thank you Dad for sowing the seed. I miss you and I love you.

06/01/2026

Please give a warm welcome to my summer interns who started today! You will be seeing them throughout June and July. They are (left to right as pictured):

Addison Randall-rising Senior at Andrews University
Zrai Leonfils-rising junior at Lakeshore High School
Jazaria Edison-rising 2L at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Law
Yuna Chang-rising 2L at Michigan State University College of Law
Carlos Portanova Jr.-rising Senior at Andrews University

Not pictured are my cousins Destiny Bell and Essence Bell who will be joining us on Zoom from Flint where they have just graduated from Mott Middle Early College with their high school diplomas and Associates degrees and they will be entering Alabama State University as freshmen in the Fall.

05/31/2026

My seasonal allergies have been in charge since I got back from Italy, but I hope they will give me enough of a break for this month's show.
Today you're getting a mix of lawyer and professor since I haven't taught in almost a month and I miss it after too long.