Judge Caretti graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wayne State University in 1975.  He then graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Detroit College of Law in 1979.  While attending college and law school, he served as a Detroit police officer.  Judge Caretti was in private practice for 23 years.  He was a partner with the law firm of Strobl, Cunningham, Caretti & Sharp prior to being appointed to the Bench in 2002.  Prior to that, he was an associate and senior partner with the Dickinson Wright law firm for 16 years.  Judge Caretti has been elected to four six-year terms.   He has also served as Chief Judge of the Court and currently serves as Presiding Judge of the Civil/Criminal Division.   In 2015, he was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve as a Business Court Judge and continues to serve in that position. Judge Caretti has been named one of DBusiness Magazine’s Top Circuit Judges for the last eight years.  He was selected in 2022 as the sole recipient of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel’s prestigious Award for Judicial Excellence.  He was selected in 2025 to receive the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel’s prestigious President’s Award.

Contact information

Macomb County Court Building
40 N. Main St., 6th Floor
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
Telephone:  (586) 469-5137

Staff

Scheduling days and times

All cases

Trials – Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.

Civil cases

All Motions – Mondays at 9:30 a.m.

• All motions will be held remotely via zoom. The courts zoom meeting ID number is: 436-995-3682. Please list your name and case number in order to be checked in. Parties must have video and audio capability. 

Early Disposition Settlement Conferences / Initial Business Court Conferences / Status Conferences / Change of Venue's / Settlement Conferences – Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays at 9:30 a.m., Sharp.

• All conferences are held via phone conference. The court will initiate the phone conference to parties.

Criminal cases

All hearings will be held remotely via zoom.  The courts zoom meeting ID number is: 436-995-3682. Parties must have video and audio capability. 

Pretrials – Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays at 9:30 a.m.

Sentencings – Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.

Probation Violation Hearings – Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.

Policies and procedures

Alternative service

Requests for alternate service must be accompanied by a verified motion, proposed order, an affidavit of the process server showing reasonable efforts to make service of process and a postal verification.

Extending summons

Requests to extend the summons must be accompanied by a motion and proposed order and must be submitted prior to expiration of the original summons.  Such requests will only be granted upon a showing of due diligence by plaintiff in attempting to serve the original summons.

Adjournments

Requests for adjournments may be made by stipulation and will only be granted upon a showing of good cause.  The grounds for the request and a proposed new date must be stated in the proposed order.

Motions

ALL MOTIONS ARE TO BE ADJOURNED AND/OR DISMISSED VIA PHONE CALL TO CLERK NO LATER THAN THE FRIDAY 4 p.m. PRIOR TO THE MOTION HEARING DATE.

All motions are heard on Monday at 9:30 a.m.

Judge Caretti requires one courtesy copy of any motion and brief and all accompanying exhibits, as well as responses and replies, be submitted directly to the judge's chamber in paper format.  Any exhibits must be appropriately tabbed.  Good practice requires that in appropriate cases, relevant portions of lengthy documents be highlighted. 

Following the Court's ruling on a motion the parties, will need to submit an order via MI File no later than 4:30 p.m. the same day or via stipulated order or via 7 day order.

Scheduling orders

For most civil cases, the Court issues a standard Discovery and Case Evaluation Order setting the schedule for discovery, witness lists, dispositive motions, and case evaluation.  For the first request, Judge Caretti will permit a 90-day extension of the dates set forth in the Discovery and Case Evaluation Order by stipulation of the parties.  For the second request, Judge Caretti may allow 60 days and the Order must state the reason and give dates of the extensions.  If a Case Evaluation Hearing has already been scheduled, the parties must pay the $150 adjournment fee prior to submitting the order for entry.

Stipulated order must contain reason for adjournment, number of adjournment, amount of days being adjourned and a list of the new dates. 

Settlement Conferences / Early Disposition Settlement Conference /  Initial Business Court Conferences / Status Conferences

The attorneys attending the conference must be thoroughly familiar with the case and have the authority necessary to fully participate in the conference.  The parties to the action and persons with full settlement authority must also be present unless their attendance is excused by the Court.  A request to excuse a party's attendance must be submitted to the Secretary/Clerk in writing before the conference date.  A reason must be given in order to be excused.  A party whose presence is excused must be available by telephone.  If a matter is resolved it is appreciated if an order of dismissal is entered before the conference date, then the attorneys and parties need not appear for the conference.  If a matter is resolved, an order for dismissal should be entered within 3 weeks of the date of the settlement conference.  The attorneys and parties need not appear for the conference, but need to call the Court to let the Court know if the case is settled.

Facilitative mediation

Requests to submit a case to facilitative mediation under MCR 2.410 and 2.411 may be made by stipulation.  If the parties are unable to agree on a mediator, the Court will select a mediator in the manner provided by MCR 2.411(B)(3).  The Court will generally require that facilitation occur within 60 days, unless good cause is shown for an extension.

Facilitative mediation in lieu of Case Evaluation

Judge will allow parties to either do facilitative mediation with MCR 2.403 applying or will allow parties to opt out of Case Evaluation. In either event, the parties must include a Settlement Conference Date within 6 weeks of the mediation in the stipulated order.

Trial procedures

The Court's trial procedures are contained in its Trial Procedural Order which is issued when a case is scheduled for trial.  For a copy of Judge Caretti's Trial Procedural Order click here.

Zoom

At 9:20 a.m. parties are to join the Zoom video hearing with the Court via the information provided below.  Upon admission to Zoom meeting, please mute yourself & rename yourself on Zoom so the clerk can check you in.  

Zoom meeting ID information:

• Windows, Android, and Apple Devices https://miscao.zoom.us/j436 995 3682
• Phone Call (No Video) - Call 646-876-9923 and enter meeting ID 436 995 3682
• Alternative for Windows Desktops and Laptops  - Go to the Zoom Web Site (zoom.us), Click on “Join a Call” and enter using Meeting ID 436 995 3682
• Alternative for Android and Apple Phones and Tablets - Download the Zoom app from the store prior to the call and then use Meeting ID 436 995 3682

Transcripts