# Michael S. Stepka

District Judge · [86th District Court](/kyj/court/mi/86th-district-court-antrim)

Last updated October 7, 2026

## Michael S. Stepka at a glance

Current role

District Judge

Court

[86th District Court](/kyj/court/mi/86th-district-court-antrim)

Jurisdiction

Michigan · State

Judicial service

Active

## Biography

### Professional career

- Michael S. Stepka is a judge of the 86th District Court in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, elected in 2010 and re‐elected in 2016

### Education

- Graduate of Traverse City Central High School Northwestern Michigan College (Cum Laude) Central Michigan University University of Detroit School of Law (Education).

### Additional information

- Public Service: Grand Traverse County Commissioner (2009–2010) Board member, Women’s Resource Center Volunteer, Third Level Legal Aid clinic President of Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Antrim County Bar Associations Annual Law Day Chair for many years

- The 86th District Court’s public case listings show Judge Stepka presiding over various hearings, including sentencing, show‐cause, and preliminary examinations

- Listed among the judicial staff of the court and is accessible through the court’s official directory

- 86th District Court, which handles a wide range of cases in Grand Traverse County, including criminal, civil, and family matters.

## Applicable Court Rules & Procedures

Rules last checked July 26, 2026 .

### Remote appearances

Michigan courts may determine the manner and extent of videoconferencing technology, subject to participant requests and suitability factors under MCR 2.407.

If a Michigan proceeding will be held by videoconferencing technology, the court must provide reasonable notice of how to access it.

### Recording and broadcasting

Michigan prohibits photography, audio or video recording, broadcasting, or live streaming in a courtroom unless allowed by the presiding judge, subject to the separate media-coverage order.

### Device Use

Michigan allows courtroom use of portable electronic devices for information retrieval, storage, internet access, and messaging, but requires silence and bars calls or other audible functions without court permission.

## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

86th District Court

Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim.  Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.

## Sources

Identity source checked July 26, 2026 .

Biography sources checked July 26, 2026 .

### Michigan Courts official judicial roster

Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

### Michigan Court Rule 2.407, Videoconferencing

Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

### Michigan Court Rule 8.115, Courthouse Decorum and Portable Electronic Devices

Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

[Public Records & Data Use](/public-records-data-use) · [Corrections policy](/corrections)