Wayne Probate Court | Vital Records. Clear Access. Zero Confusion.

The Challenge

A government office website has one job: help people find what they need quickly and without frustration. Forms, fees, contact information, office hours — it all needs to be immediately accessible, on every device, to residents of every age and every level of digital comfort.

For the probate court, that means handling a wide variety of services under one roof: birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, weapons carry permits, guardianship filings, estate documents. Each service comes with its own forms, its own fees, and its own process. Getting that organized in a way that felt clear — not overwhelming — was the design challenge at the center of this build.

Key areas of focus:

• Making critical services like vital records, marriage licenses, and weapons carry licenses instantly findable
• Providing downloadable forms and clear fee information to reduce unnecessary office visits
• Creating a professional, authoritative presence that builds public trust in county government

The Solution

FDM designed a clean, professional government website built around a single principle: citizens should never have to work hard to find basic information. From a rotating service carousel to downloadable forms and YouTube-embedded explainer videos, every detail was built with the public in mind.

• A rotating homepage carousel that puts every service front and center. Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, weapons carry permits, guardianships — visitors see exactly what the court does the moment they land on the page.
• A comprehensive forms and document library. Every downloadable form, fee schedule, and definition of terms is organized and immediately accessible. No more calling the office to ask what paperwork to bring.
• Staff and judge bios that humanize the office. Judge Hope S. Cunningham and every clerk are introduced and easily accessible with integrated phone and email contact buttons.

Serving Wayne County’s Most Important Moments

Probate court work touches the most significant paperwork of a person’s life — the documents that mark beginnings, endings, and the moments in between. FDM built this website to honor that weight. Every section is organized to reduce confusion and unnecessary back-and-forth, so staff can focus on the people standing at the counter instead of answering the same phone questions over and over.

The result is a website that serves residents before they ever walk through the door — and that continues to serve them even when the office is closed.

The Results

Wayne Probate Court now has a digital presence worthy of the office. Professional, well-organized, and built for the public — it delivers better service to residents while reducing the administrative burden on staff.

For a government office, that kind of efficiency isn’t just convenient. It’s the point.

Key outcomes include:

• Clear, service-focused homepage reducing confusion for residents seeking vital records and licenses
• Comprehensive downloadable forms library reducing unnecessary in-person inquiries
• Professional, trusted online presence representing Wayne County government with dignity