Nearly 100 people gathered this afternoon to celebrate the opening of the 14A-4 District Court in Saline.

The $2.5 million, 7,000-square-foot facility at 1000 North Maple Road is expected to better serve the south-central and western area of Washtenaw County.

It handles small claims, general civil, landlord-tenant, criminal misdemeanor and civil infraction (traffic) cases, according to the county's Web site.

U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer presented 14A District Court Chief Judge Kirk W. Tabbey with an American flag flown over the Capitol and a Congressional certificate honoring him.

Schauer thanked Tabbey for his work to keep people on the right track.

"The district court is the people's court," Schauer said. "This is where people come who have made mistakes - some small, some large - who often times are looking for guidance."

The court serves an area that includes the cities of Saline and Milan, the townships of Bridgewater, Freedom, Lodi, Manchester, Saline, Sharon and York and the village of Manchester.

The project was in the works for six years.

Tabbey said the court is about the safe, effective, efficient adjudication of cases.

It will give 14A District Court Judge J. Cedric Simpson, who often is sharing his courtroom with other judges, more room to work, Tabbey said.

"I want to thank all the folks out there that helped out in this entire endeavor," Simpson said.

Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at leehiggins@annarbor.com or 734-623-2527.