Michigan Supreme Court Decisions
Seven justices serve on the Michigan Supreme Court, which focuses on reviewing decisions in the Michigan Court of Appeals. The Court oversees all of the lower courts in the state judicial system, and it has created the Michigan Rules of Court to govern their operation. It also has jurisdiction over cases involving alleged judicial misconduct. In some unusual situations, such as bypass appeals, the Court may hold original jurisdiction.
To serve on the Michigan Supreme Court, a candidate must be younger than 70, which is the mandatory retirement age in Michigan. They also must have been licensed to practice law in Michigan for at least five years. Each justice serves an eight-year term. They are elected in non-partisan elections, which means that their party affiliation does not appear on the ballot. The justices elect one of their members to serve as the Chief Justice every two years. If a seat becomes vacant before the end of a justice’s term, the Governor of Michigan will appoint a temporary justice to fill that seat. Their tenure will last until the next general election, when they must win an election to stay on the Court.
A justice may be removed from the Michigan Supreme Court through an impeachment process. This requires a majority vote by the Michigan House of Representatives and a two-thirds vote of conviction by the Michigan Senate. In other cases, the Governor may remove a justice from the Court based on a concurrent resolution by two-thirds of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In contrast to many states, a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court may not be removed based on a recommendation by the Judicial Tenure Commission. Only judges in lower courts may be removed in this manner.
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Recent Decisions From the Michigan Supreme Court
Date: February 3, 2025
Docket Number: 165763
Justia Opinion Summary: The City of East Lansing entered into an agreement with the Lansing Board of Water and Light (LBWL) in 2016, which included a franchise fee to be charged to LBWL consumers residing within the City. The fee was collected…
Date: December 30, 2024
Docket Number: 165761
Justia Opinion Summary: Hark Orchids, LP (plaintiff) filed a legal malpractice action against its former attorney and law firm, William Buie and Conklin Benham, PC (defendants). In 2015, defendants represented plaintiff in a workers’…
Date: December 27, 2024
Docket Number: 165544
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, a 16-year-old student, was charged with assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder (AWIGBH) under an aiding and abetting theory. The incident involved two other students, TI and CB,…
Date: December 26, 2024
Docket Number: 158869
Justia Opinion Summary: During an altercation at a party, the defendant pushed the victim in the chest, causing the victim's chest to bleed. Although no one saw the defendant with a knife, the victim's treating physicians concluded that the…
Date: December 26, 2024
Docket Number: 164098
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2015, the defendant drove his vehicle on a freeway while speeding and under the influence of alcohol and controlled substances. He struck the back of another vehicle, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and…
Date: August 28, 2024
Docket Number: 166424
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves two groups of plaintiffs challenging several provisions in a 2022 manual issued by the Secretary of State, which provided instructions for election challengers and poll watchers. The plaintiffs argued…
Date: July 31, 2024
Docket Number: 164869
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a dispute over the issuance of medical marijuana dispensary licenses in the city of Warren. In 2019, the Warren City Council adopted an ordinance to regulate these licenses, which involved a Review…
Date: July 31, 2024
Docket Number: 165166
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves the Michigan Farm Bureau and other agricultural entities challenging new conditions imposed by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) in a 2020 general permit for Concentrated…
Date: July 31, 2024
Docket Number: 165325
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2018, Michigan's Legislature received initiative petitions proposing the Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act and the Earned Sick Time Act. The Legislature adopted these initiatives without changes, preventing them…
Date: July 30, 2024
Docket Number: 165377
Justia Opinion Summary: A 13-year-old boy, Jawad Jumaa, was diagnosed with torticollis at Garden City Hospital and discharged. He was found dead the next morning, and an autopsy revealed bacterial meningitis as the cause of death. His parents,…
Date: July 30, 2024
Docket Number: 166305
Justia Opinion Summary: The plaintiffs, current or retired public school superintendents and administrators, filed a lawsuit against the Office of Retirement Services (ORS) alleging that ORS violated the Public School Employees Retirement Act…
Date: July 29, 2024
Docket Number: 164685
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant was convicted by a jury in the Wayne Circuit Court of three counts of torture, three counts of unlawful imprisonment, one count of felonious assault, and one count of possession of a firearm during the…
Date: July 29, 2024
Docket Number: 164975
Justia Opinion Summary: In the first case, Kent County foreclosed on the homes of Matthew Schafer and Harry and Lilly Hucklebury for unpaid taxes. The properties were sold at auction in 2017, and the county retained the surplus proceeds beyond…
Date: July 29, 2024
Docket Number: 165219
Date: July 29, 2024
Docket Number: 165425
Justia Opinion Summary: Karen Carter filed a lawsuit against DTN Management Company after she slipped and fell on an icy sidewalk at her apartment complex on January 10, 2018. She alleged negligence and breach of statutory duties. Carter filed…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
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