2020 Michigan Compiled Laws
Chapter 600 - Revised Judicature Act of 1961
Act 236 of 1961 Revised Judicature Act of 1961 (600.101 - 600.9948)
236-1961-81 Chapter 81 District Court: Establishment; Districts (600.8101...600.8181)
Section 600.8175 Additional District Judgeships; Creation; Approval by District Control Unit; Resolution; Filing; Valid Approval of Judgeship; Notice to Elections Division; State's Obligation; Election; First Term.

Sec. 8175.

(1) The additional district judgeships permitted by this chapter shall not be authorized to be filled by election unless each district control unit of the district, by resolution adopted by the governing body of the district control unit, approves the creation of that judgeship and unless the clerk of each district control unit adopting such a resolution files a copy of the resolution with the state court administrator not later than 4 p.m. of the sixteenth Tuesday preceding the August primary for the election to fill the additional district judgeship. The state court administrator shall immediately notify the elections division of the department of state with respect to each new district judgeship authorized pursuant to this subsection.

(2) A resolution required under subsection (1) that is filed before the effective date of the amendatory act that authorized that judgeship is a valid approval of the judgeship for purposes of this section only if the filing occurs within the 2-year state legislative session during which the amendatory act was enacted. A resolution required under subsection (1) that is filed after the effective date of the amendatory act that added that judgeship is a valid approval of the judgeship for purposes of this section only if the filing occurs not later than 4 p.m. of the sixteenth Tuesday preceding the August primary for the election immediately preceding the effective date of the additional judgeship.

(3) By permitting an additional judgeship, the legislature is not creating that judgeship. If a district control unit, acting through its governing body, approves the creation of an additional district judgeship, that approval constitutes an exercise of the district control unit's option to provide a new activity or service or to increase the level of activity or service offered in the district control unit beyond that required by existing law, as the elements of that option are defined by Act No. 101 of the Public Acts of 1979, being sections 21.231 to 21.244 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, and a voluntary acceptance by the district control unit of all expenses and capital improvements which may result from the creation of the judgeship. However, the exercise of the option does not affect the state's obligation to pay the same portion of the additional judge's salary which is paid by the state to the other district judges in the same district, or to appropriate and disburse funds to the district control unit for the necessary costs of state requirements established by a state law which becomes effective on or after December 23, 1978.

(4) Each additional district judgeship created pursuant to subsection (1) shall be filled by election pursuant to the Michigan election law, Act No. 116 of the Public Acts of 1954, as amended, being sections 168.1 to 168.992 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. The first term of each additional district judgeship shall be 6 years, unless the law permitting the additional judgeship provides for a term of a different length.

History: Add. 1980, Act 129, Imd. Eff. May 22, 1980 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 135, Imd. Eff. May 27, 1988 ;-- Am. 1990, Act 54, Imd. Eff. Apr. 11, 1990
Compiler's Notes: Sections 2 to 5 of Act 129 of 1980 provide:“New circuit and district judgeships; appearance on ballot; duty of candidate; petitions; filing fee.“Section 2. The new circuit and district judgeships authorized by this amendatory act shall appear on the ballot separate and apart from other judicial offices on the ballot in the primary and general election in the respective circuits and district court districts. If another judicial office of the same court is to be filled by election in the same circuit, county, or district, a candidate for a new judgeship authorized in that circuit, county, or district by this amendatory act shall indicate, at the time of filing nominating petitions, whether the candidate is filing for a new judgeship or for 1 of the other judicial offices of the same court to be filled by election in 1980. Petitions for a new judgeship created pursuant to this amendatory act shall bear signatures affixed to the petition after the date by which all counties in the circuit, all district control units in the district, or, in the case of a probate judgeship, the county, have adopted the resolutions required by law to create that office. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a nonreturnable filing fee of $250.00 may be paid up to 4 p.m. on June 3, 1980 in lieu of petitions for new judgeships authorized by this 1980 amendatory act which are to be filled by election in 1980.“Additional circuit judgeship for third judicial circuit; terms.“Section 3. If the additional circuit judgeship permitted by this amendatory act for the third judicial circuit is created pursuant to law, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes in the 1980 general election shall be elected for a term of 8 years, and the candidate receiving the second highest number of votes shall be elected for a term of 6 years.“Additional circuit judgeship for sixteenth judicial circuit; term.“Section 4. If the additional circuit judgeship permitted by this amendatory act for the sixteenth judicial circuit is created pursuant to law, the first term of that judgeship shall be 8 years.“Change in composition of affected judicial circuits; effective date.“Section 5. If a new judicial circuit of the circuit court is created pursuant to section 550a, the change in the composition of the affected judicial circuits shall take effect for judicial purposes on January 1, 1981. If the fifty-fourth judicial circuit is created pursuant to this act, the incumbent circuit judge of the fortieth judicial circuit who resides in Tuscola county shall become the judge of the fifty-fourth judicial circuit on January 1, 1981, and shall serve until the term for which he was elected in the fortieth judicial circuit expires.”Section 2 of Act 135 of 1988 provides:“Any additional district judgeship to be added by election in 1988 shall not be authorized to be filled by election unless each district control unit of the district, by resolution adopted by the governing body of the district control unit, approves the creation of that judgeship and unless the clerk of each district control unit adopting such a resolution files a copy of the resolution with the state court administrator not later than 4 p.m. of the tenth Tuesday preceding the August primary for the election to fill the additional district judgeship.”Section 2 of Act 54 of 1990 provides:“If a new judicial circuit of the circuit court is created under this amendatory act pursuant to section 550a, the change in the composition of the affected judicial circuits shall take effect for judicial purposes on January 1, 1991. If the fifty-sixth judicial circuit is created pursuant to this amendatory act, the incumbent judge of the fifth judicial circuit who resides in Eaton county shall become the judge of the fifty-sixth judicial circuit on January 1, 1991, and shall serve until the term for which he or she was elected in the fifth judicial circuit expires.”