Justice System: Michigan

The Michigan court system is comprised of over 230 state-wide and local courts

Overview of MI Court System

• Municipal Courts
• Probate Courts
• District Courts
• Circuit Court
• Court of Appeals
• Supreme Court

Overview of Attorney General
Mike Cox, Attorney General (Republican)

• First elected in 2002
• Reelected in 2006
• Announced his campaign for the 2010 gubernatorial race

Contingency Fees and the Attorney General
Michigan does not place a statutory limit on contingent fees for private attorneys engaged by the state. As a result, the state has permitted the payment of high contingency fees to private counsel. For example, in the tobacco litigation brought on the state’s behalf by private firms working under contingent fee arrangements, those firms were awarded $450 million in fees – an hourly rate of $22,500. Arbitrators concluded that the outside counsel had done only a “modest” amount of work on behalf Michigan. Nevertheless, they recommended the large award.

(Taken from Bounty Hunters On The Prowl: The Troubling Alliance Of State
Attorneys General and Plaintiffs’ Lawyers; by John Beisner, Jessica Davidson Miller, and Terrell McSweeny; May 26, 2005)

Supreme Court Justice System
The Supreme Court is Michigan's court of last resort, consisting of seven justices. Supreme Court justices are elected for eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot. Two justices are elected every two years (one in the eighth year) in the November election.

Current Judges

Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 1996 and reelected in 2004
• Elected by her colleagues to serve as Chief Justice of the Court in 2009

Justice Michael F. Cavanagh
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 1982
• Reelected in 1990, 1998, and 2006
• Served as Chief Justice from 1991-1995

Justice Elizabeth A. Weaver
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 1994
• Reelected in 2002
• Served as Chief Justice from 1999-2000

Justice Diane Hathaway
• Elected in 2008

Justice Maura D. Corrigan
• Elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1998
• Reelected in 2006
• Served two terms as Chief Justice from 2001-2004

Justice Robert P. Young, Jr.
• Appointed to the Supreme Court in 1999 by Gov. John Engler (R)
• Elected in 2002

Justice Stephen J. Markman
• Appointed to the Supreme Court in 1999 by Governor John Engler (R)
• Elected in 2000