Insider Intelligence

On Monday, in a letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bridget McCormack announced her retirement effective in November, two years into her second eight-year term.  The retirement, prior to the end of the year, provides Governor Whitmer the opportunity to appoint a replacement, whether the Governor wins re-election or not.  McCormack has […]

Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Amy C. Clapp to serve on the 49th Circuit Court of Mecosta and Osceola Counties. She currently serves as prosecutor for Mecosta County, a role she’s been in since 2021. Prior to that she was the chief assistant prosecutor. Ms. Clapp has also worked as a private practice attorney, in the […]

This week, the Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform met to approve a comprehensive set of recommendations they believe will transform the state’s juvenile justice system. The approved recommendations establish a statewide blueprint for aligning policies and practices across the juvenile justice continuum, including: Expanding diversion opportunities for youth who are not a public […]

Alida J. Bryant has been appointed to serve on the 17th Circuit Court of Kent County by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. She currently serves as the District Court Chief for the Kent County Defender’s Office, a role she’s held since 2021. Prior to that, Ms. Bryant was a staff attorney with the Defender’s Office handling litigation […]

Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced appointments to various Circuit Courts in Michigan. The first, is the appointment of District Court Judge Christopher M. Blount to the 3rd Circuit Court of Wayne County, effective April 18. He currently serves as a Judge in the 36th District Court in Detroit. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge […]

Judge Christopher Yates has been appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals – District 3, by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He currently serves as a judge with the 17th Circuit Court of Kent County, a role he’s had since 2008. Prior to his time on the bench, Judge Yates had a number of roles including a […]

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation seeking to abolish juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) in Michigan. The proposed bills would eliminate it, provide a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of 60 years, and allow for parole review after 10 years. Additionally, the review process would require consideration of the juvenile’s […]

Detroit legislators filed a lawsuit over the redistricting maps, which were finalized at the end of 2020. The legislators pointed to what they believe are maps that dilute the representative of minority communities. They assert the new political district maps are gerrymandered in the form of cracking, packing, and retrogression against African American communities. To […]