Study of how appellate judges are picked and campaign spending
DETROIT (AP) — A task force will propose revisions to Michigan's system for selecting state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges in the wake of an election season that included the heavy use of negative ads.
The 24-member Judicial Selection Task Force announced Tuesday is co-chaired by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly and former federal appeals court Judge James L. Ryan. Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is an honorary co-chair.
Starting in January, the task force will look at how Michigan’s appellate judges are picked and examine recent campaign spending for Michigan Supreme Court races. Kelly says in a statement that the 2010 judicial elections in Michigan saw “vitriolic advertising.”
The task force plans to release its recommendations in 2011.
Holiday Hours
The Wayne County Clerk’s Office will be closed Friday, Dec. 24 through Monday, Jan. 3 and will re-open Tuesday, Jan. 4. Open Dec. 28, 29 and 30 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will be: Circuit Court Civil Filings (Rm. 201) and Family Filings and Personal Protection Orders (Rm. 928) located in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center; Criminal Division in the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice; Juvenile Division in the Lincoln Hall of Justice. Filings for Department of Human Services and Juvenile Assessment Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. only.
The Office of the City Clerk (200 CAYMC) and the City Clerk Archives and Records Division (65) Cadillac Tower, Ste. 1600) will shut down for the holiday beginning Monday, Dec. 20 through Monday, Jan. 3. The City Clerk offices will reopen during its regular business hours on Wednesday, Jan. 5. (Tuesday, Jan. 4, is a budget-required furlough day.)
The Wayne County Probate Court will close for the holiday season at noon on Thursday, Dec. 23 and reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 8 a.m.
The Wayne County Probate Court will be open Dec. 28, 29, and 30, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to accept pleadings, and to conduct mental health and emergency hearings.
In observance of the 2010 Holiday Season, the 36th District Court will be closed to the public on Friday, Dec. 24, Monday, Dec. 27, Friday, Dec. 31, and Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. Only Criminal Arraignments will be conducted.
The Third Circuit Court Civil, Criminal and Family Divisions will be closed Friday, Dec. 24 and Monday, Dec. 27 in observance of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
On Tuesday, Dec. 28, Wednesday, Dec. 29, and Thursday, Dec. 30, the court will be open for essential services only, including criminal arraignments, probation violation, failure to appear warrants, personal protection orders, parental waivers, and other emergency civil and family division matters. The County Clerk’s Office will be open to accept civil and domestic relations pleadings and new case filings from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m on those days.
The court will be closed on Friday, Dec. 31 and Monday, Jan. 3 in observance of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and will re-open on Tuesday, Jan. 4.
The emergency procedure that is published in the Detroit Legal News every Friday should be followed or any after-hour emergency matter.
‘Call for Action’ seeks volunteer attorneys
Volunteer attorneys are being sought by WXYZ-TV Channel 7’s Call for Action.
Anyone interested in volunteering should call (248) 827-1108.
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