Justices also unanimously elected Chief Justice Elizabeth T. Clement to continue leading the court for the next two years. Clement is the seventh woman to serve as chief justice, and this term is the fifth time the court is majority women.
“Justice Thomas joins a court that is fiercely independent and committed to leading a justice system that is accessible, accountable, and fair to all,” said Clement. “We look forward to her experience as a legal scholar, clinician, and professor contributing to the important administrative work of the court.”
In addition to casework, the court, through the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO), provides managerial guidance and support to more than 240 trial courts statewide. Most notably, SCAO is focused on implementing statewide systems for both case management and case filing. These significant improvements will allow local courts to be more efficient, improve service, and allow the public to file online at any time.
Other initiatives include efforts to support continued implementation of the juvenile justice reform package that was approved by the Legislature and governor in 2023 and became law on October 1, 2024. With the reform plan enacted, Clement announced that she would be stepping away from juvenile justice issues and named Thomas to serve as liaison from the Court on this important topic. Both Clement and Thomas previously served on the Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, which recommended the reform plan.
Thomas was also named as the court’s co-liaison on child welfare issues with Justice Megan K. Cavanagh. Work on this important topic includes follow up to a recent report recommending steps to improve legal representation for children and families involved in child protective proceedings.
With Thomas on the bench for the first time, the court will tackle eight cases when they next hear oral arguments at the Hall of Justice on Wednesday, January 22.
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