Lawsuits filed against the state would go to a new division of the Michigan Court of Appeals under a bill approved today by the state Senate.
Right now, the Michigan Court of Claims is part of the Ingham County Circuit Court. That’s where Lansing and the state capital are located.
“It makes absolutely no sense,” said state Sen. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge). “You’re only going to draw from 3 percent of the population. What would they have said if I said, I’m going to put them all into Eaton County or all into Clinton County? That also would make no sense.”
Ingham County also happens to lean Democratic and the judges here have ruled against Governor Rick Snyder and Republicans in lawsuits challenging the emergency manager law and other big cases. Many of those decisions were overturned by the Court of Appeals.
Democrats say Republicans are playing politics with the court.