Tagged: michigan supreme court

If you're voting in Michigan next Tuesday, you'll be looking at a 'bedsheet ballot' with six statewide ballot proposals, and in all likelihood, several local initiatives as well.

And if you're a conscientious voter, you'll seek out the Supreme Court section of your ballot to pick your favorites.

There's no party affiliation listed, so if you typically vote along party lines you won't be helped here.

The other hitch is that there are two sections for the three seats available in this year's race for the Michigan Supreme Court (see above).

The reason?

Even though they are on the non-partisan part of the ballot, the Republican and Democratic parties spend millions of dollars to get their candidates elected to Michigan’s highest court.

Three of the court’s seven seats are up this year.

That means the election will decide whether the court will continue to tilt toward the right under Republican control, or shift to a Democratic majority.

Relatively few people know the candidates running for Michigan’s highest court, but it’s not for a lack of spending by political parties.

Judge Colleen O'Brien, who currently sits on the Oakland County Circuit Court, spoke with Stateside about her candidacy.  

“I practiced law for 17 years and I’m running for the same reason I ran for circuit court. When I practiced law I had the opportunity to appear in the court rooms of many different judges and I would have the same set of facts but I would go to three different counties and get three different decisions. That is not the way our legal system is supposed to work. We need judges that follow the law,” said O’Brien.

Continuing Stateside’s conversations with Supreme Court candidates, Justice Brian Zahra spoke with Cyndy about his candidacy.

Justice Brian began the show by recapping his political past.

“I’ve been a judge for 18 years; in 1994 I became a Wayne Circuit Judge. Then I was appointed to the Court of appeals where I served for 12 years and then the past few years on the Supreme Court. “

When asked about his

In our continued coverage of Michigan’s Supreme Court justice race,  Shelia Johnson discussed her candidacy with Cyndy Canty.

Johnson began by stating her view of a justice’s role in the Court.

“The court is the final arbiter of all the ways Michigan laws are applied. They make sure that justice is fairly applied and followed in the way it is written. The Supreme Court justice also has an administrative function. It reviews the activities of judges as well. They see the implementation of the Michigan Court rules. We touch peoples’ access to justice.”

On the November 6 ballot you'll find a non-partisan section, along with the names of candidates running for the Michigan Supreme Court. Jennifer White talks with Bridge Magazine correspondent Peter Luke who has taken and in-depth look at how Michigan Supreme Court Justices are elected, and what you should know about the candidates before heading to the polls. Go here to read the full article.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Diane Hathaway is being investigated by the FBI for possible mortgage fraud, The Detroit News and Free Press report.