Chief Justice Young to address House Judiciary Committee

Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert P. Young Jr. and Michigan State Court Administrator Chad C. Schmucker will give a presentation on the 2011 State Court Administrative Office Judicial Resources Recommendations to the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 10 a.m..

Earlier this year, the SCAO recommended eliminating 45 trial and four Court of Appeals judgeships. The proposal was backed by Gov. Rick Snyder and the Michigan Judges Association, Michigan Probate Judges Association, Michigan District Judges Association and the Michigan Judicial Conference.

In addition to Young and Schmucker’s presentation, the committee will consider a package of bills that would implement some of the SCAO’s recommendations:

• HB 5075 would eliminate a circuit court judgeship in the 27th Circuit, which covers Newaygo and Oceana counties. The bill would also eliminate district judgeships in Lake and Mason counties have the probate judges in those counties also serve as district court judges.
• HB 5071 would eliminate judgeships in districts of Wexford/Missaukee and Grand Traverse/Antrim/Leelanau counties.
• HB 5072 would eliminate judgeships in districts of Schoolcraft/Alger, Houghton/Keweenaw/Baraga and Ontonagon/Gogebic counties.
• HB 5073 would eliminate one district judgeship in Ingham County and two in Genesee County.
• HB 5074 would eliminate one district judgeship in Shiawassee County.
• SB 416 would eliminated one circuit court judgeship in the 3rd Judicial Circuit (Wayne County), one district court judgeship in the 26th Judicial District (River Rouge and Ecorse) and one district court judgeship in the 85th Judicial District (Manistee and Benzie Counties).

  The bill also would split the existing 85th Judicial District into two distinct districts: the 85th-A and 85th-B. The 85th-A district would consist of Manistee County, while the 85th-B district would consist of Benzie County. In the 85th-A and 85th-B districts, the existing probate judges would take on the powers and duties of district court judges within their respective counties.

Three other bills that would eliminate other probate, district and circuit court judgeships are pending introduction.