Michigan
Michigan’s highest court is the Michigan Supreme Court. The court has six associate justices and one chief justice, who is selected by the members of the court. (Source: Michigan Supreme Court)
Judicial Selection
Michigan Supreme Court justices are chosen through a nonpartisan election (though candidates may be nominated at political party conventions), where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. The elected justice serves an eight-year term and may seek additional terms through nonpartisan elections. When a seat opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a candidate to fill the vacancy. The appointed justice holds office until Michigan’s next general election. The elected justice serves the remainder of the unexpired term. There are no term limits, but a justice may not be appointed or elected after age 70.
State Constitution
Michigan has had four state constitutions adopted between 1835 and 1963. As of January 1, 2024, it had 37 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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Judicial Deference to Agency Expertise in the States
Almost all state courts recognize the importance of agencies’ expertise in policymaking.
SCOTUS’s 2nd Amendment Decision Leaves Open Questions for State Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the disarmament of a domestic abuser in United States v. Rahimi, but litigation over where to draw the line will continue.
State Supreme Court Elections to Watch in 2024
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Three U.S. Supreme Court Cases that Transformed State Judicial Elections
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From interpreting language to determining legality, state courts play a large role in efforts to protect abortion through ballot initiatives.
Every State Supreme Court Justice in One Searchable Database
A new resource from the State Law Research Initiative lets users sort the nation’s high court justices by state, professional background, party affiliation, and more.
How Courts Oversee Ballot Initiatives
State courts — and to some degree federal courts — play a significant role in every stage of the direct democracy process.
Center For Reproductive Rights Litigation Director Discusses the High Stakes of Abortion Litigation
State Court Report spoke with counsel for the plaintiffs challenging Texas’s strict abortion ban — which the state supreme court just ruled was constitutional.