Michigan

Judge is taken aback when defendant logs in to Zoom arraignment with obscene screen name

A Michigan judge appeared miffed Tuesday when a man charged with possessing drug paraphernalia logged in to his virtual arraignment with the screen name “Buttf- - -er 3000.”

May 13, 2021 11:07 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Harvey Weinstein sues for return of legal fee; judge’s arm touch leads to reprimand

Weinstein sues lawyer for return of $1M fee A May 4 lawsuit filed by former film producer Harvey Weinstein claims that lawyer Jose Baez refused to refund a $1 million fee despite withdrawing from his sexual assault case after six months. Baez is the lawyer who represented Casey Anthony, the…

May 6, 2021 4:45 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: DOJ civil rights nominee defends letter; lawyer charged in triple murder

DOJ civil rights nominee defends satirical letter Kristen Clarke, the president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, defended her past statements and writings Wednesday during a hearing on her nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Republicans are troubled by a 1994 letter…

Apr 15, 2021 4:42 PM CDT

State supreme court justice confirms he has been working from outside the country for 3 months

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein has been working from Dubai and Israel for the last three months while he participates in a program to improve cultural understanding of people with disabilities.

Apr 12, 2021 10:38 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge allows DNA collected from suspect via fake survey; judge resigns amid probe of texts

Judge allows DNA collected in fake police survey A judge in Wisconsin has ruled that prosecutors can use DNA collected from a licked envelope in the prosecution of Raymand Vannieuwenhoven for a 1976 double murder. Judge James Morrison of Marinette County, Wisconsin, said the DNA could be used, even though…

Mar 22, 2021 4:00 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: These law schools are best for BigLaw placement; paralegal claims quarantine led to firing

Go-to law schools are named Columbia Law School is once again in the top spot on Law.com’s list of go-to law schools. The list ranks law schools that send the highest percentage of new grads to the largest 100 law firms. Nearly 65% of Columbia grads obtained those jobs. Rounding…

Mar 19, 2021 3:20 PM CDT

Man convicted of murder sues Hertz for failing to produce receipt backing his alibi

A Michigan man convicted of second-degree murder has sued car rental company Hertz for failing to produce a receipt that would have backed up his alibi.

Mar 12, 2021 10:38 AM CST

Prosecutor’s suspicion during assault defendant’s Zoom hearing leads to arrest

A Michigan man accused of assaulting his girlfriend ended up back in jail because of a prosecutor’s suspicions during his Zoom hearing. Coby James Harris, 21, was arrested during the hearing March 2.

Mar 10, 2021 9:53 AM CST

More Zoom issues in court hearings: Doc joins from operating room, defendant is naked from at least the waist up

Zoom court hearings continue to produce some unusual videos of participants who ignore decorum or carry on with activities they wouldn’t try in a courtroom. In California, a traffic court defendant, Dr. Scott Green, appeared for a hearing dressed in scrubs in the operating room. A person was on the…

Mar 1, 2021 10:19 AM CST

Former college student who claims he was beaten by officers loses ‘loophole’ case in Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a case that could bar a former college student’s constitutional claims against the government because of a ruling on his federal tort claims.

Feb 25, 2021 10:57 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Governor seeks Sidney Powell’s disbarment; ex-Davis Polk associate avoids sanctions

Michigan governor seeks disbarment of election lawyers Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is seeking disbarment of Texas lawyer Sidney Powell and three Michigan lawyers for claims made in unsuccessful lawsuits claiming an election fraud conspiracy. Whitmer alleged in a complaint to the State Bar of Texas that Powell “did not just…

Feb 2, 2021 4:55 PM CST

Thanks to chief justice, the Michigan Supreme Court pivoted to remote proceedings during COVID-19

Court is less intimidating on screen, Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack says. “When you are in the comfort of your own home, where you feel safe and secure, it’s easier to feel confident in letting the court know what’s on your mind.”

Feb 1, 2021 1:00 AM CST

Election lawyers say they can’t be sanctioned if they signed documents in typewritten form

Lawyers opposing Detroit’s bid for sanctions in Michigan election litigation argue that they can’t be held accountable if they signed the pleadings in typewritten form.

Jan 21, 2021 12:39 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Execution carried out despite COVID-19 claim; 9 charged in Flint water crisis

COVID-19 claim doesn’t stop execution of drug trafficker Drug trafficker Cory Johnson was executed Thursday for his role in the slayings of seven people after the U.S. Supreme Court refused a delay request. Johnson’s lawyers had contended that he was intellectually disabled, and he was barred from execution. They also…

Jan 15, 2021 4:31 PM CST

Former Michigan governor is charged in Flint water crisis; is conviction a longshot?

Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of willful neglect in decisions that caused lead to contaminate the water supply for Flint, Michigan.

Jan 14, 2021 9:25 AM CST