Michigan

Alleged rapist of 12-year-old girl is awarded joint custody of child who was conceived

Updated: A Michigan man and convicted sex offender who pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in an alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl was awarded joint legal custody of the boy who was conceived as a result of the crime, according to the victim’s lawyer. Judge Gregory Ross of Sanilac…

Oct 10, 2017 11:00 AM CDT

Cases raise questions about adult guardianship and lawyer-hospital relationships

Cases in Michigan and South Carolina are raising questions about lawyers who receive guardianship appointments as a result of their relationships with hospitals.

Oct 10, 2017 7:45 AM CDT

Michigan mom who ignored consent order to vaccinate her son sentenced to 7 days in jail

A Michigan mom has been sentenced to seven days in jail for contempt of court for failing to follow a consent order to vaccinate her 9-year-old son. Rebecca Bredow was sentenced to jail on Wednesday as part of a court battle with her ex-husband, who shares custody of the boy,…

Oct 5, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Trump’s lawyer forwards email that ‘validates’ president’s stance on Charlottesville

An email forwarded by President Donald Trump's personal lawyer stated that there’s no difference between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and George Washington, and that the protest group Black Lives Matter has been infiltrated by terrorist organizations.

Aug 17, 2017 1:02 PM CDT

Couple can’t sue cops for killing their dogs because the pets were unlicensed, federal judge rules

A Michigan federal judge has tossed a civil rights lawsuit filed by a couple who claimed Detroit police officers operating as a “dog death squad” shot and killed their three dogs during a marijuana raid.

Aug 7, 2017 8:00 AM CDT

Drunken driving on private driveway can violate DWI law, state supreme court rules

The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that prosecutors can bring charges against a man accused of driving while intoxicated on his own private driveway. The supreme court reinstated the prosecution of Gino Rea of Northville in a July 24 decision (PDF) noted by How Appealing. The Associated Press, MLive.com and…

Jul 26, 2017 4:38 PM CDT

Alleged judge stalkers made obscene phone calls, sent explicit photos; judges live in fear, cop says

Judge Vonda Evans of Wayne County, Michigan, says a stalker sent her graphic messages and photos of his genitalia. Sixteen judges in Broward County, Florida, received obscene phone calls and threatening letters by a man calling himself their biggest nightmare. Two alleged stalkers have been identified, but only one has…

Jul 19, 2017 10:54 AM CDT

In Flint water crisis, could involuntary manslaughter charges actually lead to prison time?

Last week, Michigan’s top prosecutor announced that five officials, including the state’s Health Department head Nick Lyon, will face charges of involuntary manslaughter for a death resulting from the Flint water crisis. It’s a move virtually unheard of in modern American history; legal experts couldn’t point to a single case…

Jun 19, 2017 2:38 PM CDT

Five Michigan officials charged with involuntary manslaughter in Flint water debacle

The leader of Michigan’s health department and four other state water officials have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of an 85-year-old man who succumbed to Legionnaires’ disease in an outbreak that prosecutors are linking to Flint’s water supply. The highest-ranking official charged on Wednesday is Nick Lyon,…

Jun 14, 2017 10:36 AM CDT

10 Questions: Judge and former NFL player Dwayne Woodruff

Judge Dwayne D. Woodruff, a former professional football player—and Super Bowl champion—Woodruff went to law school full-time while he played defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, after more than a decade on the court bench, Woodruff is running for a seat on the state supreme court.

Jun 1, 2017 4:00 AM CDT

Are schools that fail to teach children to read violating their rights? (podcast w/transcript)

The 14th Amendment has been used to secure civil rights for a multitude of groups. But does it give children a constitutional right to literacy? Is it the government's responsibility to adequately fund schools, so students learn what they need to reach appropriate reading levels?

Apr 24, 2017 8:30 AM CDT

Federal judge approves $97M settlement to replace lead water pipes in Flint

A federal judge on Tuesday approved a settlement in which the state of Michigan will disburse up to $97 million to replace lead water pipes in Flint. U.S. District Judge David Lawson found that the settlement is fair, adequate and reasonable on the same day that he held a hearing…

Mar 29, 2017 10:55 AM CDT

Right to Learn: Advocates for Detroit students say there’s a constitutional claim to literacy

Lawyer Mark Rosenbaum found schools in Detroit where the air conditioning and heating systems malfunctioned, requiring students to try to learn in stifling heat or in Michigan’s bitter winter cold. Teachers were buying not only their own school supplies but their own toilet paper. Some started every morning by cleaning rat droppings out of their classrooms.

Mar 1, 2017 3:50 AM CST

A Father’s Mission: Victim’s dad demands to know why 4 child murders remain unsolved after 40 years

In his effort to shed light on the investigation, Barry King has filed freedom of information lawsuits seeking case files. He’s also hounded authorities to explain why some suspects were cleared, particularly a man he believes was the most promising: the now-dead son of a former General Motors executive who had been questioned and released just before his son Tim’s murder.

Feb 1, 2017 4:00 AM CST

Class action filed on behalf of Flint residents claims EPA negligence in water probe

A class action lawsuit filed on behalf of 1,700 residents and property owners in Flint, Michigan, claims the Environmental Protection Agency mishandled the Flint water crisis. The negligence suit seeks more than $700 million in damages, report MLive.com, Courthouse News Service and the Detroit News. Name plaintiff Jan Burgess says…

Jan 31, 2017 2:02 PM CST