Local Forums Address Threats to Fair and Impartial Justice
Access to fair and impartial justice for Michigan’s citizens is at risk, as judicial elections are increasingly politicized and funded by special interest groups.
This fall, while election matters are on the voters’ minds, the League of Women Voters of Michigan is sponsoring several non-partisan forums entitled, “A Fair and Impartial Michigan Supreme Court.” Honorable Curtis Bell, Kalamazoo County Probate Court Judge, will be the opening speaker at forums in Kalamazoo and Holland. Honorable Edward Thomas, retired Wayne County Circuit Court Judge, will speak at the forum in Livonia. Detroit Free Press columnist Brian Dickerson and Rich Robinson, Executive Director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network will also speak at the events.
Races for the Michigan Supreme Court have become expensive and highly contentious, with more than $20 million spent to elect justices since January 2000. The growth of contributions from competing special interest groups and donor disclosure loopholes combine to create the appearance, if not the reality, of conflicts of interest in the Court’s selection of cases and its decisions.
“Political influences are jeopardizing the integrity of the institution we rely on to protect our rights,” says Jessica Reiser, President of the League of Women Voters of Michigan. “The Court is accountable to the Constitution and the laws, not to politicians and groups with a political agenda.”
A large majority of Michigan voters believe that campaign contributions are influencing judicial decisions yet many remain optimistic that reforms such as public funding would make a difference. The forums are intended to raise awareness about the problems with the current system for electing justices, present ideas for reform, and encourage citizens to take action.
The Kalamazoo forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters Kalamazoo Area, will take place at the Little Theater on Western Michigan University’s campus, October 1, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The event is co-sponsored by the LWVMI, Kalamazoo County Bar Association, Kalamazoo Environmental Coalition, AAUW of Michigan, Michigan Campaign Finance Network, and the Michigan Impartial Courts Coalition. For a map of the location, see www.wmich.edu/littletheatre/location.html.
On Wednesday, October 8 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, the Holland and Grand Haven Area chapters of the League of Women Voters are hosting a forum at the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District, 13565 Port Sheldon St. in Holland. This event is co-sponsored by the LWVMI, AAUW of Michigan, Michigan Campaign Finance Network, and Michigan Impartial Courts Coalition. For a map of the location, see http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Holland&state=MI&address=13565
+Port+Sheldon+St&zipcode=49424
On Wednesday, October 29 from 7:00 to 8:45 pm, the League of Women Voters Oakland Area hosts a forum at the Vis-Ta Tech Room at Schoolcraft College, 18600 Haggerty Rd., Livonia. The event is co-sponsored by LWVMI; LWVs of Ann Arbor, Dearborn-Dearborn Hts, Detroit, Grosse Pointe, Northwest Wayne and Troy; Oakland County Bar Association; Farmington-Farmington Hills Chamber of Commerce; Livonia Chamber of Commerce; Plymouth Chamber of Commerce; AAUW of Michigan, Michigan Campaign Finance Network, and Michigan Impartial Courts Coalition. For a map of the location, see www.schoolcraft.cc.mi.us/maps/livonia.asp.
The forums are supported by the LWV Education Fund with a grant from the Program on Constitutional and Legal Policy of the Open Society Institute, and by the Joyce Foundation.
For more information, contact: Kris Zawisza, Project Director, LWVMI, faircourts@lwvmi.org or 517-484-5383.