By
Jacklyn Thomas, MSC Public Information Office
Marking passage of legislation to fine-tune their jurisdiction, the Michigan Supreme Court has released a report highlighting the successful efforts of the state’s 16 business courts to facilitate timely, efficient, and consistent resolution of thousands of complex business cases. The report profiles four business court judges who are helping our state pioneer the expansion and continuous improvement of these innovative courts. The Michigan Senate has given final approval to legislation tailoring the courts’ jurisdiction, adding cases that can benefit from this specialized process and removing others that do not.
Marking passage of legislation to fine-tune their jurisdiction, the Michigan Supreme Court has released a report highlighting the successful efforts of the state’s 16 business courts to facilitate timely, efficient, and consistent resolution of thousands of complex business cases. The report profiles four business court judges who are helping our state pioneer the expansion and continuous improvement of these innovative courts. The Michigan Senate has given final approval to legislation tailoring the courts’ jurisdiction, adding cases that can benefit from this specialized process and removing others that do not.
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| During the May 2,
2017, MJI Business Court Seminar, MSC General Counsel Tom Clement delivers a legislative update on a panel with Kent County Circuit Court Judge Christopher Yates and Oakland County Circuit Court Judge James Alexander |
“Just
as a patient might go to a medical specialist for a specific health concern,
litigants turn to business courts to help resolve complicated disputes so that
companies can make decisions and plan for the future based on a clear and timely
interpretation of the law,” said Justice Bridget McCormack, the Court’s liaison
to business courts.
The
report, “Success Stories:
How Michigan Business Courts are Driving Change,” includes
profiles of Judge James Alexander of Oakland County, Judge Joyce Draganchuk of
Ingham County, Judge Timothy Hicks of Muskegon County, and Judge Christopher
Yates of Kent County. These judges, along with their colleagues statewide,
dispose of roughly 2,500 cases each year.
“Thank you to Senator Rick Jones for his
leadership in helping to fine-tune business court jurisdiction,” said Justice
McCormack. “We very much appreciate the support of the Legislature and the
Governor to help make sure business court judges have the necessary tools and
statutory framework to achieve their goals of consistency and timeliness.”
Business
courts in Michigan were pioneered by Macomb, Kent, and Oakland counties in
2011. They expanded statewide as a result of legislation in 2012 that required
circuit courts with three or more judges to create a specialized business court
docket.
Business
courts are part of a broader strategy of the Michigan Supreme Court to improve
outcomes, increase efficiency, and improve service to the public. Other steps include
measuring and publishing performance data for every court, implementing
technology, and reengineering court operations. As part of this strategy, 31
judgeships have been eliminated, saving taxpayers $19.5 million. Fourteen more
judgeships are slated for reduction as additional steps are taken to increase
efficiency.
Senate Bill 333
was ordered enrolled and sent to the Governor on June 22. More information
about business courts—including a case search function for nearly 1,400
opinions—is available at www.courts.mi.gov/businesscourt.