I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission, an executive agency charged with overseeing the state’s anti-discrimination laws, is opposing a proposed rule from the Michigan Supreme Court that would give judges control over the attire of those who appear in a state courtroom. The proposed rule says:
Appearance of Parties and Witnesses. The court shall exercise reasonable control over the appearance of parties and witnesses so as to (1) ensure that the demeanor of such persons may be observed and assessed by the fact-finder, and (2) to ensure the accurate identification of such persons.
The proposed rule grew out of a federal lawsuit filed against a district judge in Michigan after the judge ordered Ginnah Muhammad, a Muslim woman from Hamtramck, to remove her hijab during testimony. When Muhammad refused to remove her hijab, the judge dismissed the case. The federal court later dismissed her lawsuit over the order on procedural grounds, noting that the state courts should address the question.
That prompted the state’s high court to propose the new rule, saying, “This proposed amendment would clarify that a judge is entitled to establish reasonable standards regarding the appearance of parties and witnesses to evaluate the demeanor of those individuals and to ensure accurate identification.”
The state civil rights commission, however, voted on Monday night to send a letter to the Michigan Supreme Court opposing the adoption of the new rule, which they say is discriminatory and could cause religious minorities to avoid going to court.
A public hearing for comment on the proposed rule is scheduled for May 12.
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