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.
A new bill, HB 5676, has been introduced in the Michigan legislature to address the many problems with the state’s indigent defense system. The bill was submitted by Rep. Bob Constan (D-Dearborn Heights) and cosponsored by Rep. Justin Amash (R-Kentwood). The legislation, dubbed the Michigan Public Defense Act, would create a state public defend commission [...]
Michigan is not the only state struggling with an inadequate public defender system. The Missouri Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling (PDF) this week ordering judges, prosecutors and public defenders to work together to find ways to fix the indigent defense system in that state.
The Detroit Free Press has joined the fight to fix the constitutional crisis in Michigan’s public defender system with an editorial calling for legislative action. Noting that Michigan currently ranks 44th in the nation in spending on indigent defense, the editorial rightly declares, “Even in tough times, upholding constitutional rights and keeping innocent people out [...]
Public defender systems around the nation are not in good shape, but Michigan’s system is so underfunded and unguided that one study earlier this year called it a “constitutional crisis.” Michigan’s cases of failed public legal representation are so shocking that they caught the attention of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. In a speech to [...]
Michigan has struggled for years with an underfunded public defense system, but the recent economic downturn has sent what was a dismal situation into what some groups including the State Bar Association of Michigan are calling a “constitutional crisis.” A segment aired on NPR’s “All Things Considered” Monday evening used the Detroit area to exemplify [...]
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter