The Michigan Supreme Court today, in a six-to-one decision, removed embattled Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Beverly Nettles-Nickerson from the bench. Nettles-Nickerson had appealed her case to the Court after the Judicial Tenure Commission recommended she be removed from the bench. The Judicial Tenure Commission investigation found, among other things, that Nettles-Nickerson had lied under oath twice during her divorce proceedings, made and sought false statements while not under oath and that she allowed a social relationship to influence her handling of a criminal case.

In addition to finding that the judge should be removed, the court also sanctioned her with $12,000 in costs.

Chief Justice Clifford W. Taylor, justices Michael F. Cavanagh, Marilyn Kelly, Maura D. Corrigan, Robert P. Young Jr. and Stephen J. Markman all signed the decision. In a dissenting opinion, Justice Elizabeth Weaver concurred with the decision to remove Nettles-Nickerson from the bench but argued the court had no Constitutional authority to assess fees or costs on the judge.