Mich. Admin. Ord. Administrative Order No. 2021-1
In May 2019, the Court appointed a Justice For All Task Force to evaluate the civil justice system in Michigan and develop a strategic plan to ensure 100 percent access to justice. That plan was finalized in December 2020, and includes a provision that recommends the Michigan Supreme Court adopt an order creating an ongoing Justice For All Commission to continue and build on the work that has been done to date. Therefore, on order of the Court, the Michigan Justice For All Commission is created, effective immediately.
I. Purpose
The purpose of the Michigan Justice For All Commission is to expand access to and enhance the quality of the civil legal justice system in Michigan. The goal of the Commission is to achieve 100% access to Michigan's civil justice system. The Commission will promote, facilitate, and provide leadership to achieve this goal.
II. Duties
The Commission shall develop, coordinate, and implement initiatives to improve the civil legal justice system. Toward this end, the Strategic Plan developed by the Justice For All Task Force will guide the initial work of the Commission. The Commission will continue identifying and assessing gaps, barriers, and strategies to further improve access to Michigan's civil justice system, especially for low- and moderate-income Michigan residents.
III. Commission Leadership
A. Executive Team - The leadership, direction, and administrative support for the Commission activities is provided collaboratively by the State Court Administrative Office, State Bar of Michigan, and the Michigan State Bar Foundation. The State Court Administrator, and the executive directors of the State Bar of Michigan and the Michigan State Bar Foundation, or their designees, constitute the Executive Team. Duties of the Executive team include:
1. Preparing meeting agendas
2. Providing data required for commission deliberations
3. Identifying and pursuing third party funding sources for commission initiatives
4. Accounting for the expenses of the commission
5. Preparing an annual report for the Supreme Court
B. Chair and Vice-Chair - A chair and vice-chair are appointed for two-year terms and may be reappointed.
1. Initial appointments - The first chair and vice-chair are appointed by the Supreme Court.
2. After the initial selection, the chair and vice-chair are appointed by the Supreme Court upon recommendation from the Executive Team.
3. Duties of Chair include:
a. Presiding at all meetings of the commission
b. Approving draft agenda for commission meetings
c. Serving as the official spokesperson of the commission
4. The vice-chair will perform the duties of the chair in the chair's absence.
IV. Commission Membership
A. Membership shall be comprised of the following 30 members:
1. A sitting justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
2. The State Court Administrator, or his or her designee
3. The executive director of the State Bar of Michigan, or his or her designee
4. The executive director of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, or his or her designee
5. A member of the Michigan House of Representatives, designated by the Speaker of the House
6. A member of the Michigan Senate, designated by the Senate Majority leader
7. Three members designated by the governor: a. an executive branch representative
b. a representative of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
c. a representative of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority
8. The director of the Michigan Legal Help Program, or his or her designee
9. The director of the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, or his or her designee
10. One member each, appointed by the Supreme Court, from the following bodies/stakeholder groups:
a. the State Bar of Michigan
b. the Michigan District Judges Association
c. the Michigan Judges Association
d. the Michigan Probate Judges Association
e. the tribal courts in Michigan
f. Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan g. the State Planning Body
h. Legal Services Association of Michigan
i. Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion
j. Association of Black Judges
k. Court Administrators/Probate registers
l. Education community
m. Michigan libraries
n. Health care community
o. Self Help Centers
11. Four members appointed by the Supreme Court from nonprofit faith-based, business and professional, civic, and community organizations, and the public.
B. Appointments - The Executive Team will recommend appointment of the 19 at large positions of the commission. After initial appointments, the Executive Team will develop a process for appointment based on dedication to the purpose and goals of the Commission and to ensure diversity in membership.
C. Terms - With the exception of the State Bar of Michigan President appointment, members of the Commission shall be appointed for three year terms and shall be limited to three full terms. The State Bar of Michigan President term shall be one year. Terms commence January 1st of each calendar year. A standing member may be eligible for re-appointment. Initial terms may be less than three years to ensure that the terms are staggered, so that no more than one third of the members' terms expire in any given year.
Effective January 1, 2021, the following persons are appointed to the Justice For All Commission:
For terms ending December 31, 2023:
SBM Executive Director Janet Welch (or designee) State Court Administrator Thomas Boyd (or designee)
Supreme Court Justice Brian K. Zahra Michigan
State Bar Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Bentley
Michigan Legal Help Executive Director Angela Tripp
Michigan Indigent Defense Commission Director Loren Khogali (or designee)
Hon. Timothy Kelly (on behalf of the Michigan District Judges Association)
Hon. Margaret Zuzich Bakker (on behalf of the Michigan Judges Association)
Hon. Mabel Mayfield (on behalf of the Michigan Probate Judges Association)
Hon. Allie Maldonado (on behalf of Michigan Tribal Courts)
For terms ending December 31, 2022:
Rep. TC Clements (designated by the Speaker of the House)
Sen. XXXXX (designated by the Senate Majority Leader) (To be determined)
Joshua Rivera (MDHHS representative) (designated by the Governor)
Clarence Stone (MSHDA representative) (designated by the Governor)
Alicia Moon (designated by the Governor)
Carol Siemon (on behalf of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan)
Bonsitu Kintaba (on behalf of the State Planning Body)
Ashley Lowe (on behalf of Legal Services Association of Michigan)
Yusef Shakur (on behalf of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion)
Hon. Cynthia Ward (on behalf of the Association of Black Judges)
For terms ending December 31, 2021:
SBM President Rob Buchanan (or designee)
Kevin Bowling (on behalf of Court Administrators/Probate Registers)
Michelle Williams (Michigan Department of Education, on behalf of the education community)
Samantha Ashby (on behalf of Michigan libraries)
Lynda Zeller (Michigan Health Care Endowment, on behalf of the health care community)
Deborah Hughes (on behalf of self-help centers)
Bianca McQueen (on behalf of the public)
Nicole Huddleston (on behalf of nonprofit local community organizations)
Elly Jordan (on behalf of nonprofit local community organizations)
Brittany Schultz (on behalf of the business community)
Justice Brian Zahra shall serve as chair, and Angela Tripp shall serve as vice-chair.
D. Vacancy - The appointing entity shall fill a vacancy among the commissioners to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. The Executive Team shall declare a vacancy exists if a commissioner resigns from his position or moves outside of Michigan or a commissioner does not attend two consecutive meetings, without being excused by the Executive Team because of a personal or professional emergency.
E. Ad Hoc Committee Participation - The Executive Team may invite individuals whose particular experience and perspective are needed to assist with the Commission's work, including participation in Work Groups.
V. Meetings, Committees and Work Groups
A. The Commission will establish operating procedures for conducting meetings. The procedures will be available to the public.
B. The Executive Team may establish and dissolve standing Committees and Work Groups to accomplish Commission goals.
VI. Staffing and Administration
A. The State Court Administrative Office will provide administrative support to the Commission.
B. If funding is received by the Commission, the Michigan State Bar Foundation, may serve as fiscal agent for the funds.
VII. Reporting Requirement
The Commission will file an annual report with the Michigan Supreme Court about the Commission's activities and progress during the previous 12 months and its goals for the next 12 months.
Mich. Admin. Ord. Administrative Order No. 2021-1