Elizabeth Weaver
Elizabeth A. Weaver was a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court. She was first elected to this position in 1994.[1] She resigned on August 26, 2010, and passed away on April 22, 2015.[2][3]
Education
Weaver received her undergraduate degree from H. Sophie Newcomb College in 1962 and her J.D. from Tulane University in 1965.[4]
Career
Weaver spent the first few years of her law career practicing in Louisiana. In 1973 she moved to Michigan, and in 1974 was elected judge of the Leelanau County Probate Court. She served in this capacity, re-elected in 1976 and 1982, until her election to the Michigan Court of Appeals in 1986. She stayed on the court until joining the Michigan Supreme Court in 1994.[5]
Awards and associations
- 2006 Judge of the Year award, Mid-Michigan Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
- 2005 Alumna of the Year, Newcomb College
- 2005 Inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
- 2003 Outstanding Woman in Leadership and Learning, Ferris State University
- One of the "Outstanding Young Women in Michigan," Michigan Jaycees
- One of the "Thirty Outstanding Women in Michigan," Michigan Women's Commission
- 2000 Lifetime Dedication to Children Award, Michigan Champions in Childhood Injuray Prevention
- 1999 Jurist of the Year, Police Officers Association of Michigan
- Former Secretary, Probate and Juvenile Judges Association of Michigan[5]
Judicial misconduct allegations
In May of 2010, three justices on the Michigan Supreme Court, Maura Corrigan, Stephen Markman and Robert P. Young Jr., asked the Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC) to investigate Justice Weaver for possible misconduct. The three alleged that Weaver improperly disclosed the court's internal deliberations with an attorney involved in a case before the court. If so, she would have been in violation of one of the Michigan Supreme Court's administrative rules, one that she has publicly disagreed with in the past. The confidentiality requirement was passed by the court in 2006, over Weaver's dissent, and reaffirmed May 12, 2010.[6][7][8]
To read Justice Weaver's response, visit: Justice Elizabeth Weaver.com, May 13, 2010 Press Release from Justice Weaver
The JTC dismissed the complaint. However, Justice Maura Corrigan brought a similar complaint to the Attorney Grievance Commission (AGC) in March of 2011. The AGC dismissed that complaint as well, stating that it required no further action.[9][10]
In November of 2010, soon after her resignation from the court, Weaver was censured by the Supreme Court justices for secretly recording and releasing private deliberations; Weaver used the recordings to point out that one justice had used the N-word in 2006.[11]
External links
- Elizabeth A. Weaver Website
- Michigan Supreme Court: Elizabeth Weaver
- Project Vote Smart, Justice Elizabeth A. Weaver (MI)
- The Michigan Messenger, "Weaver gets good odds for Supreme Court run," July 27, 2010
- New York Times, "Unfettered Debate Takes Unflattering Turn in Michigan Supreme Court," January 19, 2007
- Absolute Michigan, "Dissent to Election of Chief Justice Clifford Taylor as Chief Justice," January 5, 2007
- Michigan Supreme Court Press Release, Weaver reappointed to Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice
Footnotes
- ↑ Record-Eagle, "Weaver stepping down," January 14, 2005
- ↑ The Michigan Messenger, "Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Weaver retires, Granholm appoints Judge Alton Thomas Davis," August 26, 2010
- ↑ Detroit Free Press, "Elizabeth Weaver, controversial Michigan justice, dies at 74," April 22, 2015
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Justice Elizabeth A. Weaver (MI)," accessed April 23, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Michigan Supreme Court, "Biographies of the Justices," archived April 21, 2009
- ↑ Freep "3 justices ask for probe of colleague," May 13, 2010
- ↑ Free Press "3 on Mich. high court blow whistle on fellow justice," May 12, 2010
- ↑ Interlochen Public Radio "Squabbles Continue Among State's Justices," May 13, 2010
- ↑ State Bar of Michigan Blog, "Former Justice Weaver Responds to the AGC About Pending Complaint," June 12, 2011
- ↑ The Michigan Lawyer, "AGC to Weaver: No further action," July 20, 2011
- ↑ MI Lawyers Weekly, "MSC censures former Justice Weaver for airing deliberations," November 22, 2010
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan
State courts:
Michigan Supreme Court • Michigan Court of Appeals • Michigan Circuit Court • Michigan Court of Claims • Michigan District Courts • Michigan Municipal Courts • Michigan Probate Courts
State resources:
Courts in Michigan • Michigan judicial elections • Judicial selection in Michigan
