Maura Corrigan

Maura Corrigan
1948
Michigan Supreme Court Justice
Assumed office 1999
Michigan Court of Appeals Judge
In office 1991-1998
Political party	Republican

Maura D. Corrigan was a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court. Justice Corrigan was first elected to the Michigan Supreme Court on November 3, 1998 and was re-elected in 2006. She served two terms as chief justice of the court, from 2001 through 2004. Her term was to end on December 31, 2014, but she left the court on January 14, 2011.

In 2005, she garnered national attention as a potential U.S. Supreme Court nominee under the George W. Bush administration.

Potential appointment

In early January 2011, Corrigan was named as a member of the Cabinet of newly elected Governor Rick Snyder. Snyder chose Corrigan to head the Department of Human Services. A benefit of this choice is that the new governor also chooses a successor for Corrigan on the Michigan Supreme Court.

Education

Corrigan graduated from Marygrove College in 1969 and from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law in 1973.

Career

Corrigan's career began with her service as a law clerk to Michigan Court of Appeals Judge John Gillis. From 1974-1979, she served as a Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor. Next, she became an Assistant United States Attorney, serving as Chief of Appeals and later Chief Assistant United States Attorney. In 1989, Corrigan went into private practice as a partner at the Detroit law firm of Plunkett & Cooney. In 1992, Governor John Engler appointed her to the Michigan Court of Appeals where she served until joining the Michigan Supreme Court. She served as Chief Judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals from 1997 through 1998 when she began her term at the Michigan Supreme Court.

Awards and associations

Awards

• 2008 Michigan Children's Award
• 2008 Powerful Women of Purpose Award
• 2006 Spectrum Human Services Chairman's Award
• 2006 Michigan Family Support Council Judicial Award

Associations

• 2005-present Board Member, Vista Maria
• 1988-present Member, Federalist Society

For a complete list of Justice Corrigan's awards and associations, please visit: Michigan Supreme Court, Biography of Maura Corrigan

Approach to the law

In a forum sponsored by the Eastside Republican Club prior to the November 7, 2006 general election, Corrigan shared her opinions on the current court. In the speech, Corrigan referenced an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, that called Michigan's court "The Finest Court in the Nation.” Agreeing with the article, she said that the court has been “restored to the Constitutional scheme the founders of our country intended, and that our [Michigan] Constitution requires.” Our constitutional government's greatest threat, she said, has been “Judges who do not understand the limits of their power.” She added, “When judges exceed their power, they threaten your rights of self government.” Corrigan declared, “That is not happening in Michigan!” Corrigan promised, “We will follow and apply the language of the law.”

External links

• Michigan Supreme Court: Maura Corrigan
• Project Vote Smart, Justice Maura D. Corrigan (MI)
• League of Women Voters: 2006 Voters Guide
• Newsmeat: Political Donations: Maura Corrigan
• The Detroit News "Snyder to name Corrigan to Cabinet," January 4, 2011
• MLive.com, "Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan watches over Genesee County court program ," June 29, 2010
• Sober College, "Drugged Driving: Michigan Supreme Court Upholds State DUID Law -- Now You Don't Even Have to Be High to Get Busted," June 23, 2006
• MlbLAWg, "Michigan Lawyers Confilcted about Maura Corrigan," 11/04/2005
• Michigan Land Use Institute, "Tear Down Those Fences," August 2, 2005 (dead link)