Thursday, January 13, 2005

Justice Weaver to step down from Michigan Supreme Court

Just heard about this in the office over lunch.

Justice Elizabeth Weaver of the Michigan Supreme Court has just announced she is stepping down in October, to apparently protest term limits.

The Republican (RINO) Supreme Court Justice is stepping down now, knowing she will be replaced by a justice appointed by the current Democrat Governor Granholm. This will change the current composition of the court from 5 Republicans and 2 Democrats to a 4-3 Split.

Apparently she claims she is doing this as a protest over term limits. What the true motivation for the decision is unknown. Justice Weaver was the lone dissenter in the vote held this month by the Court appointing conservative Republican Taylor to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court so methinks there's more to this than a protest over term limits.

Update. The Detroit News now has the story:

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Weaver said Thursday she will resign from the court in October....
Though a Republican nominee, it has not been uncommon for Weaver to join the court's two Democratic nominees in 4-3 rulings.
....
"I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve Michigan as a common sense, independent, and self-disciplined judicial thinker," she said. "I am a judge who is a Republican, not a Republican who is a judge."

Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm will get her first chance to appoint a justice to the Supreme Court.

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