United States federal district court in Michigan
The
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
(in
case citations
,
W.D. Mich.
) is the
federal district court
with
jurisdiction
over the western portion of the state of
Michigan
, including the entire
Upper Peninsula
and the
Lower Peninsula
from
Lansing
westward.
Appeals from the Western District of Michigan are taken to the
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
(except for
patent
claims and claims against the U.S. government under the
Tucker Act
, which are appealed to the
Federal Circuit
).
As of May 5, 2022
[update]
, the
United States attorney
for the Western District of Michigan is
Mark Totten
.
[1]
History
[
edit
]
The
United States District Court for the District of Michigan
was established on July 1, 1836, by 5 Stat. 61, with a single judgeship.
[2]
The district court was not assigned to a judicial circuit, but was granted the same jurisdiction as
United States circuit courts
, except in appeals and writs of error, which were the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Due to the
Toledo War
, a boundary dispute with
Ohio
, Michigan did not become a state of the union until January 26, 1837. On March 3, 1837,
Congress
passed an act that repealed the circuit court jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the District of Michigan, assigned the District of Michigan to the
Seventh Circuit
, and established a U.S. circuit court for the district, 5 Stat. 176.
[2]
On July 15, 1862, Congress reorganized the circuits and assigned Michigan to the
Eighth Circuit
by 12 Stat. 576,
[2]
and on January 28, 1863, the Congress again reorganized Seventh and Eight Circuits and assigned Michigan to the Seventh Circuit, by 12 Stat. 637.
[2]
On February 24, 1863, Congress divided the District of Michigan into the
Eastern
and the Western districts, with one judgeship authorized for each district, by 12 Stat. 660.
[2]
The Western District was later further divided into a Southern Division and a Northern Division.
In the Northern Division, Court was held at the
Old Federal Building
in
Sault Ste. Marie
from 1912 until 1941. While the law allows court to be held in Sault Ste. Marie,
[3]
it no longer is.
[4]
Jurisdiction
[
edit
]
The District Court is based in
Grand Rapids
, courthouses also located in
Kalamazoo
,
Lansing
, and
Marquette
in the
Upper Peninsula
. The
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
has
appellate
jurisdiction over the court.
Divisions
[
edit
]
The Western District comprises two divisions.
[3]
Northern Division
[
edit
]
The Northern Division comprises the counties of
Alger
,
Baraga
,
Chippewa
,
Delta
,
Dickinson
,
Gogebic
,
Houghton
,
Iron
,
Keweenaw
,
Luce
,
Mackinac
,
Marquette
,
Menominee
,
Ontonagon
, and
Schoolcraft
.
[3]
Court for the Northern Division can be held in
Marquette
and
Sault Sainte Marie
.
[3]
Southern Division
[
edit
]
The Southern Division comprises the counties of
Allegan
,
Antrim
,
Barry
,
Benzie
,
Berrien
,
Branch
,
Calhoun
,
Cass
,
Charlevoix
,
Clinton
,
Eaton
,
Emmet
,
Grand Traverse
,
Hillsdale
,
Ingham
,
Ionia
,
Kalamazoo
,
Kalkaska
,
Kent
,
Lake
,
Leelanau
,
Manistee
,
Mason
,
Mecosta
,
Missaukee
,
Montcalm
,
Muskegon
,
Newaygo
,
Oceana
,
Osceola
,
Ottawa
,
Saint Joseph
,
Van Buren
, and
Wexford
.
[3]
Court for the Southern Division can be held in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and
Traverse City
.
[3]
Notable cases
[
edit
]
Some of the notable cases that have come before the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan include:
Current judges
[
edit
]
As of January 4, 2023
[update]
:
Former judges
[
edit
]
Chief judges
[
edit
]
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.
A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as
senior status
, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
[
edit
]
Seat 1
|
Seat established on February 24, 1863 by 12 Stat. 660
|
Withey
|
1863?1886
|
Severens
|
1886?1900
|
Wanty
|
1900?1906
|
Knappen
|
1906?1910
|
Denison
|
1910?1911
|
Sessions
|
1911?1931
|
Seat abolished on April 1, 1931 pursuant to 43 Stat. 949
|
|
Seat 2
|
Seat established on February 17, 1925 by 43 Stat. 949
|
Raymond
|
1925?1946
|
Starr
|
1946?1961
|
Fox
|
1962?1979
|
Enslen
|
1979?2005
|
Maloney
|
2007?present
|
|
Seat 3
|
Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8
|
Kent
|
1954?1971
|
Engel, Jr.
|
1970?1974
|
Miles
|
1974?1986
|
Bell
|
1987?2017
|
Jarbou
|
2020?present
|
|
|
|
Seat 5
|
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629
|
Gibson
|
1979?1996
|
Seat abolished on July 13, 1996 (temporary judgeship expired)
|
|
Seat 6
|
Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 (temporary)
|
Seat became permanent upon the abolition of Seat 5 on July 13, 1996
|
Quist
|
1992?2006
|
Jonker
|
2007?present
|
|
|
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
|
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|
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Courts of appeals
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District courts
|
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M
,
N
,
S
)
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E
,
W
)
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C
,
E
,
N
,
S
)
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M
,
N
,
S
)
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M
,
N
,
S
)
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C
,
N
,
S
)
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N
,
S
)
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N
,
S
)
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E
,
W
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E
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M
,
W
)
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E
,
W
)
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N
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E
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W
)
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E
,
N
,
S
,
W
)
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E
,
M
,
W
)
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N
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)
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W
)
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)
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,
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)
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)
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N
,
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)
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,
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)
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Specialty courts
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Territorial courts
| |
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Extinct courts
| |
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Note
| |
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42°58′12.0″N
85°40′15.2″W
/
42.970000°N 85.670889°W
/
42.970000; -85.670889