(Source: MIRS.news, Published 02/23/2024) Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement urged Senators to support a Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget that spends $475,000 and dedicates one full-time employee to removing judges’ personal information – such as home addresses – from the internet.
Today’s political climate has led to increased threats and inappropriate communications against judges, she argued before members of the House Corrections/Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee. In 2015, the U.S. Marshals Service reported 926 threats against federal judges. In 2021, the USMS reported more than 4,500 – a 490 percent increase.
The danger hit home for many when New Jersey U.S. District Judge Esther SALAS’ son was fatally shot by an angry litigant who got her address from the internet.
“I feel strongly that if you take away just one message from this presentation, remember this: Trust is the only currency that courts have and the projects I talked about today to help our justice system be more innovative, more transparent and more efficient, all help to build that trust,” Clement said.
Clement, who presented Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Corrections and Judiciary today, included continued funding for a statewide case management system, a boost in judiciary staff, and a behavioral health administrator to support trial courts.
“The judicial branch very much understands the need to adjust our budget to financial conditions,” the Chief Justice said. “… This budget can be described as ‘steady as you go,’ keeping the judiciary on course towards our goals of transparency, innovation and efficiency.”
The MSC and State Court Administrative Office proposed a $21.5 million increase for FY 2024, but this year its ask is only $6.28 million – or 71 percent less than the prior year.
The biggest ask is technology, which Clement called the catalyst that helps the judiciary increase public access, efficiency and information, as well as helps inform policy decisions.
The court has funding for its statewide case management system, which is provided at no cost to trial courts and has eliminated user fees.
However, Clement said, the court needs an additional 19 full-time employees (FTE) and $4.6 million in ongoing funds to support the development and maintenance of the system.
“I want to emphasize,” she said, “that we have always made it clear that we will need ongoing funding, and we are only asking for that funding and those FTEs as the system expands and the need grows.”
Clement touted the court’s efforts related to setting aside convictions under the state’s recent Clean Slate laws, noting that 3.6 million adult and juvenile convictions have been set aside as of today and 2.2 million have had at least one conviction set aside.
Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) asked why Wayne County wasn’t included in the court’s Clean State presentation and Clement, who smiled, replied the data includes only those areas that are part of the statewide management system.
When “we have one, Wayne County” will be included, the Chief Justice said.
“Innovation is the key to boosting access and other improvements. Transparency is the key to strengthening public understanding and engagement and efficiency is the key to being responsible stewards of the public resources,” she added.
Clement’s presentation also discussed the court’s requested 7 percent salary increase for justices, which she also presented to the House Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee on Valentine’s Day.
