MI Supreme Court biased?

[maxx]

Here's some interesting info on our Sup. Ct. which seems relevant given Justice Weaver's resignation after years of rangling with her "non-partisan" colleagues.

http://tcattorney.typepad.com/michigansupremecourt/
"... a bi-partisan blind survey was done of plaintiffs’ and defendants’ attorneys throughout Michigan. The results point to a politically biased judiciary in Michigan essentially being run by insurance and corporate interests. Here are the stats: Question 1: Do you generally agree that the decisions and opinions of the Michigan Supreme Court majority are the result of an agenda that is better left to the legislative branch?
Yes 83.7 percent
No 16.3 percent..."


http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...2/b4016001.htm
How Business Trounced the Trial Lawyers
"... In December a U.S. appeals court in New York nixed a class action accusing investment firms of manipulating the price of initial public offerings. That was a big loss for securities fraud plaintiffs' lawyers, especially in a year when the total number of shareholder suits filed was about half the level of prior years, according to statistics compiled by Stanford Law School. In 2005 the Illinois Supreme Court struck down a $10.1 billion judgment against Philip Morris [[MO ), saying a state law protects the company from suits alleging that its marketing of "light" cigarettes was deceptive..."

[Detroitnerd]

I think plenty of people in Michigan would admit that the Supreme Court is a right-wing, business-oriented institution. If they were left-wing, there'd be cries of "ACTIVIST JUDICIARY" before you could say "double standard."

[Detroitej72]

The problem with the MI Supreme Court is it is filled with too many conservative activist judges who are bought and paid for by corporate America.

[Gannon]

The crux of this problem is the 'personhood' status granted to corporations.


They are not responsible entities, nor do they have any hint of empathy or sympathy for those mere humans who make their existence possible.


The best way to understand this is to view the documentary called The Corporation. I highly recommend it for ALL of those who clamor to be employed by one for their welfare and security.

Anyone who works for a corporation [[OR invests in one through shared-stock purchases) is ultimately liable for the effects that corporation has upon humanity. They have sold their soul, if the company they work for [[or partly own) ultimately does evil.


Reaching into the judiciary at every level is stacking the deck in their favor. The system was designed so that ONE individual could not amass the power to skew things...and then was adjusted a bit to insure GROUPS of individuals could not collude to do so...so WHY do we allow Corporations to run rampant over us?!


We are sick to allow this abuse. This judicial example is but one small portion of the evidence that proves we are done and gone as an empire. I do not see any way to stop everything from being destroyed as these behemoths take us over the economic cliff.

I am sick today just thinking about it.

[Gannon]

I did NOT say that ALL corporations are evil.

Don't misunderstand.

But IF a corporation does evil, and believe me...stacking the judiciary is designed for ONLY one thing...then my comments above stand firm.

[Jimaz]

From today's Detroit News, a game changer:

Surprise Granholm appointment changes state Supreme Court makeup

[maxx]

http://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/2010/...urt-82710.html
“Specifically, we need to promptly reform the process of how we select justices, and we need transparency and accountability … we need justices and judges who are dedicated to the rule of law, who are independent, impartial, exercise judicial restraint, apply common sense, and who are wise, honest, orderly, competent, fair, civil and professional, open, not secretive, and nonpartisan.”

How realistic is this given the heightened political climate? How are you going to judge a person's fairness?

[maxx]

http://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/2010/...rt-112310.html
"...Michigan’s Supreme Court has been somewhat of a national embarrassment, because of its severe partisan divisions and its tendency to deliver what seemed to be highly politicized rulings. Two years ago, a University of Chicago study rated it the worst state supreme court in the nation for just these reasons.."


Too bad this sort of info isn't talked about more especially around election time.

And there's more. From http://www.mymicourt.com/

November 22, 2010 — They can’t even do a censure according to the rules.

"...
It’s notable that Justices Diane M. Hathaway and Alton Thomas Davis did not sign the letter.
Further, Justice Hathaway added and signed the following statement: 'Because I respect the Court and the integrity of the decision-making process, I do not sign this letter. In my opinion, issuing a formal censure, without any adjudicative proceeding, is inappropriate and disregards an individual’s due process rights.'...
As for yourselves, are you better off for knowing or would you prefer to remain in ignorance of the actions and the methodology of our Supreme Court? Are you better or worse informed to know that the likely new Chief Justice has used racial and sexual language during the course of his business at the Court?
Speaking out to warn you has never been a personal campaign against these five Justices, certainly not against Justice Young. I have long thought highly of his abilities and I still do; his deeds are another matter. My speech and writing is about the actions of this majority of Justices and the cloak of unnecessary secrecy with which they have chosen to surround themselves as they undertake YOUR business. [[And as you’ve seen, it’s secret until they don’t want it to be.)...
For much of last 10 years of my almost 16 years as a Justice of the Supreme Court, I worked from within with little success to reform the Court for it to become less secret, more transparent and open, fair, just, orderly, and professional. My concern is that the Court, as it now operates, is driven by special interests, partisan and personal agendas, and ideologies. This Court is undeserving of the trust and confidence of the public. [words of Eliz. Weaver]

[Kevgoblue]

I did NOT say that ALL corporations are evil.

Don't misunderstand.

But IF a corporation does evil, and believe me...stacking the judiciary is designed for ONLY one thing...then my comments above stand firm.

There's no need to say that. If you remember from the movie, most all corportations will behave in a way which we consider "evil". And the larger they become, the more that statement becomes the norm.

A corporation is in existance to make money. The CEO and board are there to make decisions which maximize profit for the corporation. Some great ways to maximize profit include cutting wages, cutting benefits, not paying for OT, outsourcing work to obtain cheaper labor, outsourcing work to avoid costly pollution or OSHA requirements.

Another great way to maximize cost [[or minimize liability) is to legally buy judges and politicians. A couple million dollar investment creates a system which provides maximum caps on liablilty and courts that overwhelmingly side in the favor of corporate interests over those of the individual.

[rb336]

Let's see - we can't sue Big Pharma when we get seriously injured or die due to faulty or even fraudulent testing of drug safety, courtesy MI Sups.
we can't sue Big Oil when they poison our land.

You tell me? biased? not toward Michigan Citizens