Michigan Court Officials Request 31.5 New Judgeships Statewide
Court administrators tell legislators that 31.5 new judgeships are needed statewide based on comprehensive workload study showing 5.6% increase required.
LANSING, MICHIGAN — Michigan court administrators asked state legislators Thursday to approve the addition of 31.5 new judgeships across the state to address increased caseloads identified through a comprehensive judicial workload study.
Representatives from Michigan’s State Court Administrative Office testified before the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee, presenting their annual Judicial Resources Recommendations issued in December.
“The report provides the objective estimate of judicial needs based on the amount of time required to process cases of different types,” Trevor VanDyke, the deputy general counsel for the State Court Administrative Office, told Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), who chairs the committee.
Proposed Changes to Court System
The study recommends a net increase of 31.5 state-funded trial court judgeships, representing approximately a 5.6% increase in the state’s current trial court judicial resources. The proposal includes adding 26 circuit court judgeships and eight district court judgeships.
The recommendations also call for reducing three district court judgeships and one probate court judgeship, along with consolidation and realignment of several courts throughout the state.
Chang was the only senator present at Thursday’s hearing due to the limited session schedule for the chamber this week, according to court officials.
Methodology Behind Recommendations
Dr. John Ropp, the statistical research manager for the State Court Administrative Office, explained the methodology used to determine judicial needs. The survey relies heavily on a time study where judges identify case types and activities, then report the amount of time spent on each.
This metric estimates judicial workload requirements, according to the court administrators’ testimony. The State Court Administrative Office cited increased access to remote hearings and improvements in the state’s public defender system as factors contributing to increased caseloads for judges.
The comprehensive study forms the basis for the office’s annual assessment of judicial resources needed throughout Michigan’s court system. The recommendations now await legislative action to determine which judgeships will be approved and funded.
