Michigan Supreme Court elections, 2022

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The terms of two Michigan Supreme Court justices will expire on January 1, 2023. The two seats are up for nonpartisan election on November 8, 2022.

Although the general election is nonpartisan, political parties in Michigan may nominate candidates for state supreme court elections.[1] Incumbents may also file affidavits of candidacy with the Secretary of State's office. That filing deadline is July 5, 2022.[2]

Judges with expiring terms[edit]

This is a list of the justices who must stand for nonpartisan election in 2022 in order to remain on the bench. Justices may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if justices retire or are appointed.

Richard Bernstein
Brian Zahra

About the Michigan Supreme Court[edit]

See also: Michigan Supreme Court

The Michigan Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Michigan. The court is located in the Michigan Hall of Justice in Lansing, the state capital. There are seven justices on the court, one being the chief justice. Justices are elected to eight-year terms or appointed by the governor in the case of a vacancy. Most commonly, the court takes appeals from the Michigan Court of Appeals. It is also responsible for the administration and supervision of all lower courts in the state.[3]

Political composition[edit]

This is the political composition of the supreme court heading into the 2022 election.

Richard Bernstein Elected in 2014
Megan Cavanagh Elected in 2018
Elizabeth Clement Appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) in 2017; elected in 2018
Elizabeth Welch Elected in 2020
Bridget Mary McCormack Elected in 2012 and 2020
David Viviano Appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) in 2013; elected in 2014 and 2016
Brian Zahra Appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) in 2011; elected in 2012 and 2014

Selection[edit]

See also: Judicial selection in Michigan

The seven justices of the Michigan Supreme Court are chosen in nonpartisan elections. They serve eight-year terms and must be re-elected if they wish to continue serving.[4] Incumbent judges seeking re-election may file an affidavit of candidacy requesting to be placed on the ballot, while non-incumbent candidates must either file a nominating petition or obtain a partisan nomination at a party convention. Incumbency is noted on the ballot, though party affiliation is not.[4]

In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a temporary replacement to serve until the next general election. At the governor's request, the state bar's standing committee on judicial qualifications interviews, evaluates, and rates all candidates, submitting a confidential report to the governor.[4]

Qualifications[edit]

In order to be elected to this court, a judge must:

  • be a qualified elector;
  • be licensed to practice law in the state;
  • have at least five years of law practice experience;
  • be under the age of 70.[4]

Sitting judges who reach age 70 are allowed to serve out the remainder of their term.[5]

Selection of the chief justice[edit]

The chief justice of the court serves a two-year term and is elected by his or her fellow justices.[4]


See also[edit]

Michigan Judicial Selection More Courts
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Courts in Michigan
Michigan Court of Appeals
Michigan Supreme Court
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External links[edit]

Footnotes[edit]


Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Original source: https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_Supreme_Court_elections,_2022
Status: cached on May 12 2022 23:14:13
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