A bill to redistrict the four Court of Appeals, introduced this month, will be taken up in committee next week. The bill would make substantial rearrangements to the Third and Fourth districts. The proposed changes are:
District 1: Barry and Jackson counties would be added to Calhoun, Hillsdale, Lenawee, Monroe, and Wayne.
District 2: Genesee, Macomb, and Oakland. (Shiawassee County removed, added to District 4.)
District 3: Allegan, Benzie, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Clare, Crawford, Eaton, Gladwin, Ionia, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Ottawa, Roscommon, St. Joseph, and Van Buren counties. (Barry, Jackson, and Washtenaw removed.)
District 4: Alcona, Alger, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Bay, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clinton, Delta, Dickinson, Emmet, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Houghton, Huron, Ingham, Iosco, Iron, Keweenaw, Lapeer, Leelanau, Livingston, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Midland, Montmorency, Ontonagon, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Saginaw, Sanilac, Schoolcraft, Shiawassee, St. Clair, Tuscola, Washtenaw, and Wexford counties. (Benzie, Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Isabella, Kalkaska, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola and Roscommon removed.)
The 2011 Judicial Resources Recommendations calls for reducing the judgeships of the Court of Appeal by four. The bill would provide for six judges in each district, achieved by attrition.
