With the move to a Supreme Court once again under the control of Justices who have been pushed forward by then-Governor John Engler, we see an increase in secrecy. Even the process of the selection of Robert Preston Young, Jr., as Chief Justice has been secret. Is this not the administrative business of the Court? Is this not the people’s business? Why the secrecy? You can be assured that had the vote been unanimous that we’d have heard about that. So, instead it had to be a divided vote and that perhaps along party lines: 4-3.
Does it really matter that we don’t know the vote?
I think it serves as an indication of what’s to come. After all, how silly is it that the Court refuses to tell who voted for whom? Would it be unexpected that perhaps Justice Hathaway, Marilyn Kelly and Michael Cavanagh just might not vote for Justice Young?Have you watched many of the oral arguments, read their opinions? What possibly benefit, then, could it be to hide this?
Another needless secrecy doing the business of the people.
It is this needless secrecy that took up much of Justice Elizabeth A. Weaver’s talk before the Berrien County Bar Association, January 19th. She also articulated her detailed proposal for reform at the court. You can watch the video and read the plan here.