The Michigan Supreme Court last week unanimously selected Justice Stephen Markman to serve as its new chief justice. Justice Markman was appointed to the court in 1999 and reelected in 2000, 2004, and 2012. He succeeds Justice Robert P. Young, Jr., who has served since 2011.
“The first responsibility of the Supreme Court, and the chief justice, is to preserve the responsible and equal rule of law in Michigan,” said Markman, “and to ensure that our system of justice is made readily and fairly available to all of the people of our state.”
Before joining the court, Markman served on the Michigan Court of Appeals and practiced law with the firm of Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone in Detroit. Prior to that, he served as the United States Attorney (federal prosecutor) for the Eastern District of Michigan, after having been nominated by President George H. W. Bush; and as Assistant Attorney General of the United States, after having been nominated by President Ronald Reagan. In the latter position, Markman headed the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy, which served as the principal policy development office within the department and which coordinated the federal judicial selection process. Prior to that, he served as chief counsel of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution and as deputy chief counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Chief Justice Bob Young has been an outstanding leader of the judicial system during the last six years,” said Gov. Rick Snyder in a statement. “With his direction, the statewide court system has undergone a transformation to make filings more accessible and affordable for residents. He has helped shape a specialty court system that has achieved great success in helping Michiganders address the cause of their crimes and prevent future offenses.
“Justice Markman has been a fair and consistent voice on the Supreme Court for 17 years, and his wealth of knowledge about Michigan’s judicial system and constitutional law will be great assets as he takes the helm. I look forward to working with him to continue the modernization of our court system.”
Markman is widely published in the law and has taught constitutional law at Hillsdale College for more than two decades. He has spoken before hundreds of youth, civic, charitable, and legal groups throughout Michigan and nationally. He lives with his wife Mary Kathleen in Mason and has two adult sons, James and Charles.
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