Daily Briefs . . .

Michigan Supreme Court opens term with 11 cases this week


LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court is opening a new term this week with a new member and arguments in 11 cases.

The justices will gather Tuesday in the state Capitol to hear a business dispute between podiatrists, then move to their regular courtroom to hear two more cases.
They include a fight over public access to records of the Catastrophic Claims Association, which puts an annual fee on each insured vehicle to pay for severe injuries in wrecks.

The Supreme Court will hear four more cases Wednesday and another four Thursday.

It’s the debut of Justice Joan Larsen, a University of Michigan law professor who was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to fill the seat of Mary Beth Kelly. She quit Oct. 1.

 

Assisted-suicide advocate Kevorkian’s papers open to public
 

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A University of Michigan library has acquired the papers of assisted-suicide advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian and is making them publicly available.

The Ann Arbor school says Tuesday that Ava Janus, Kevorkian's niece and sole heir, donated the collection, which spans from 1911 to 2014.

Terrence McDonald, director of the Bentley Historical Library, says in a statement that the papers “will allow scholars and students to understand the context of and driving forces in an interesting and provocative life.”

The collection includes correspondence and manuscript drafts. It also includes files on assisted suicides, including medical histories, photographs, video and audio.

Kevorkian died in 2011 at age 83. He sparked the national right-to-die debate with a homemade suicide machine that helped end the lives of about 130 ailing people.

 

 

Viviano to introduce Veterans Treatment Courts Manual
 

 On Monday, Oct. 19, WMU-Cooley Law School, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) and the Michigan Supreme Court’s State Court Administrative Office will introduce a new resource for Michigan judges and members of the court interested in developing Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs). “Veterans Treatment Courts in Michigan: A Manual for Judges” is a compilation of best practices to address the special circumstances of veterans confronted with non-violent criminal charges and is designed to serve as a blueprint for the further development of specialty courts for veterans.

The Veterans Treatment Courts manual will serve as a tool for  judges who do not operate a VTC, but wish to develop one in their jurisdiction. In 2013, the Michigan Legislature created a set of standards that allowed courts to establish VTCs as alternatives for veterans accused of certain crimes. Currently, Michigan leads the nation with 22 VTCs.

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