Daily Briefs

High School Mock Trial seeking volunteer attorneys and judges


The Michigan Center for Civic Education and the hundreds of high school students statewide who participate in High School Mock Trial need your help. Volunteer attorneys, judges, legal assistants and law students are needed to serve as judges and court officers in the 2017 events.

Competition dates are:

• Feb. 25: Kent County Regional Tournament (Grand Rapids)

• March 4: Macomb County Regional Tournament (Mt. Clemens)

• March 11: Oakland County Regional Tournament (Pontiac)

• March 18: Washtenaw County Regional Tournament (Ann Arbor)

• March 25: State Finals (Lansing. Experienced judges only, please)

 This year’s Mock Trail case is a  civil matter in which the plaintiff alleges excessive force during an arrest. The defendant police officer and police department claim the force utilized during  the arrest was justified and that their policies and practices are reasonable.
 Volunteers may register here: http://www.miciviced.org/mock-trial/mhsmtt-volunteer-registration

 

State OKs new voting equipment for statewide use by 2018
 

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan has approved contracts to replace thousands of machines that count paper ballots in elections.

The 10-year contracts with three vendors were authorized by the State Administrative Board Tuesday. Each of Michigan’s 83 county clerks will consult with local clerks on which vendor to choose.

Secretary of State Ruth Johnson says the new equipment will be in place statewide by the August 2018 primary.

She says $40 million has been allocated to pay most of the upfront cost. Local governments will cover the rest, which will vary depending on the vendor and the cost of service and maintenance.

All of Michigan’s vote tabulators are at least a decade old. State officials have said the recent presidential recount showed the scanners are accurate despite some problems mostly attributed to human error.

 

Drunken driver who killed girl gets 27-year prison sentence
 

DETROIT (AP) — A drunken driver with 13 convictions has been sentenced to at least 27 years in prison for a crash that killed a 12-year-old girl in suburban Detroit.

Charles Cahill Jr. took responsibility during a court hearing Tuesday and repeatedly wept as Victoria Mack's family spoke to the judge. He says he can't forgive himself and wishes he had been killed in the crash, not the girl.

Police say Cahill was drunk when he crashed into a minivan last July in Sumpter Township, near Belleville. He lost his license in 1990 and had served two prison sentences for drunken driving.

Cahill will be eligible for parole after 27 years. His maximum stay in prison is 50 years.

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