Small Modicum of Justice for the Mentally Ill

July 28, 2021

STIPULATED ORDER APPROVING FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN MPAS AND MDHHS AND DISMISSING MPAS’ CLAIMS AGAINST MDHHS AND ELIZABETH HERTEL WITH PREJUDICE On July 20, 2021, Plaintiff Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc. (MPAS) and Defendant Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) entered into a Final Settlement Agreement. (Final Agreement, attached as Exhibit 1.) […]

New York Becomes First State to End Lawsuit Protections for Police Officers

March 29, 2021

Hopefully, other states will follow NY’s lead in leveling the playing field between police officers and citizen contact. A series of police reform bills were passed by the New York City Council Thursday, including a measure that eliminates qualified immunity for officers, CBS New York reports. New York becomes the first state to remove long-standing protections […]

Michigan Court of Appeals says probationers can use Medical Marijuana while on probation.

March 1, 2021

Defendant appeals by leave granted1 the circuit court’s order denying defendant’s application for leave to appeal the district court’s denial of his motion to allow him to use medical marijuana while on probation. We reverse the district court’s order denying the defendant’s motion to modify the terms of his probation to allow him to use […]

Michigan judges can’t stop medical marijuana use by probationers, court rules

February 15, 2021

Registered patients previously barred from using medical marijuana while on probation may now light up, the state Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.

Local Zoning Restrictions NOT preempted by Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Act (MMMA)

January 26, 2021

In an unpublished opinion, we affirmed the trial court’s September 2017 order determining that plaintiff’s, the Charter Township of Ypsilanti, zoning ordinance directly conflicted with the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA), MCL 333.26421 et seq., and thus was preempted by the MMMA.

Whitmer signs bills offering more alternatives to jail time for traffic offenses, low-level crimes

January 6, 2021

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed bipartisan legislation aimed at providing more alternatives to jail time for offenses that don’t pose a public safety risk, among other reforms to the state’s criminal justice system.

Criminal Record Expungement Bill

December 2, 2020

LANSING, MI – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed a bill package that provides a framework for thousands of Michigan residents to seal prior criminal records from public view.

“Crime of Violence” is Unconstitutionally Vague

April 17, 2018

The U.S. Supreme Court declared a clause in federal law, requiring the deportation of immigrants convicted of a “crime of violence,” unconstitutionally vague. Read More at NPR.org Read the full opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court here.

Governor Signs Law Limiting Illinois Police On Immigration

August 30, 2017

Originally from ABC News: “Illinois will limit how local and state police can cooperate with federal immigration authorities under a plan signed into law Monday by Gov. Bruce Rauner, a move that puts the first-term Republican at odds with his party on immigration issues. The narrow measure prohibits police from searching, arresting or detaining someone solely […]

Rescission of Memorandum Providing for Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (“DAPA”)

June 19, 2017

Source On June 15, Department of Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, after consulting with the Attorney General, signed a memorandum rescinding the November 20, 2014 memorandum that created the program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (“DAPA”) because there is no credible path forward to litigate the currently […]