UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
Welcome to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, which encompasses 6.5 million people in the Eastern half of Michigan’s lower peninsula. Our jurisdiction consists of 34 counties, stretching from the Ohio border north to the Mackinac Bridge, and from mid-Michigan east to Canada.
The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan is the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in the District. The U.S. Attorney, Dawn Ison, is one of 93 U.S. Attorneys appointed by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate. The office prosecutes cases involving violations of federals laws and represents the interests of the United States government and its agencies in criminal and civil matters. Our office also enforces federal civil rights to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all persons in the United States, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
The main U.S. Attorney's Office is in Detroit, with primary branch offices in Flint and Bay City. The office employs approximately 120 Assistant United States Attorneys and 135 support staff.
The office's annual budget is approximately $25 million. Through forfeitures and affirmative civil settlements, the office regularly brings in over $100 million annually for the United States, which is turned over to taxpayers and crime victims.
Our office is organized into four divisions: Criminal, Civil, Appellate, and Administrative.
DAWN N. ISON
United States Attorney
(E.D. Mich.) |
Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse (Detroit) More locations
|
Sixth Circuit |
February 24, 1863 |
15 |
Sean Cox |
Dawn N. Ison |
Owen M. Cypher |
www.mied.uscourts.gov |
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (in case citations, E.D. Mich.) is the federal district court with jurisdiction over of the eastern half of the Lower Peninsula of the State of Michigan. The Court is based in Detroit, with courthouses also located in Ann Arbor, Bay City, Flint, and Port Huron. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over the court (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
As of December 21, 2021, the United States Attorney is Dawn N. Ison.[1]
History[edit]
The United States District Court for the District of Michigan was established on July 1, 1836, by 5 Stat. 61, with a single judgeship.[2] The district court was not assigned to a judicial circuit, but was granted the same jurisdiction as United States circuit courts, except in appeals and writs of error, which were the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Due to the so-called "Toledo War", a boundary dispute with Ohio, Michigan did not become a state of the Union until January 26, 1837. On March 3, 1837, Congress passed an act that repealed the circuit court jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the District of Michigan, assigned the District of Michigan to the Seventh Circuit, and established a U.S. circuit court for the district, 5 Stat. 176.[2]
On July 15, 1862, Congress reorganized the circuits and assigned Michigan to the Eighth Circuit by 12 Stat. 576,[2] and on January 28, 1863, the Congress again reorganized Seventh and Eight Circuits and assigned Michigan to the Seventh Circuit, by 12 Stat. 637.[2] On February 24, 1863, Congress divided the District of Michigan into the Eastern and the Western Districts, with one judgeship authorized for each district, by 12 Stat. 660. Ross Wilkins, who had been the only district judge to serve the District of Michigan, was reassigned to the Eastern District.[2][3] Finally, on July 23, 1866, by 14 Stat. 209, Congress assigned the two Districts in Michigan to the Sixth Circuit, where they remain.[2]
Divisions[edit]
The Eastern District comprises two divisions.[4]
Northern Division[edit]
The Northern Division comprises the counties of Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Bay, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Iosco, Isabella, Midland, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, and Tuscola.[4]
Court for the Northern Division is held in Bay City.[4]
Southern Division[edit]
The Southern Division comprises the counties of Genesee, Jackson, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Saint Clair, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Washtenaw, and Wayne.[4]
Court for the Southern Division is held in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, and Port Huron.[4]
Notable cases[edit]
Some of the notable cases that have come before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan include:
- American Civil Liberties Union v. National Security Agency
- Berghuis v. Thompkins
- Conyers v. Bush
- Dean v. Utica Community Schools
- DeBoer v. Snyder
- Hess v. Reynolds
- Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc.
- R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- United States v. Abdulmutallab
- United States v. Anthony Chebatoris
- United States v. Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Co.
- United States v. Hathaway
- United States v. Kilpatrick
- United States v. Riverside Bayview
- United States v. Stone
- United States v. United States District Court
Current judges[edit]
As of August 13, 2022:
57 | Chief Judge | Sean Cox | Detroit | 1957 | 2006–present | 2022–present | — | G.W. Bush |
50 | District Judge | Paul D. Borman | Detroit | 1939 | 1994–present | — | — | Clinton |
58 | District Judge | Thomas Lamson Ludington | Bay City | 1953 | 2006–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
59 | District Judge | Stephen Murphy III | Detroit | 1962 | 2008–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
60 | District Judge | Mark A. Goldsmith | Detroit | 1952 | 2010–present | — | — | Obama |
62 | District Judge | Terrence Berg | Detroit | 1959 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
63 | District Judge | Matthew Frederick Leitman | Flint | 1968 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
64 | District Judge | Judith Ellen Levy | Ann Arbor | 1958 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
65 | District Judge | Laurie J. Michelson | Detroit | 1967 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
66 | District Judge | Linda Vivienne Parker | Detroit | 1958 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
68 | District Judge | Shalina D. Kumar | Flint | 1971 | 2021–present | — | — | Biden |
69 | District Judge | vacant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
70 | District Judge | vacant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
71 | District Judge | vacant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
72 | District Judge | vacant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
35 | Senior Judge | Stewart Albert Newblatt | inactive | 1927 | 1979–1993 | — | 1993–present | Carter |
44 | Senior Judge | Bernard A. Friedman | Detroit | 1943 | 1988–2009 | 2004–2009 | 2009–present | Reagan |
47 | Senior Judge | Robert Hardy Cleland | Port Huron | 1947 | 1990–2013 | — | 2013–present | G.H.W. Bush |
48 | Senior Judge | Nancy Garlock Edmunds | Detroit | 1947 | 1992–2012 | — | 2012–present | G.H.W. Bush |
49 | Senior Judge | Denise Page Hood | Detroit | 1952 | 1994–2022 | 2015–2022 | 2022–present | Clinton |
51 | Senior Judge | John Corbett O'Meara | inactive | 1933 | 1994–2007 | — | 2007–present | Clinton |
52 | Senior Judge | George Caram Steeh III | Detroit | 1947 | 1998–2013 | — | 2013–present | Clinton |
54 | Senior Judge | Victoria A. Roberts | Detroit | 1951 | 1998–2021 | — | 2021–present | Clinton |
56 | Senior Judge | David M. Lawson | Detroit | 1951 | 2000–2021 | — | 2021–present | Clinton |
61 | Senior Judge | Gershwin A. Drain | Detroit | 1949 | 2012–2022 | — | 2022–present | Obama |
Vacancies and pending nominations[edit]
11 | Detroit | David M. Lawson | Senior status | August 6, 2021 | F. Kay Behm | July 11, 2022 |
4 | Denise Page Hood | May 1, 2022 | Jonathan J.C. Grey | September 6, 2022 | ||
10 | Flint | Stephanie D. Davis | Elevation | June 14, 2022 | – | – |
3 | Detroit | Gershwin Drain | Senior status | August 13, 2022 | – | – |
Former judges[edit]
1 | Ross Wilkins | MI | 1799–1872 | 1863–1870[Note 1] | — | — | Jackson/Operation of law | retirement |
2 | John W. Longyear | MI | 1820–1875 | 1870–1875 | — | — | Grant | death |
3 | Henry Billings Brown | MI | 1836–1913 | 1875–1890 | — | — | Grant | elevation to Supreme Court |
4 | Henry Harrison Swan | MI | 1840–1916 | 1891–1911 | — | — | B. Harrison | retirement |
5 | Alexis Caswell Angell | MI | 1857–1932 | 1911–1912 | — | — | Taft | resignation |
6 | Arthur J. Tuttle | MI | 1868–1944 | 1912–1944 | — | — | Taft | death |
7 | Charles Casper Simons | MI | 1876–1964 | 1923–1932 | — | — | Harding | elevation to 6th Cir. |
8 | Edward Julien Moinet | MI | 1873–1952 | 1927–1946[Note 2] | — | 1946–1952 | Coolidge | death |
9 | Ernest Aloysius O'Brien | MI | 1880–1948 | 1931–1948 | — | — | Hoover | death |
10 | Arthur F. Lederle | MI | 1887–1972 | 1936–1960 | 1948–1959 | 1960–1972 | F. Roosevelt | death |
11 | Frank Albert Picard | MI | 1889–1963 | 1939–1959 | 1959 | 1959–1963 | F. Roosevelt | death |
12 | Arthur A. Koscinski | MI | 1887–1957 | 1945–1957 | — | 1957 | Truman | death |
13 | Theodore Levin | MI | 1897–1970 | 1946–1970 | 1959–1967 | — | Truman | death |
14 | Thomas Patrick Thornton | MI | 1898–1985 | 1949–1966 | — | 1966–1985 | Truman | death |
15 | Ralph M. Freeman | MI | 1902–1990 | 1954–1973 | 1967–1972 | 1973–1990 | Eisenhower | death |
16 | Clifford Patrick O'Sullivan | MI | 1897–1975 | 1957–1960 | — | — | Eisenhower | elevation to 6th Cir. |
17 | Frederick William Kaess | MI | 1910–1979 | 1960–1975 | 1972–1975 | 1975–1979 | Eisenhower | death |
18 | John Feikens | MI | 1917–2011 | 1960–1961[Note 3] | — | — | Eisenhower | not confirmed |
18.1 | John Feikens | MI | 1917–2011 | 1970–1986 | 1979–1986 | 1986–2011 | Nixon | death |
19 | Thaddeus M. Machrowicz | MI | 1899–1970 | 1961–1970 | — | — | Kennedy | death |
20 | Wade H. McCree | MI | 1920–1987 | 1961–1966 | — | — | Kennedy | elevation to 6th Cir. |
21 | Talbot Smith | MI | 1899–1978 | 1961–1971[Note 4] | — | 1971–1978 | Kennedy | death |
22 | Stephen John Roth | MI | 1908–1974 | 1962–1974 | — | — | Kennedy | death |
23 | Damon Keith | MI | 1922–2019 | 1967–1977 | 1975–1977 | — | L. Johnson | elevation to 6th Cir. |
24 | Lawrence Gubow | MI | 1919–1978 | 1968–1978 | — | — | L. Johnson | death |
25 | Cornelia Groefsema Kennedy | MI | 1923–2014 | 1970–1979 | 1977–1979 | — | Nixon | elevation to 6th Cir. |
26 | Philip Pratt | MI | 1924–1989 | 1970–1989 | 1986–1989 | — | Nixon | death |
27 | Robert Edward DeMascio | MI | 1923–1999 | 1971–1988 | — | 1988–1999 | Nixon | death |
28 | Charles Wycliffe Joiner | MI | 1916–2017 | 1972–1984 | — | 1984–2017 | Nixon | death |
29 | R. James Harvey | MI | 1922–2019 | 1973–1984 | — | 1984–2019 | Nixon | death |
30 | James Paul Churchill | MI | 1924–2020 | 1974–1989 | 1989 | 1989–2020 | Ford | death |
31 | Ralph B. Guy Jr. | MI | 1929–present | 1976–1985 | — | — | Ford | elevation to 6th Cir. |
32 | Patricia Boyle | MI | 1937–2014 | 1978–1983 | — | — | Carter | resignation |
33 | Julian A. Cook | MI | 1930–2017 | 1978–1996 | 1989–1996 | 1996–2017 | Carter | death |
34 | Avern Cohn | MI | 1924–2022 | 1979–1999 | — | 1999–2022 | Carter | death |
36 | Anna Diggs Taylor | MI | 1932–2017 | 1979–1998 | 1996–1998 | 1998–2017 | Carter | death |
37 | Horace Weldon Gilmore | MI | 1918–2010 | 1980–1991 | — | 1991–2010 | Carter | death |
38 | George E. Woods | MI | 1923–2007 | 1983–1993 | — | 1993–2004 | Reagan | retirement |
39 | Richard Fred Suhrheinrich | MI | 1936–present | 1984–1990 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 6th Cir. |
40 | George La Plata | MI | 1924–2010 | 1985–1996 | — | — | Reagan | retirement |
41 | Lawrence Paul Zatkoff | MI | 1939–2015 | 1986–2004 | 1999–2004 | 2004–2015 | Reagan | death |
42 | Barbara Kloka Hackett | MI | 1928–2018 | 1986–1997 | — | 1997–2000 | Reagan | retirement |
43 | Patrick J. Duggan | MI | 1933–2020 | 1986–2000 | — | 2000–2020 | Reagan | death |
45 | Paul V. Gadola | MI | 1929–2014 | 1988–2001 | — | 2001–2014 | Reagan | death |
46 | Gerald Ellis Rosen | MI | 1951–present | 1990–2016 | 2009–2015 | 2016–2017 | G.H.W. Bush | retirement |
53 | Arthur Tarnow | MI | 1942–2022 | 1998–2010 | — | 2010–2022 | Clinton | death |
55 | Marianne O. Battani | MI | 1944–2021 | 2000–2012 | — | 2012–2021 | Clinton | death |
67 | Stephanie D. Davis | MI | 1967–present | 2019–2022 | — | — | Trump | elevation to 6th Cir. |
- ^ Reassigned from the District of Michigan.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1927, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 19, 1927, and received commission the same day.
- ^ Recess appointment; the Senate later rejected the appointment.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1962, confirmed by the Senate on February 5, 1962, and received commission on February 9, 1962.
Chief judges[edit]
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats[edit]
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See also[edit]
- Courts of Michigan
- List of current United States district judges
- List of United States federal courthouses in Michigan
References[edit]
- ^ "DAWN N. ISON SWORN IN AS UNITED STATES ATTORNEY". The United State's Attorney's Office. December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f U.S. District Courts of Michigan, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
- ^ Judges of the District of Michigan, Federal Judicial Center.
- ^ a b c d e 28 U.S.C. § 102
External links[edit]
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Official Website
- United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Official Website
Coordinates: 42°19′49″N 83°2′58.5″W / 42.33028°N 83.049583°W