Michigan Supreme Court Justice Megan Cavanagh at the Michigan Elder Abuse Task Force meeting in Flint, July 26, 2019 | Andrew Roth
With Elizabeth Clement, chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, set to step down no later than April 30, members of the court have named Justice Megan K. Cavanagh as her successor.
In a statement Thursday, Cavanagh said her colleagues had unanimously elected her as the next chief justice upon Clement’s departure in order to ensure a smooth transition.
“While I love the case work that is central to serving as a Justice, I am ready to tackle the administrative responsibilities that come with the role of Chief Justice. From continuing the build out of the statewide case management system to the expansion of e-filing, technology implementation will remain central to our efforts to help our court system be more efficient and better able to meet the needs of the people we serve,” Cavanagh said.
“My focus will be on strengthening collaborative efforts like the Michigan Judicial Council in which justice system stakeholders come together to weave a shared agenda that combines the best ideas and experiences. I believe strongly that collaboration and cooperation are the keys to building public trust in our branch of government,” she said.
Cavanagh was first elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 2018 after being nominated by the Democratic Party. She serves as the court’s liaison on child welfare issues, tribal courts and as chair of the Commission on Well-Being in the Law among her other administrative responsibilities. She previously served as co-lead on the Child Protective Legal Representation Task Force.
Clement was first appointed by GOP Gov. Rick Snyder in 2017, and was elected to serve a full-term in 2018, receiving the Republican nomination. She was unanimously elected to her role as chief justice in November 2022, and was reelected in January 2023, and again this previous January.
She is leaving the state’s highest court no later than April 30, plans to take on the role as president of the Virginia-based National Center for State Courts, a nonprofit that provides assistance and resources to courts both nationally and around the world.
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