United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (E.D. Mich.)
Map
Appeals to	Sixth Circuit
Established	February 24, 1863
Judges assigned	15
Chief judge	Denise Page Hood
Official site

Theodore Levin United States Courthouse in Detroit, taken January 2010.

Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Port Huron, taken August 2003.

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 portion 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).

The current United States Attorney is Barbara L. McQuade, serving since January 4, 2010.^[1]

History

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 On March 3, 1837, Congress passed an act that repealed the circuit court jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the District of Michigan, assigned the District of Michigan to the Seventh Circuit, and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

The Eastern District comprises two divisions.^[4]

The Northern Division

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]

The Southern Division

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

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
• DeBoer v. Snyder
• Hess v. Reynolds
• Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• KSR v. Teleflex
• United States v. Abdulmutallab
• United States v. Detroit & Cleveland Nav. Co.
• United States v. Hathaway
• United States v. Kilpatrick
• United States v. Riverside Bayview
• United States v. Stone
• United States v. U.S. District Court

Current judges

Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan:

#	Title	Judge	Duty station	Born	Term of service			Appointed by
					Active	Chief	Senior
49	Chief Judge	Denise Page Hood	Detroit	1952	1994–present	2015–present	—	Clinton
46	District Judge	Gerald Ellis Rosen	Detroit	1951	1990–present	2009–2015	—	G.H.W. Bush
50	District Judge	Paul D. Borman	Detroit	1939	1994–present	—	—	Clinton
54	District Judge	Victoria A. Roberts	Detroit	1951	1998–present	—	—	Clinton
56	District Judge	David M. Lawson	Detroit	1951	2000–present	—	—	Clinton
57	District Judge	Sean Cox	Detroit	1957	2006–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
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	Flint	1952	2010–present	—	—	Obama
61	District Judge	Gershwin A. Drain	Detroit	1949	2012–present	—	—	Obama
62	District Judge	Terrence G. Berg	Flint	1959	2012–present	—	—	Obama
63	District Judge	Matthew Frederick Leitman	Detroit	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
28	Senior Judge	Charles Wycliffe Joiner	inactive	1916	1972–1984	—	1984–present	Nixon
29	Senior Judge	R. James Harvey	inactive	1922	1973–1984	—	1984–present	Nixon
30	Senior Judge	James Paul Churchill	inactive	1924	1974–1989	1989	1989–present	Ford
33	Senior Judge	Julian Abele Cook Jr.	inactive	1930	1978–1996	1989–1996	1996–present	Carter
34	Senior Judge	Avern Cohn	Detroit	1924	1979–1999	—	1999–present	Carter
35	Senior Judge	Stewart Albert Newblatt	inactive	1927	1979–1993	—	1993–present	Carter
36	Senior Judge	Anna Diggs Taylor	inactive	1932	1979–1998	1996–1998	1998–present	Carter
44	Senior Judge	Bernard A. Friedman	Detroit	1943	1988–2009	2004–2009	2009–present	Reagan
47	Senior Judge	Robert Hardy Cleland	Detroit	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
51	Senior Judge	John Corbett O'Meara	Ann Arbor	1933	1994–2007	—	2007–present	Clinton
52	Senior Judge	George Caram Steeh III	Detroit	1947	1998–2013	—	2013–present	Clinton
53	Senior Judge	Arthur Tarnow	Detroit	1942	1998–2010	—	2010–present	Clinton
55	Senior Judge	Marianne O. Battani	Detroit	1944	2000–2012	—	2012–present	Clinton

Former judges

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Age at appointment	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Wilkins, RossRoss Wilkins	MI	1799–1872	1863–1870[Note 1]	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Jackson, Jackson	retirement
2	Longyear, John W.John W. Longyear	MI	1820–1875	1870–1875	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Grant, Grant	death
3	Brown, Henry BillingsHenry Billings Brown	MI	1836–1913	1875–1890	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Grant, Grant	reappointment
4	Swan, Henry HarrisonHenry Harrison Swan	MI	1840–1916	1891–1911	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Harrison, B.B. Harrison	retirement
5	Angell, Alexis CaswellAlexis Caswell Angell	MI	1857–1932	1911–1912	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Taft, Taft	resignation
6	Tuttle, Arthur J.Arthur J. Tuttle	MI	1868–1944	1912–1944	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Taft, Taft	death
7	Simons, Charles CasperCharles Casper Simons	MI	1876–1964	1923–1932	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Harding, Harding	reappointment
8	Moinet, Edward JulienEdward Julien Moinet	MI	1873–1952	1927–1946[Note 2]	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	1946–1952	Coolidge, Coolidge	death
9	O'Brien, Ernest AloysiusErnest Aloysius O'Brien	MI	1880–1948	1931–1948	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Hoover, Hoover	death
10	Lederle, Arthur F.Arthur F. Lederle	MI	1887–1972	1936–1960	1948–1959	{{{age at appointment}}}	1960–1972	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
11	Picard, Frank AlbertFrank Albert Picard	MI	1889–1963	1939–1959	1959–1959	{{{age at appointment}}}	1959–1963	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
12	Koscinski, Arthur A.Arthur A. Koscinski	MI	1887–1957	1945–1957	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	1957–1957	Truman, Truman	death
13	Levin, TheodoreTheodore Levin	MI	1897–1970	1946–1970	1959–1967	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Truman, Truman	death
14	Thornton, Thomas PatrickThomas Patrick Thornton	MI	1898–1985	1949–1966	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	1966–1985	Truman, Truman	death
15	Freeman, Ralph M.Ralph M. Freeman	MI	1902–1990	1954–1973	1967–1972	{{{age at appointment}}}	1973–1990	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
16	O'Sullivan, Clifford PatrickClifford Patrick O'Sullivan	MI	1897–1975	1957–1960	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	reappointment
17	Kaess, Frederick WilliamFrederick William Kaess	MI	1910–1979	1960–1975	1972–1975	{{{age at appointment}}}	1975–1979	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
18	Feikens, JohnJohn Feikens	MI	1917–2011	1960–1961[Note 3]	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	not confirmed
19	Machrowicz, Thaddeus M.Thaddeus M. Machrowicz	MI	1899–1970	1961–1970	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
20	McCree, Jr., Wade HamptonWade Hampton McCree, Jr.	MI	1920–1987	1961–1966	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Kennedy, Kennedy	reappointment
21	Smith, TalbotTalbot Smith	MI	1899–1978	1961–1971[Note 4]	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	1971–1978	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
22	Roth, Stephen JohnStephen John Roth	MI	1908–1974	1962–1974	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
23	Keith, DamonDamon Keith	MI	1922–present	1967–1977	1975–1977	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	reappointment
24	Gubow, LawrenceLawrence Gubow	MI	1919–1978	1968–1978	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
25	Kennedy, Cornelia GroefsemaCornelia Groefsema Kennedy	MI	1923–2014	1970–1979	1977–1979	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Nixon, Nixon	reappointment
18.1	Feikens, JohnJohn Feikens	MI	1917–2011	1970–1986	1979–1986	{{{age at appointment}}}	1986–2011	Nixon, Nixon	death
26	Pratt, PhilipPhilip Pratt	MI	1924–1989	1970–1989	1986–1989	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Nixon, Nixon	death
27	DeMascio, Robert EdwardRobert Edward DeMascio	MI	1923–1999	1971–1988	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	1988–1999	Nixon, Nixon	death
31	Guy, Jr., Ralph B.Ralph B. Guy, Jr.	MI	1929–present	1976–1985	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Ford, Ford	reappointment
32	Boyle, PatriciaPatricia Boyle	MI	1937–2014	1978–1983	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Carter, Carter	resignation
37	Gilmore, Horace WeldonHorace Weldon Gilmore	MI	1918–2010	1980–1991	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	1991–2010	Carter, Carter	death
38	Woods, George E.George E. Woods	MI	1923–2007	1983–1993	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	1993–2004	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
39	Suhrheinrich, Richard FredRichard Fred Suhrheinrich	MI	1936–present	1984–1990	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Reagan, Reagan	reappointment
40	La Plata, GeorgeGeorge La Plata	MI	1924–2010	1985–1996	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	—	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
41	Zatkoff, Lawrence PaulLawrence Paul Zatkoff	MI	1939–2015	1986–2004	1999–2004	{{{age at appointment}}}	2004–2015	Reagan, Reagan	death
42	Hackett, Barbara KlokaBarbara Kloka Hackett	MI	1928–present	1986–1997	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	1997–2000	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
43	Duggan, Patrick J.Patrick J. Duggan	MI	1933–present	1986–2000	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	2000–2015	Reagan	retirement
45	Gadola, Paul V.Paul V. Gadola	MI	1929–2014	1988–2001	—	{{{age at appointment}}}	2001–2014	Reagan, Reagan	death

1. Reassigned from District of Michigan
2. Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1927, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 19, 1927, and received commission on December 19, 1927.
3. Recess appointment; the United States Senate later rejected the appointment.
4. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1962, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 5, 1962, and received commission on February 9, 1962.

Succession of seats

Seat 1 Seat reassigned from District of Michigan on February 24, 1863 by 12 Stat. 660 Wilkins 1863–1870 Longyear 1870–1875 Brown 1875–1890 Swan 1891–1911 Angell 1911–1912 Tuttle 1912–1944 Koscinski 1945–1957 O'Sullivan 1957–1960 Feikens 1960–1961 Roth 1962–1974 Churchill 1974–1989 Cleland 1990–2013 Parker 2014–present

Seat 2 Seat established on September 14, 1922 by 42 Stat. 837 (temporary) Simons 1923–1932 Seat made permanent on August 19, 1935 by 49 Stat. 659 Lederle 1936–1960 Kaess 1960–1975 Guy, Jr. 1976–1985 Zatkoff 1986–2004 Cox 2006–present

Seat 3 Seat established on March 3, 1927 by 44 Stat. 1380 Moinet 1927–1946 Levin 1946–1970 DeMascio 1971–1988 Friedman 1988–2009 Drain 2012–present

Seat 4 Seat established on February 20, 1931 by 46 Stat. 1197 O'Brien 1931–1948 Thornton 1949–1966 Keith 1967–1977 Boyle 1978–1983 Woods 1983–1993 Hood 1994–present

Seat 5 Seat established on May 31, 1938 by 52 Stat. 585 Picard 1939–1959 Machrowicz 1961–1970 Kennedy 1970–1979 Gilmore 1980–1991 O'Meara 1994–2007 Goldsmith 2010–present

Seat 6 Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 Freeman 1954–1973 Harvey 1974–1984 Suhrheinrich 1984–1990 Edmunds 1992–2012 Levy 2014–present

Seat 7 Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 McCree, Jr. 1961–1966 Gubow 1968–1978 Cook, Jr. 1978–1996 Tarnow 1998–2010 Berg 2012–present

Seat 8 Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 Smith 1961–1971 Joiner 1972–1984 Hackett 1986–1997 Steeh III 1998–2013 Michelson 2014–present

Seat 9 Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 Feikens 1970–1986 Gadola 1988–2001 Ludington 2006–present

Seat 10 Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 Pratt 1970–1989 Rosen 1990–present

Seat 11 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Cohn 1979–1999 Lawson 2000–present

Seat 12 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Newblatt 1979–1993 Borman 1994–present

Seat 13 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Taylor 1979–1998 Battani 2000–2012 Leitman 2014–present

Seat 14 Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 La Plata 1985–1996 Roberts 1998–present

Seat 15 Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Duggan 1986–2000 Murphy III 2008–present

See also

• Courts of Michigan
• List of United States federal courthouses in Michigan
• United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
• Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Notes

1. "Office of the United States Attorneys". Executive Office for United States Attorneys. United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
2. U.S. District Courts of Michigan, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
3. Judges of the District of Michigan, Federal Judicial Center.
4. 28 U.S.C. § 102

External links

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Official Website
• United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Official Website