About Justice Weaver

Throughout Justice Elizabeth "Betty" Weaver's over 32 years of experience as a trial and appellate judge (Probate/Juvenile, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court), including 2 years as Chief Justice, she has maintained a proven record based on these major practices:
Exercising Judicial Restraint
Applying Common Sense

A fundamental tenet of her stand for jusitice is to hold wrong-doers accountable and responsible for their actions, while providing opportunities for them to discover and develop their own self-worth and to become law-abiding, productive citizens.

In exercising judicial restraint (interpreting, not making, the law -- judicial self-discipline), Justice Weaver has followed the law as constitutionally passed by the legislature and consistent with the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court. She has used the responsibility of interpretation, not as a sword to superimpose her own personal views (or those of special interest groups) on the law, but as a shield to protect the constitutional rights of the people and the constitutional acts of the legislative and executive branches.

Click here to read Michigan Court of Appeals Judge, Donald S. Owens’s Remarks as Presenter at the Induction of Justice Weaver into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame on October 25, 2005.

Click here to read Justice Weaver’s Remarks upon her Induction into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.

Press Release - 6/10/2005

Press Release - 1/13/2005

In November 2002, Justice Weaver won re-election for a second 8-year term on the Michigan Supreme Court.
This site provides information about her experience, credentials, principles, and major initiatives for the State of Michigan.

Check this site often for up-to-date press releases and other information about important work going on in the Supreme Court of Michigan.

Chief Justice Weaver's State of the Judiciary Message 9/28/00
Continued

‰ We opened to citizens our administrative agenda through public hearings held across the state. Through these hearings, the Supreme Court is now listening, directly, to what people have to say about the management of the courts.

‰ We changed our court rules to encourage the use of mediation and other methods of settling cases short of trial. Evidence shows that under the right circumstances, parties can be quite successful in developing their own solutions. This creates the potential for greater satisfaction, and a reduction in the time and expense needed to reach a result.

‰ We established a Council of Chief Judges to provide valuable insight into the management of our trial courts and to strengthen all chief judges as managers.

‰ We expanded our Local Intergovernmental Advisory Council, which improved communication between branches of local government.

‰ We implemented a freedom of information policy to improve access to Supreme Court records, aided by the creation of a national award-winning Supreme Court website.

‰ We reorganized the annual judicial conferences to emphasize judicial education.

‰ We are developing ways to promote the importance of jury service to make it easier and more affordable for citizens to serve, and make juries more inclusive.

‰ We codified standards for court records to make them more reliable statewide.

‰ We completed the design phase for the new Michigan Hall of Justice, and next month the erection of the steel framing should begin. We are continually grateful to you all, and especially to Senator Harry Gast for his leadership, for this important building, which will not only symbolize the judicial branch of our democracy, but will provide for more efficiency, and a public learning center about the judicial branch for schoolchildren and all visitors, in person and on-line, to use and enjoy.

Finally, we completed four productive years with our trial court demonstration projects, seven experiments in serving the public better through innovation in local court management. These courts are proving that when the judges of all the benches work together cooperatively within a coordinated administrative structure, and when enough time is given for evaluation of what is best suited to the community, the public benefits in concrete ways.

(continued)

"What we in the judiciary most need is patience, meekness, compassion, and courage to 'Do Right and Fear Not.'"
Chief Justice Weaver
State of the Judiciary

"She is bringing a fresh, dedicated, incisive mind to the Michigan Supreme Court."
Judge Myron Wahls
Court of Appeals

"I know Betty Weaver. She threw me in jail....But I would vote for her, because she...straightened me out, and the sentence was just."
Former convicted juvenile offender

"Your judicial experience...was outstanding. Your leadership abilities...have been impressive. There is sound reasoning for my full confidence in you as a justice."
Mary S. Coleman
Chief Justice 1978-82

Judge Weaver has been recognized in many ways for her public service, including selection as one of five outstanding young women in Michigan by the Michigan Jaycees. It is a pleasure for myself to recognize Judge Weaver as a capable and devoted public servant.
G. Mennen Williams
Chief Justice 1982-86