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

Let me salute the chief judges of these courts, and through them their colleagues and staffs, for their difficult work as pioneers of court improvement.

‰ Judge Tom Davis of Crawford, Kalkaska, and Otsego counties. This multicounty court has cut costs by tens of thousands of dollars in witness fees and attorney reimbursements. It has reduced the time for jury service from 90 days to 15, and the time for completion of active felony cases by 75 percent. The court now offers citizens the convenience of on-line transactions and information.

‰ Judge Jim Fisher of Barry County. The Barry County demonstration court has cut the time to take a criminal case to court in half, and last year saved taxpayers $195,000. Fred Jacobs, a Barry County publisher, called the project "a great example of how creative local cooperation can improve services to the public while reducing costs to the taxpayer." And so it is.

‰ Judges Mark Wickens of Lake County and Joe Schwedler of Iron County. These two judges now serve as the first and only full-time, full-service resident judges of their counties. Their local citizens are now getting faster service in all types of cases, especially children and family matters, and collections of court fines and costs are way up!

‰ Judge Paul Maloney of Berrien County. Here, reorganization has produced nearly $600,000 in budget savings from improved court collections, and has given rise to a productive broad-based county initiative on juvenile justice issues, including a drug court, a sheriff's work alternative program, a truancy academy, and a day treatment program.

‰ Judge Paul Chamberlain of Isabella County. This county, too, has seen dramatic increases in revenues -- 49 percent since 1996, and has managed a 25 percent increase in caseload with no additional judges or staff. The alliances created by the demonstration project were the springboard for the development of a courthouse master plan. This month Isabella County citizens were welcomed into an efficient and user-friendly 21st century courthouse! And finally,

‰ Judge Tim Connors of Washtenaw County, the largest of the demonstration courts. Washtenaw's project has been something of a roller coaster ride. But we can now report that the ride has reached terra firma. Adjournments are down, dispositions and collections are up, and the jury pool is improved. And just last October, their growing expertise in community cooperation was rewarded by $2 million in federal funding for their promising specialized domestic violence docket -- one of only three such grants in the nation. Representative Andrew Richner and his Family and Civil Law Committee heard much of this story on the road last year at three of the demonstration court sites. They saw these communities rally around their projects as a matter of civic pride. I want to thank Representative Richner, Vice-chairs Shulman and Baird, and the entire committee for their keen interest in improving our justice system.

(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