Michigan Court of Appeals

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Inmates sent to prison as children can sue the state over sexual abuse and other alleged misconduct, under a ruling from the Michigan Court of Appeals. 

The lawsuit claims minors aged 13 to 17 who were sent to prison were beaten and sexually abused by adult inmates and prison staff. The state tried to get the lawsuit dismissed under a 1999 amendment to Michigan’s civil rights act that barred legal actions filed by inmates under that law. 

The court struck that down.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   The Michigan Court of Appeals dismissed a lawsuit claiming the state wrongfully accused thousands of people of unemployment fraud.  

In 2013, the state started using an automated system to flag fraud cases. But the system wrongly identified tens of thousands of people – and some of them sued to get their money back, plus fees and interest.

But the Court says they waited too long to file the lawsuit.

MARQUETTE, MI--   An Ishpeming man retried for torturing two women at his mixed martial arts studio has been found not guilty on all charges. 

The Michigan Court of Appeals granted Jason Sadowski, 47, a new trial after his co-defendant made comments that implicated him at the first trial, but Sadowski couldn’t challenge the statements because the co-defendant didn’t testify.

Sadowski was exonerated Friday on seven charges, including torture, solicitation of murder, unlawful imprisonment, and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that police can pull over motorists whose license plates are obstructed by an object such as a bike rack or trailer hitch. 

The unanimous opinion filed Tuesday concluded that the Michigan Vehicle Code requires motorists to attach their plates in a place where they can be seen without obstruction.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   A lawsuit claiming juvenile inmates were sexually assaulted and harassed while being housed as adults has been dismissed.  

Plaintiffs claim guards failed to protect their safety in prison.

The Michigan Court of Appeals dismissed the case on technical grounds.

It also said the plaintiffs could not claim protection under Michigan’s civil rights law. That’s because lawmakers exempted prisons from the law in 1999.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The Michigan appeals court has rejected a challenge to a court that hears lawsuits against the state.

The appeals court says there's nothing unconstitutional about the Court of Claims, which was overhauled by the Legislature last year. The decision was released Wednesday.

Lawsuits against the state had been handled by judges in Ingham County, the home of state government. But the Court of Claims now is run by judges who sit on the appeals court.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The Michigan Court of Appeals has upheld a decision by state environmental regulators to allow construction of the Eagle nickel and copper mine in Marquette County. 

A three-judge panel unanimously sided with the Department of Environmental Quality, which issued mining and groundwater discharge permits to Kennecott Eagle Minerals. The mine is now owned by Lundin Mining Corporation.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The Michigan appeals court says the public has no right to see the records of an insurance fund that puts a fee on cars to pay for catastrophic injuries.  

The court said Wednesday that the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association is not covered by a public records law. It overturned a 2012 decision by an Ingham County judge.

The insurance fund was created by the Legislature to reimburse insurers for claims that exceed $500,000. Michigan's no-fault insurance law provides unlimited lifetime coverage for medical expenses tied to auto wrecks.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Michigan's leading business group is urging the state appeals court to rule out jobless benefits for people who are fired for using medical marijuana.  

The appeals court has cases involving people who sought benefits after being dismissed. Judges in Kent and Ingham counties have ruled in favor of the workers.

Rich Studley of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce says businesses are in a "no-win situation." He says employers would have to ignore marijuana use or else pay higher unemployment taxes if a fired worker collects unemployment aid.