Progress. As the Michigan Supreme Court considered its administrative file (in 2023) to amend a court rule that would allow parties and attorneys to include any preferred personal pronoun in the caption section of court filings and would require courts to use those pronouns (unless doing so would result in an unclear record), I submitted…
Category: Pronouns
The Michigan Supreme Court begins 2024 with inclusive dignity
January 1, 2024 is the effective date for the MCR 1.109(D)(1)(b) amendments that allow parties and attorneys to include the pronouns in court filings. The public debate seemed heated (and sometimes cruel). But, in the end, the Court took another forward step toward greater inclusion. This is an important and positive start. Hopefully, future steps…
Three reasons why a proposed Michigan court rule that would invite and recognize self-identified pronouns does not offend the Constitution.
“If the judge wants everyone to respect and adhere to their pronoun of ‘Your Honor’ they must give the same respect they are receiving.” — Johanna C. Szalankiewicz’s written comment to the Michigan Supreme Court supporting ADM 2022-03 “When you meet a dog on the street, the owner might correct you and tell you the…