United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan

File:2009-0618-Soo-RiverofHistoryM.jpg in Sault Ste. Marie served as a courthouse of the Western District of Michigan; the court met there from 1912 until 1941.]]

The United States District Court for the District of Michigan was established on July 1, 1836, by 5 Stat. 61, with a single judgeship.[https://www.fjc.gov/history/courts/u.s.-district-courts-districts-michigan-legislative-history U.S. District Courts of Michigan, Legislative history], Federal Judicial Center. 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 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 On March 3, 1837, Congress passed an act that repealed the circuit court jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the District of Michigan, assigned the District of Michigan to the Seventh Circuit, and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.

On July 15, 1862, Congress reorganized the circuits and assigned Michigan to the Eighth Circuit by 12 Stat. 576, and on January 28, 1863, the Congress again reorganized Seventh and Eight Circuits and assigned Michigan to the Seventh Circuit, by 12 Stat. 637. 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. The Western District was later further divided into a Southern Division and a Northern Division.

In the Northern Division, Court was held at the Old Federal Building in Sault Ste. Marie from 1912 until 1941. While the law allows court to be held in Sault Ste. Marie,{{USCode|28|102}} it no longer is.{{cite web | url=http://www.miwd.uscourts.gov/ | title=United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan | access-date=March 3, 2014}}

The District Court is based in Grand Rapids, courthouses also located in Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Marquette in the Upper Peninsula. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over the court.

The Western District comprises two divisions.

The Northern Division comprises the counties of Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, and Schoolcraft.

Court for the Northern Division can be held in Marquette and Sault Sainte Marie.

The Southern Division comprises the counties of Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Benzie, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Clinton, Eaton, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa, Saint Joseph, Van Buren, and Wexford.

Court for the Southern Division can be held in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Traverse City.

Some of the notable cases that have come before the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan include:

• Bogaert v. Land
• Brown v. Davenport
• Carroll v. United States
• Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Ass'n
• Newberry v. United States
• Upjohn Co. v. United States
• United States v. Bestfoods
• United States v. Craft
• United States v. Ogoshi

{{As of|2023|01|04|df=US}}:

{{start U.S. judgeship Current}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Current

| index = 22

| title = Chief Judge

| name = Hala Y. Jarbou

| duty station = Lansing

| born = 1971

| term = 2020–present

| chief term = 2022–present

| senior term = —

| appointer = Trump

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Current|

index=19|

title=District Judge|

name=Paul Lewis Maloney|

duty station=Kalamazoo|

born=1949|

term=2007–present|

chief term=2008–2015|

senior term=—|

appointer=G.W. Bush|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Current|

index=20|

title=District Judge|

name=Robert James Jonker|

duty station=Grand Rapids|

born=1960|

term=2007–present|

chief term=2015–2022|

senior term=—|

appointer=G.W. Bush

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Current

| index = 23

| title = District Judge

| name = Jane M. Beckering

| duty station = Grand Rapids

| born = 1965

| term = 2021–present

| chief term = —

| senior term = —

| appointer = Biden

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Current|

index=18|

title=Senior Judge|

name=Gordon Jay Quist|

duty station=inactive|

born=1937|

term=1992–2006|

chief term=—|

senior term=2006–present|

appointer=G.H.W. Bush|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Current|

index=21|

title=Senior Judge|

name=Janet T. Neff|

duty station=Grand Rapids|

born=1945|

term=2007–2021|

chief term=—|

senior term=2021–present|

appointer=G.W. Bush|

}}

{{end U.S. judgeship Current}}

{{start U.S. judgeship Former}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=1|

name={{sortname|Solomon Lewis|Withey}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1820–1886|

term=1863–1886|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname||Lincoln|List of federal judges appointed by Abraham Lincoln}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=2|

name={{sortname|Henry Franklin|Severens}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1835–1923|

term=1886–1900|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname||Cleveland|List of federal judges appointed by Grover Cleveland}}|

termination=elevation to 6th Cir.|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=3|

name={{sortname|George P.|Wanty}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1856–1906|

term=1900–1906|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname||McKinley|List of federal judges appointed by William McKinley}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=4|

name={{sortname|Loyal Edwin|Knappen}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1854–1930|

term=1906–1910|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname|T.|Roosevelt|List of federal judges appointed by Theodore Roosevelt}}|

termination=elevation to 6th Cir.|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=5|

name={{sortname|Arthur Carter|Denison}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1861–1942|

term=1910–1911|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname||Taft|List of federal judges appointed by William Howard Taft}}|

termination=elevation to 6th Cir.|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=6|

name={{sortname|Clarence W.|Sessions}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1859–1931|

term=1911–1931|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname||Taft|List of federal judges appointed by William Howard Taft}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=7|

name={{sortname|Fred Morton|Raymond}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1876–1946|

term=1925–1946Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1925, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 18, 1925, and received commission the same day.|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname||Coolidge|List of federal judges appointed by Calvin Coolidge}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=8|

name={{sortname|Raymond Wesley|Starr}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1888–1968|

term=1946–1961|

chief term=1954–1961|

senior term=1961–1968|

appointer={{sortname||Truman|List of federal judges appointed by Harry S. Truman}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=9|

name={{sortname|W. Wallace|Kent}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1916–1973|

term=1954–1971|

chief term=1961–1971|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname||Eisenhower|List of federal judges appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower}}|

termination=elevation to 6th Cir.|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=10|

name={{sortname|Noel Peter|Fox}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1910–1987|

term=1962–1979|

chief term=1971–1979|

senior term=1979–1987|

appointer={{sortname||Kennedy|List of federal judges appointed by John F. Kennedy}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=11|

name={{sortname|Albert J.|Engel Jr.}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1924–2013|

term=1970–1974|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname||Nixon|List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon}}|

termination=elevation to 6th Cir.|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=12|

name={{sortname|Wendell Alverson|Miles}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1916–2013|

term=1974–1986|

chief term=1979–1986|

senior term=1986–2013|

appointer={{sortname||Nixon|List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=13|

name={{sortname|Douglas Woodruff|Hillman}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1922–2007|

term=1979–1991|

chief term=1986–1991|

senior term=1991–2002|

appointer={{sortname||Carter|List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter}}|

termination=retirement|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=14|

name={{sortname|Benjamin F.|Gibson}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1931–2021|

term=1979–1996|

chief term=1991–1995|

senior term=1996–1999|

appointer={{sortname||Carter|List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter}}|

termination=retirement|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=15|

name={{sortname|Richard Alan|Enslen}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1931–2015|

term=1979–2005|

chief term=1995–2001|

senior term=2005–2015|

appointer={{sortname||Carter|List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=16|

title=Senior Judge|

name={{sortname|Robert Holmes|Bell}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1944–2023|

term=1987–2017|

chief term=2001–2008|

senior term=2017–2023|

appointer={{sortname||Reagan|List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan}}|

termination=death|

}}

{{U.S. judgeship row Former|

index=17|

name={{sortname|David|McKeague}}|

state=MI|

borndied=1946–present|

term=1992–2005|

chief term=—|

senior term=—|

appointer={{sortname|G.H.W.|Bush|List of federal judges appointed by George H. W. Bush}}|

termination=elevation to 6th Cir.|

}}

{{end U.S. judgeship Former}}

{{Reflist|group=Note}}

{{ChiefJudgeDC}}

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-break}}

{{U.S. judge succession inactive

| seat title = Seat 1

}}

{{U.S. judge succession 3 note

| text = Seat established on February 24, 1863 by 12 Stat. 660

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Withey

| term = 1863–1886

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Severens

| term = 1886–1900

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Wanty

| term = 1900–1906

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Knappen

| term = 1906–1910

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Denison

| term = 1910–1911

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Sessions

| term = 1911–1931

}}

{{U.S. judge succession 3 note

| text = Seat abolished on April 1, 1931 pursuant to 43 Stat. 949

}}

{{end U.S. judge succession}}

{{Col-break}}

{{start U.S. judge succession

| seat title = Seat 2

}}

{{U.S. judge succession note

| text = Seat established on February 17, 1925 by 43 Stat. 949

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Raymond

| term = 1925–1946

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Starr

| term = 1946–1961

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Fox

| term = 1962–1979

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Enslen

| term = 1979–2005

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Maloney

| term = 2007–present

}}

{{end U.S. judge succession}}

{{Col-break}}

{{start U.S. judge succession

| seat title = Seat 3

}}

{{U.S. judge succession note

| text = Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Kent

| term = 1954–1971

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Engel, Jr.

| term = 1970–1974

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Miles

| term = 1974–1986

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Bell

| term = 1987–2017

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Jarbou

| term = 2020–present

}}

{{end U.S. judge succession}}

{{Col-break}}

{{start U.S. judge succession

| seat title = Seat 4

}}

{{U.S. judge succession note

| text = Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Hillman

| term = 1979–1991

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = McKeague

| term = 1992–2005

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Neff

| term = 2007–2021

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Beckering

| term = 2021–present

}}

{{end U.S. judge succession}}

{{Col-break}}

{{Col-end}}

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-break}}

{{U.S. judge succession inactive

| seat title = Seat 5

}}

{{U.S. judge succession 3 note

| text = Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Gibson

| term = 1979–1996

}}

{{U.S. judge succession 3 note

| text = Seat abolished on July 13, 1996 (temporary judgeship expired)

}}

{{end U.S. judge succession}}

{{Col-break}}

{{start U.S. judge succession

| seat title = Seat 6

}}

{{U.S. judge succession note

| text = Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 (temporary)

}}

{{U.S. judge succession note

| text = Seat became permanent upon the abolition of Seat 5 on July 13, 1996

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Quist

| term = 1992–2006

}}

{{U.S. judge succession row

| name = Jonker

| term = 2007–present

}}

{{end U.S. judge succession}}

{{Col-break}}

{{Col-end}}

• Courts of Michigan
• List of current United States district judges
• List of United States federal courthouses in Michigan

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.miwd.uscourts.gov/ United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan Official Website]
• [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/miw/ United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Official Website]

{{United States 6th Circuit district judges}}

{{United States 6th Circuit senior district judges}}

{{USDistCourts}}

{{Authority control}}

{{coord|42|58|12.0|N|85|40|15.2|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan}}

Michigan

Category:Michigan law

Category:Grand Rapids, Michigan

Category:Kalamazoo, Michigan

Category:Lansing, Michigan

Category:Marquette County, Michigan

Category:1863 establishments in Michigan

Category:Courthouses in Michigan

Category:Courts and tribunals established in 1863

*