Judge Accused Of Multiple Violations

The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission has filed a complaint alleging a host of diverse violations by a district court judge,

The Detroit Free Press covered the charges.

Count One

Respondent recorded several conversations in fall 2021 and early 2022 that he had with his new chief judge, Hon. Victoria Shackelford, after she was first appointed to the bench. Respondent did not tell Judge Shackelford that he was recording the conversations. During the first conversation he recorded on November 5, 2021, Judge Shackelford asked respondent if he was recording her. Respondent falsely told her that he was not recording her. Respondent knew this statement was false at the time he said it.

Count Two

In 2022 Michael Tinney was a candidate for 23rd District Court judge. In April 2022 the 23rd District Court held a Law Day celebration at the courthouse.

During the celebration respondent had an acrostic-style sign displayed in his courtroom. The vertical first letter of each word was bold and highlighted and spelled “TINNEY.”

In October 2023 respondent was aware that Tinney was considering another campaign for a seat on the 23rd District Court in 2024.

On October 11, 2023, during a break in proceedings in a livestreamed Zoom court session that had nothing to do with Tinney, respondent stated: “While we are waiting for the parties to talk in the breakout rooms, I had a good opportunity to work with administrative law judge Mike Tinney…” He then continued talking about Tinney for about 90 seconds, during which he said: “[Tinney was a] long time Taylor resident and really good guy”; “Tinney says it’s always important to look at all the facts of the case”; “thank you Mike Tinney…I look forward to doing more community service with you and community activism.”

During a livestreamed Zoom court session on October 26, 2023, while litigants were conversing in breakout rooms and respondent was not taking any action in a case, respondent displayed a PowerPoint slide with what was characterized as a “public service announcement.” Though most of the announcement was in black type, the slide said in all red capital letters, “Judge Joseph Slaven and Administrative Law Judge Mike Tinney encourage everyone to be involved in the community,” with a picture of respondent and Tinney below it. The slide had 2 nothing to do with proceedings before respondent. At least one of respondent’s goals in preparing the slide in this fashion and displaying the slide to the public was to promote Tinney’s potential candidacy for the 23rd District Court.

On October 31, 2023, during his landlord-tenant docket, respondent played a slideshow that advised litigants of their rights in landlord-tenant cases. The last slide was a picture of respondent and Tinney with the words “Administrative Law Judge Mike Tinney” in bold red letters above it. Respondent then stated that he would like to thank “Administrative Law Judge Mike Tinney” for helping put together the slide show presentation.

Count Three

In April 2022 Judge Shackelford was a candidate for election to 23rd District Court. As of the April 2022 Law Day Celebration referred to in paragraph 7, above, the vocal supporters of Judge Shackelford’s judicial campaign included court employees Deanna Warunek, Marsha Gilmer, Rita Hardecki, and Marissa Fowler; former employee Brittany Carmona; and City of Taylor employee Gerald Thomas.

The day after the Law Day event, which took place on April 29, 2022, respondent made a post on his “Judge Slaven” Facebook page about the event. His post stated in part: “they are simple minded buffoons!! BC, MG, DW, MF, RH,  GT…..smh and shame on them.” Respondent further wrote that the people whose initials he listed “lie” and “twist things.”

The initials in the post referred to in paragraph 17 were all initials of the persons identified in paragraph 16.

Multiple allegations of discourtesy

On October 11, 2023, during a livestream Zoom hearing with members of the public present, respondent complained that show cause hearings had been added to his docket without his permission. He then stated that the court administrator “thinks she can make my docket better than I can. Good luck with that. She can’t even do her goddamn job.”

On November 20, 2023, during a livestream Zoom hearing, respondent said, referring to Chief Judge Shackelford, “I’m sorry that you can’t handle your docket. I’m sorry you don’t know the law. I’m sorry the court rules seem to be somewhat of a foreign language. The public needs to know that people who are in certain positions are not competent.”

On February 23, 2023, after Chief Judge Shackelford directed respondent to show his full face during Zoom proceedings, a police officer signed onto respondent’s livestreamed Zoom feed to swear out a warrant. Respondent appeared with a Bible and a small bouquet of flowers obscuring part of his face. Respondent asked the officer if the officer could see respondent’s face. As he did so, respondent stretched his neck up to be able to be seen over the Bible. When the officer said he could see respondent’s face, respondent said, “Just wondering, cuz I have to deal with people who literally are clueless …um, and so it’s just, it’s really really really annoying.” Respondent followed up with “so anyway, let me see if this is the the, I’m still just befuddled by the absolute insanity that I have to deal with, the control freak.”

In a January 25, 2024 livestreamed Zoom hearing, an attorney joined the proceeding and said, “I am sorry I was late I was in Judge Shackel, um Judge Shackelford . . .,” to which respondent replied “Shackel-fool.”

In a January 23, 2024 Zoom hearing, a witness signed into respondent’s Zoom session. The witness was actually supposed to appear before Chief Judge Shackelford on a different day. When the confused witness asked respondent the name of the other judge, he said that it was the “other judge” without referring to Judge Shackelford by name. The witness then asked for the time of the hearing for which she was supposed to appear, to which respondent muttered “god dammit” before giving her the time of the hearing.

In a January 16, 2024 Zoom hearing, respondent said the following in reference to Chief Judge Shackelford during a live Zoom feed between hearings: “we’re going to have a bonfire and taking everything with her name on it and she’s  fucking voted out, gone…I will bring burn barrels.

Further there are allegations involving disrespectful emails, failure to wear his robe and mistreatment of zoom staff

A middle finger salute

In April 2024 new security cameras were placed throughout respondent’s courthouse. Shortly thereafter, including on April 14, 2024, April 30, 2024, May 1, 2024, May 2, 2024, May 3, 2024, May 6, 2024, May 10, 2024, May 14, 2024, and May 22, 2024, respondent began to raise his middle finger to “flip off” the camera as he walked by it or sometimes used his middle finger to ostentatiously push up his glasses as he walked by the camera.

And

From 2021-2024 respondent drove a black Chrysler Town and Country van to and from the courthouse. The license plate was illegible because the letters and numbers were worn off and the registration sticker has been scratched off. Respondent regularly parked the van in his designated parking spot at the courthouse.

Finally there are allegations of false statements to the Commission. (Mike Frisch)