The Detroit Free Press reports on its analysis of cases decided by the Michigan Supreme Court, controlled by a conservative majority.
Dawson Bell writes (excerpt):
The Free Press computer analysis of 164 [2002-2003] cases found:
*Corrigan, Markman, Taylor and Young rarely disagree, and almost always prevail. Taylor dissented from the majority opinion only twice; Corrigan and Young four times; Markman seven.
*A fifth Republican-nominated justice, Elizabeth Weaver, aligned with the GOP majority, but less often. She dissented 22 times, but even when agreeing with the majority’s bottom line has often declined to join its rationale.
*Justices Michael Cavanagh and Marilyn Kelly, the two Democratic Party-nominated and more liberal members of the court, were — by far — the most likely to dissent on court opinions. Kelly dissented in four of every 10 cases reviewed, 66 times, the most of any justice. Cavanagh dissented in 50 cases.