Opinion ID: 1953592
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Disqualification: Significant Background Events

Text: The road leading up to the department's motion to disqualify Judge Giddings has been long, winding, and bumpy. The focus of the department's motion centers on the relationship (or lack thereof) between Judge Giddings and Governor Engler. In the interest of time and space, this opinion will only recount the essential facts culminating in the department's decision to seek the disqualification of Judge Giddings. The preliminary injunction issued by Judge Giddings generated numerous disputes over control of prisoner personal property. Many prisoners brought contempt proceedings against the department, alleging that it was violating the November 1989 injunction. [10] As a result, prisoners were often required to appear in court as witnesses to the alleged violation. A question arose concerning whether these individuals were entitled to receive the statutory witness fee pursuant to M.C.L.A. § 600.2552; M.S.A. § 27A.2552. On October 7, 1993, at a hearing on the issue, Judge Giddings decided that the prisoners were entitled to receive their statutory witness fee of $12 a day. [11] On Thursday, October 14, 1993, while attending a dedication ceremony for the Saginaw Regional Correctional Facility, Governor John Engler made a comment regarding Judge Giddings that evidenced the Governor's distaste for the witness fee ruling. [12] At the time, Judge Giddings stated that he would not respond to the Governor's comments. However, [p]ursuant to [his] ethical obligation imposed ... by Subsection 3B(3) [13] of the Code of Judicial Conduct, Judge Giddings sent a letter to the Attorney Grievance Commission regarding the Governor's statements on October 21, 1993. In his letter, Judge Giddings stated that the Governor's statements appeared to violate Rules 3.5, [14] 8.2, [15] and 8.4(c), [16] of the Michigan Rules of Professional Responsibility. [17] On February 7, 1994, the Attorney Grievance Commission informed Governor Engler that Judge Giddings' request for investigation was dismissed. However, the commission cautioned the Governor regarding the ramification of such comments on the integrity of Michigan's legal system. [18] Additionally, during this time, the news media were taking great interest in the Governor's press releases and comments in this case. The record indicates that Judge Giddings was progressively becoming concerned over the statements reported by the press. Particularly, Judge Giddings focused on the substance of the Governor's press releases. On November 2, 1993, Judge Giddings held a hearing to address miscellaneous matters. At this time, Judge Giddings discussed what he termed to be inaccuracies in statements made to the press. [19] Further, Judge Giddings questioned whether it would be appropriate for him to respond to what he felt were incorrect statements made by a litigant. [20] The next significant event took place on June 2, 1994, when Judge Giddings, sua sponte, entered an order responding to what he viewed as the media problems surrounding the case. The media contacts order reads, in pertinent part: This matter having come before the Court as a result of media contacts with the Court and the Court being made aware of certain inaccurate reports disseminated to the public media by representatives of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) and other state agents, and the Court perceiving the need to impose reasonable steps to foster an environment to allow the case to be fairly litigated, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, it is hereby sua sponte ordered that: (1) Any written remarks or press releases made or given to a member of the press by any employee or agent of the State, regarding this Cain litigation, must also be faxed to Plaintiffs' spokesperson Linda Forster, Plaintiff class-member Mark Coleman and Plaintiffs' counsel Charlene Snow at the same time that the remarks are provided to the public media. Similarly, any remarks or press releases given by the Plaintiffs to the public media must be faxed to Defendant's Counsel, A. Peter Govorchin, Assistant Attorney General, and the Michigan Department of Corrections' press spokesperson, Warren Williams. Subsequently, the department moved that this order be stayed pending appeal on the merits because the order allegedly restricts the free speech of all state employees. Further, the plaintiffs moved for guidance concerning the interpretation of the June 2, 1994, order. After a hearing on June 30, 1994, the court granted the plaintiffs' motion for clarification of the June 2, 1994, order and denied the department's motion for a stay. Much of the discussion during the hearing revolved around who could be included in the scope of the media contacts order. [21] Particularly of concern was whether the Governor could be included within the scope of the order. And I'm going to close with this one point and emphasis [sic] that frankly, I gave a lot of thought as to whether or not the chief executive should be included within the scope of this order.... [O]n several occasions he has taken upon himself to speak directly about this case and purports to speak with authority. And I assume he does. As the Governor of the state he has access to information, and those who work for the Department of Corrections are accountable to him at some level and because of that supervisory authority, and because he both apparently and actually, it seems to me that if he is going to speak on this, and because there is that history thereand I already referenced of fairly significant misrepresentation, not the criticism. I'm talking about misrepresentations of what, in fact, this court did. It seems to me that in that context, it's appropriate to include him within this requirement that copies of those remarks be forwarded to relevant persons in this lawsuit. Judge Giddings then issued an order clarifying his previous order. Specifically, the revised order stated: (1) Any written remarks or press releases made or given to a member of the press by the Governor or his Press Secretary, or by the Department of Corrections Director; or the Department's press spokesperson, or by any employee or agent of the Department of Corrections purporting to speak for the Department regarding this Cain litigation, must also be faxed to Plaintiffs' spokesperson Linda Forster, Plaintiff class-member Mark Coleman and Plaintiff Intervenors' counsel Charlene Snow at the same time that such remarks are provided to the public media. (2) Similarly, any remarks or press releases given to the public media by agents of the Plaintiffs or Plaintiff Intervenors, including named class representatives, or any other members of the class purporting to speak for the Plaintiff or Plaintiff-Intervenors' class, must be faxed to Defendant's counsel, A. Peter Govorchin, Assistant Attorney General, and Department of Corrections press spokesperson, Warren Williams. [Order denying defendant's motion for stay of order regarding public media contact and granting clarification of order regarding public media contacts, June 30, 1994, pp 2-3.] Clearly, Judge Giddings intended that Governor Engler be subject to the media contacts order. The Governor rejected Judge Giddings' attempt to regulate the operation of the executive press office. In fact, through his spokesperson, John Truscott, Governor Engler announced his intention to disobey the June 2, 1994, and June 30, 1994, orders. As early as November 1993, in response to Judge Giddings' bench ruling, Mr. Truscott announced, We have often said there is Michigan law and then there is Giddings law and often times they are not even similar.... We don't expect the Department of Corrections to comply, nor will our office comply. We do not feel an obligation to inform convicted felons of state business or the legal proceedings of the state. [The Detroit News, PR for inmates? Engler enraged, November 24, 1993, p 1A.] Subsequent to the issuance of the order, Mr. Truscott was quoted as stating, I object to being ordered to fax my press releases to prisoners.... My job is to communicate to the media, not to murderers and rapists. The Detroit News, Engler, judge battle over faxing news releases to inmates, June 24, 1994. Mr. Truscott stated that, at that time, he had released about four statements from the Governor that were not forwarded to the prisoners, their attorneys, or the spokesperson for the prisoners appearing in propria persona. Id. The department appealed the denial of its motion for a stay of the media contacts order to the Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals granted the department's application for leave regarding its motion to stay the media contacts order. Further, the Court of Appeals granted the department's motion to stay, and the appeal on the merits is currently pending. [22] In August 1994, before entry of the stay by the Court of Appeals, the Governor wrote a letter to Attorney General Frank Kelley. The letter was dated August 12, 1994, and pertained to the Cain litigation. The importance of this letter will become apparent below. [23] Further, during this time, on August 23, 1994, the Governor issued a press release addressing the recent escape of inmates from the Ryan Correctional Facility. This press release directly linked the Ryan facility outbreak with Judge Giddings' rulings in the Cain litigation and was not forwarded to the plaintiffs. [24]