<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/michigan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michigan</a>’s highest court is considering a rule change that would require judges to refer to attorneys and litigants by their <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gender-pronouns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preferred pronouns</a>.
The Michigan Supreme Court sent a notice on January 18 that it was considering an amendment to Rule 1.109 of the Michigan Court Rules to force courts to comply with attorneys’ and parties’ desired pronouns in speech and in writing. Now, over a dozen Michigan judges and attorneys have expressed concern for what the rule’s implications would mean for free speech and religious liberty.
“Parties and attorneys may … include any personal pronouns in the name section of the caption, and courts are required to use those personal pronouns when referring to or identifying the party or attorney, either verbally or in writing,” the proposed rule states.
Michigan judges and attorneys are writing to the court and speaking out about the problematic amendment. In an eight-page response to the proposed rule, William R. Bloomfield, general counsel for the Diocese of Lansing, said that it would be a direct violation of the First Amendment.
“In brief, requiring courts, i.e., judges, to use a person’s own designated personal pronouns is an unconstitutional violation of free speech and free exercise of religion,” he wrote, adding, “And as vital as the interest in free speech is for ordinary citizens, or groups of citizens, it is perhaps even more important for judges to be free of any compulsory speech.”
Michigan religious liberty attorney Timothy Denney told The Daily Wire that “this proposed preferred pronoun rule would violate the compelled speech principle.”
“The Michigan Supreme Court’s proposed rule to force judges to use attorney’s preferred pronouns violates the First Amendment,” Denney said. “The First Amendment prohibits government from compelling public officials to make statements contrary to their beliefs.”
Denney pointed to <a href="https://www.natlawreview.com/article/sixth-circuit-affirms-first-amendment-protections-university-professor-refusing-to" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meriweather v. Hartop</a>, a case where the Sixth Circuit ruled that a public college could not force a professor to use the preferred pronouns of a trans-identifying student. That court&#8217;s decisions are binding in Michigan.
Twelve Michigan Court of Appeals judges signed a letter opposing the proposed rule change and pointing out the potential legal problems such a rule would cause, such as “bad faith actors” using the rule for &#8220;strategic reasons unrelated to the merits of a case.&#8221; The judges also questioned if the rule could result in a judgment being reversed for the petty offense of mistakenly using the wrong pronoun.
The judges also mentioned other states such as New York, Massachusetts, and Utah that have addressed the issue “in narrow, prudent ways.” Massachusetts and Utah require parties desiring to be called by their preferred pronouns to inform the court through a “Notice of Pronouns.”
The proposed rule change is another example of the Great Lakes State’s highest court catering to the demands of the LGBTQ community, even when those demands challenge the free speech and religious liberty protections guaranteed in the Constitution. Last summer, the court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-supreme-court-rules-states-civil-rights-law-covers-sexual-orientation-gender-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> in a 5-2 decision that the state’s civil rights protections preventing discrimination on the basis of sex also apply to sexual orientation and gender identity, targeting small businesses in the state that are not already subject to federal workplace laws.
The Michigan Supreme Court is <a href="https://www.courts.michigan.gov/rules-administrative-orders-and-jury-instructions/proposed-adopted/michigan-court-rules/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receiving comments</a> on the proposed change to Rule 1.109 through May 1.

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Michigan Supreme Court Considers Forcing Judges To Use Preferred Pronouns For Attorneys, Litigants

Graham Platner Caught By Wife Exchanging Raunchy Texts With Women

Trump Hints At New Programming For Freedom 250 Concert After ‘Third Rate’ Artists Drop Out

MLB Exec Fired After He Claimed To Exclude Christian Player From Team’s Social Media

Fidel Castro’s Daughter Has Very Interesting Answer When Asked If Justin Trudeau Is Her Half Brother

Taxpayer-Funded Exorcisms? The Medicaid Debate Just Got Wild

WATCH: Footage Shows Engine Fly Off UPS Plane Before Crash Killed 15

News

Courts

Free Speech

Gender Pronouns

Michigan

Religious Liberty

U.S.

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

Michigan Supreme Court Considers Forcing Judges To Use Preferred Pronouns For Attorneys, Litigants