Robert Young
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Robert P. Young, Jr. is a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court. He has served on the court since 1999; he was elected in 2002 to a term that will expire January 1, 2011. Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice Young served as a judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals, to which he was appointed in 1995 and elected in 1996.
Young graduated in 1974 from Harvard College with honors and from Harvard Law School in 1977.
In 1978, Young joined the law firm of Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman, becoming a partner in the firm in 1982. From 1992, until he joined the Court of Appeals, Justice Young was the vice president, corporate secretary, and general counsel of AAA Michigan.
Awards and civic activities
Justice Young's community activities include service as a member of the Advisory Board of the United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit and Vista Maria. He has also served as a trustee of charitable and civic organizations devoted to children's interests, such as the Detroit Institute of Children, The Detroit Historical Society, and the Governor's Task Force on Children's Justice Concerning Child Abuse and Neglect. Justice Young is also a former commissioner of the Michigan Civil Service Commission, a former trustee of Central Michigan University, University Liggett School, Grosse Pointe Academy and a former chair of the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce Leadership Detroit program. He has served on the boards of many other civic and business organizations.
Justice Young has been an adjunct professor at Wayne State University Law School for a number of years and is a co-editor of Michigan Civil Procedure During Trial, 2d Ed. (Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 1989) and Michigan Civil Procedure, (Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 1999)
In 2001 and 1999, Justice Young was awarded honorary degrees respectively from Michigan State University and Central Michigan University. In 1999, Justice Young was named Detroit Country Day School's Alumnus of the Year.[1]
Federalist Society Event
On March 8, 2008, Justice Young moderated a panel discussion sponsored by the Federalist Society at the University of Michigan Law School entitled "Kelo, Grutter, and Popular Responses to Unpopular Decisions."[2]
Notable rulings
Firefighters' union case
In a 4-3 decision, Michigan Supreme Court overturned lower court decisions barring firefighter layoffs in Detroit and Pontiac, in late July of 2008. Writing for the majority, Justice Robert Young determined "that the firefighters' union showed no 'irreparable harm' from the proposed layoffs." He was joined by Chief Justice Clifford Taylor, Maura Corrigan and Stephen Markman. The court ruled that the circuit court judge "erred in granting an injunction in 2006 that prevented the city of Pontiac from laying off 28 firefighters until their union's lawsuit against the city was resolved. The Pontiac Fire Fighters Union Local 376 argued the layoffs would affect the community negatively by increasing response times to emergency calls. The majority found that the safety of city residents would not be compromised by the layoffs."[3]
Beachwalking and property rights
In a 5-2 ruling in Glass v. Goeckel, the Michigan Supreme Court held that Michiganders "have a right to walk along privately owned beaches so long as they do not cross the 'high-water mark.'” According to The Mackinac Center, dissenting Justices Stephen Markman and Robert Young determined that there is no need to use a high-water mark to apply the public-trust doctrine. A readily identifiable boundary exists with the "wet-sand" boundary.[4] The Supreme Court's majority opinion held that people can walk along the beach below the "high-water" mark. The court defined this as “the point on the bank or shore up to which the presence and action of the water is so continuous as to leave a distinct mark either by erosion, destruction of terrestrial vegetation, or other easily recognized characteristic.”
2004 DaimlerChrysler verdict
In a 4-3 ruling, the Michigan Supreme Court threw out a $21 million verdict against DaimlerChrysler AG in a sexual harassment case brought by an autoworker, and sent the case back for a new trial. Justice Robert Young wrote for the majority opinion, "The jury verdict is so excessive and so clearly the product of passion and prejudice that there can be no justification for the trial court's denial of defendant's motion for a new trial. The jury's verdict unmistakably reflects passion rather than reason and prejudice rather than impartiality." Justice Young was joined by Maura Corrigan and Justices Clifford Taylor and Stephen Markman. Justices Michael Cavanagh, Marilyn Kelly and Elizabeth Weaver dissented from the court's decision, holding that the jury award was excessive, but the court could order a reduction in award.[5]
External links
- Michigan Supreme Court: Robert Young
- Governor Engler Appoints Court of Appeals Judge Robert Young, Jr. to the Michigan Supreme Court
- NNBD.com
- The Federalist Society
- Court rules in Freedom of Information Act cases
- Michigan high court lets physician sue over bad peer review
- Michigan Supreme Court determines Ingham County Judge's fate
- Project Vote Smart
- Michigan voter ID law OKd - The state’s high court says the requirement does not amount to a poll tax because citizens can sign affidavits
- Supreme Court unanimously supports public’s right to walk Great Lakes beaches
- New top court justice has widespread approval
- Washington Post: Young named on list of potential US Supreme Court nominees
- Trial Lawyers Target Three Michigan Judges Up for Election
- American Medical News
