About Justice Weaver

Throughout Justice Elizabeth "Betty" Weaver's over 32 years of experience as a trial and appellate judge (Probate/Juvenile, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court), including 2 years as Chief Justice, she has maintained a proven record based on these major practices:
Exercising Judicial Restraint
Applying Common Sense

A fundamental tenet of her stand for jusitice is to hold wrong-doers accountable and responsible for their actions, while providing opportunities for them to discover and develop their own self-worth and to become law-abiding, productive citizens.

In exercising judicial restraint (interpreting, not making, the law -- judicial self-discipline), Justice Weaver has followed the law as constitutionally passed by the legislature and consistent with the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court. She has used the responsibility of interpretation, not as a sword to superimpose her own personal views (or those of special interest groups) on the law, but as a shield to protect the constitutional rights of the people and the constitutional acts of the legislative and executive branches.

Click here to read Michigan Court of Appeals Judge, Donald S. Owens’s Remarks as Presenter at the Induction of Justice Weaver into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame on October 25, 2005.

Click here to read Justice Weaver’s Remarks upon her Induction into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.

Press Release - 6/10/2005

Press Release - 1/13/2005

In November 2002, Justice Weaver won re-election for a second 8-year term on the Michigan Supreme Court.
This site provides information about her experience, credentials, principles, and major initiatives for the State of Michigan.

Check this site often for up-to-date press releases and other information about important work going on in the Supreme Court of Michigan.

INVESTITURE CEREMONY
Continued

Betty became involved with numerous commissions and committees. She served on the Commission of Criminal Justice, the Committee on Juvenile Justice, the Michigan Council of the Michigan Supreme Court, a special committee to study and report on the role of part-time probate judges, a committee to develop a case docket tracking system for Probate Court, just to name a few.

As a probate judge, she achieved national recognition for juvenile programs, being featured on Good Morning America and in People Magazine.

Soon Betty became aware of the need for probate court expertise on the appellate courts of our state and decided to seek election to the Michigan Court of Appeals, Third District. She was successful. And in keeping with her objective, she has educated her appellate court colleagues in probate matters and has been responsible for important decisions impacting families and children, prominent among them are Sands v Sands[1] and In re Sterling.[2]

Despite her position with the Court of Appeals, Betty has remained loyal to her roots and continues to maintain an interest in probate and juvenile court matters and is currently serving as Chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Children’s Justice Concerning Abuse and Neglect.

Under her leadership, the committee has issued a comprehensive report advocating many changes and improvements in the system where children are the victims. Betty and her committee are about the business of implementing their recommendations.

As you know, it didn’t take long for Betty to recognize the need for expertise on the highest court of our state, and apparently the people of the state of Michigan agreed with her. Again, the families and children of Michigan will be better off by her being there.

Recently a study was completed on one hundred persons who were considered to be very successful in their personal and professional lives. All available information on these people was examined, in an effort to find out what they might have in common.

Finally a universal quality was discovered: Every single one of these highly successful people was a good-finder. Good-finders, by definition, are people who look for and find what is good in themselves and others in all situations in life. Good-finders are actively aware that God has done uniquely beautiful things in themselves. Good-finders look only for what is good in others and vocally affirm them explicitly and gratefully, appreciating the goodness and giftedness of others.

Good-finders look for what is good in all the situations of life. Good-finders know that the best blessings almost always come into our lives disguised as problems. Good-finders know that there is a promise in every problem, a rainbow in every storm, a warmth in every winter; our Betty WEAVER is a good-finder.

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"What we in the judiciary most need is patience, meekness, compassion, and courage to 'Do Right and Fear Not.'"
Chief Justice Weaver
State of the Judiciary

"She is bringing a fresh, dedicated, incisive mind to the Michigan Supreme Court."
Judge Myron Wahls
Court of Appeals

"I know Betty Weaver. She threw me in jail....But I would vote for her, because she...straightened me out, and the sentence was just."
Former convicted juvenile offender

"Your judicial experience...was outstanding. Your leadership abilities...have been impressive. There is sound reasoning for my full confidence in you as a justice."
Mary S. Coleman
Chief Justice 1978-82

Judge Weaver has been recognized in many ways for her public service, including selection as one of five outstanding young women in Michigan by the Michigan Jaycees. It is a pleasure for myself to recognize Judge Weaver as a capable and devoted public servant.
G. Mennen Williams
Chief Justice 1982-86