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

Each of you and others not present have settled for nothing less than the best, and acted on that recognition with the courage of conviction. We who have known judge, now Justice, ELIZABETH WEAVER, for days or decades are cognizant of her lifelong efforts to choose thoughts and actions in alignment with the protective measuring rods, the guardrails, the guidelines of the law, efforts which make her eminently qualified to serve on the highest court in the state of Michigan.

She brings to this service a full understanding of the intent of the constitution and wise laws, as well as the demonstrated grasp of effective ways to prod the thought of less law-abiding individuals, offering them the opportunity to elevate themselves to a willingness and ability to hold their thoughts and actions to higher and more useful standards of life.

Electing a justice who has carefully lived a life in accord with this moral and spiritual law so diligently studied by the Founding Fathers of America and underpinning the Constitution of the United States, indicates a country and judiciary on sound footing.

A natural question to ask ourselves is: Where are we heading? What is our destination for the next millennium? Contemplate, for a moment, an American society comprised of individuals exercising the high quality of self-discipline, proper self-government under the law which has brought us here today. Where, then, would be the crime? Where spurious methods of education? Where the killing, stealing, gangs, the lack of self-worth that manifests itself in homelessness, parasitic dependents, and destructive thoughts and actions?

As we educate our children to habits of self-discipline and obedience to the law, we can be confident and proud to introduce them to Justice WEAVER and others like her to allow them to learn from her example, to take heed in our own lives, if necessary, knowing all the while that the fundamental principles underlying her example are the very laws and principles necessary for us to become useful, productive, valuable citizens in the greatest land on earth; great because of the opportunity for individual freedom under the law.

Let us pray that all public servants demonstrate the same worthiness to hold guardianship over America’s God-bestowed beacon-light of individual freedom.

Now, Justice WEAVER, will you please come forward and allow us the honor of donning the robe and bestowing the gavel.

( The robe and gavel were bestowed.)

JUSTICE WEAVER: What can one say after such gracious and generous remarks as you have just heard. I turn to the words of King Solomon, “And now, Lord, my God, give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad.”

(continued)

"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