Two candidates running for the Michigan Supreme Court are not licensed to practice law in Michigan, according to the State Bar database.
Jody White and Tom Howe, both running under the U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan, have been actively campaigning on platforms of integrity, fairness, and accountability. However, a review of State Bar records shows neither holds a valid license to practice law in the state.
A voter I spoke with was unaware of the candidates' licensing status.
"We want the most qualified person to represent the state of Michigan in that position," the voter said. "They shouldn't be on the ballot, and they are taking votes from the person that's qualified."
Watch Simon Shaykhet's report in the video player below:
State law strictly requires a valid law license to hold a seat on the Michigan Supreme Court if elected.
A spokesperson for the Secretary of State responded with a statement saying nothing prevents the candidates from appearing on the ballot, but that in order to take office, an official must be considered eligible based on legal requirements.
UDM Law Professor Amam McLeod said the state's standards are enforced with good reason and that any legal challenge to those requirements is unlikely to prevail.
"There's no discrimination here; a 14th Amendment or due process challenge isn't going to work," McLeod said.
McLeod noted that while federal law leaves it up to states to decide their own rules, Michigan's position is consistent with the majority of states.
"There's some judicial offices in some states that do not require a law degree. New York is one example," McLeod said. "They have some local courts that don't. But that's an outlier, and it's not Michigan."
Both White and Howe have agreed to speak on the record as a follow-up to this story.
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