Michigan Law

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Michigan residents are subject to Michigan state and U.S. federal laws. Federal laws apply in Michigan as they do across all 50 states. In addition to the U.S. Constitution, which is the supreme law of the U.S., federal laws include statutes that are periodically codified in the U.S. Code. Federal laws also include decisions by courts that interpret federal laws. Finally, federal laws include regulations issued by federal administrative agencies to implement federal laws. You can explore federal laws and related resources by visiting the federal law section of the Justia site.

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The state of Michigan also has its own state laws. Michigan state laws include the Michigan Constitution, laws passed by the Michigan legislature and periodically codified in the Michigan Compiled Laws, and decisions by courts that interpret Michigan laws.

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Approved in 1963, the current Michigan Constitution is the fourth version of the document. The Constitution consists of 12 articles, of which the last article provides the procedures for amending the document. Article XII outlines three possible paths. Section 2 describes legislatively referred amendments and amendments proposed through ballot initiatives. A legislatively referred amendment requires approval by two-thirds of each chamber of the Michigan State Legislature before being placed on a ballot. Section 3 of Article XII describes constitutional conventions. A proposal for a constitutional convention appears automatically on a Michigan ballot at intervals of 16 years.

The Michigan Compiled Laws contain the laws passed by the Michigan legislature. These laws and the provisions of the Michigan Constitution are often interpreted by the Michigan Supreme Court and the Michigan Court of Appeals. Two federal district courts in Michigan also issue decisions that may affect Michigan residents. These are the Eastern and Western District Courts of Michigan. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals holds the authority to review decisions by federal district courts in Michigan. Sometimes the U.S. Supreme Court may review a case that has been appealed from the Sixth Circuit or from the Michigan Supreme Court.