LANSING, Mich. (Sept. 6, 2024) — Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), Chair of the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety, and Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Novi), Chair of the House Committee on Judiciary, have issued the following joint statement after yesterday’s news about Oakland County Probate Court Judge Kathleen Ryan’s racist and homophobic comments in addition to alleged sexual harassment of a colleague.
“We are appalled by and condemn Oakland County Judge Kathleen Ryan’s deeply disturbing and highly offensive behavior. Racism and homophobia have no place in Oakland County courts, not in Michigan courts and not in any place that is supposed to serve the people of Michigan. Our judges are elected by the people to serve with integrity and honor. Judge Ryan’s actions are not only harmful and dehumanizing; they have brought dishonor to the position she holds. We are very concerned about the potential impact Judge Ryan’s racist and homophobic beliefs may have had on families in her courtroom as she made decisions that impacted their lives over the course of a decade.
“This unfortunate situation only emphasizes the need to implement better protections for Michigan’s most vulnerable residents and to make sure that judges making life-changing decisions put their reasons on the record regarding guardianship matters. We must prioritize the passage of guardianship reform legislation to address these issues. Senate Bills 922–925 will better protect our vulnerable adults, and House Bills 4909–4912 reform our guardianship and conservators system. While we recognize that a vast majority of our probate judges are people of trustworthy, upstanding character, these reforms will safeguard our vulnerable adults and loved ones from potential harm and ensure consistency for all Michiganders, regardless of which courtroom they are in and regardless of their race or sexual orientation.”
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