Gary Gordon Quoted in Detroit Free Press Article

Gary Gordon, Lansing-based member in Dykema’s Government Policy practice, was quoted in the Detroit Free Press article, “Age restriction forces Justice Cavanagh's retirement,” regarding the mandatory retirement of Michigan Supreme Court Justice Michael Cavanagh because of a provision in the Michigan Constitution.

The article mentions a case from 1998 where Gordon defended the state’s position when a group of judges banded together to challenge the provision. Gordon would win the case in federal court, a decision later upheld by the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In the article, Gordon states that he doesn’t necessarily agree with the provision even though he defended it in court, noting the mandatory retirement age was added to the state constitution in 1963, when norms and expectations about a person's age were somewhat different than they are today. He further states, “It's a shame that we lose someone of Justice Cavanagh's experience and ability just because of an age requirement.”

To read the entire article, click here.