Young Holds Line on Judicial Activism
Celebrating the rule of law and an end to “elitist contempt for the legislative
process,” Justice Robert P. Young, Jr., of the Michigan Supreme Court presented his judicial philosophy at the ERC's January meeting.
Young, a cum laude graduate of Harvard College, received a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School in 1977. Prior to his 1995 appointment to the Michigan Court of Appeals he practiced law in the City of Detroit.
Appointed to the Michigan Supreme Court by Governor Engler in 1999, Justice Young has since been elected to a term that expires January 1, 2003. According to Abigail Thernstrom writing in The Wall Street Journal, Young is part of the Court team that constitutes "an unusually thoughtful, sophisticated and articulate group." >>WSJ article.
Proclaiming, “Now it matters who wears a black robe,” Young forcefully outlined his views favoring a traditional, constitutional role for the judiciary. He contrasted his philosophy recognizing the role of the people and their elected legislature with that of judicial activists, typified by interests of many trial lawyers. Young was emphatic that our constitution and laws are not “an ink blot onto which courts are to project their views.”
He noted that while recent statewide court races, including his own, required spending one million dollars, 68% of his support has come in the form of small contributions. >>See photo. 
