Two concerned citizens have sounded the alarm on misconduct among the Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC), a committee charged with overseeing the professional conduct and integrity of Judges.
In a letter to the Detroit News, Belinda Rosetti, Paralegal, describes a systemic failure in the way the JTC processes the grievances it receives, leaving potentially thousands of complaints unanswered and unprocessed.
Upon mailing a complaint to the JTC, Ms. Rosetti discovered outright refusal in returning Return Receipts and even the diversion of mail.
The JTC is no stranger to controversy, as recent audits by the National Center for State Courts uncovered significant racial disparities in their handling of disciplinary matters.
Documentation and audio accompany the letter. Clutch is working to secure the audio files and will post them as soon as they are available.
Upon request for comment, Lynn Helland, Executive Director, said, “Our confidentiality rules forbid me to comment about any matter before the Judicial Tenure Commission.”
Dear Editor,
I am writing to express a disturbing concern regarding the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC)and its failure to fulfill its mandate of holding Michigan’s judiciary accountable. The JTC is systematically refusing to process or investigate legitimate citizen complaints of judicial misconduct. This inaction undermines public trust and enables judicial wrongdoing. Specifically, Complaints sent via mail to their designated mail address that’s reflecte on the actual Forms and confirmed by representatives of the JTC are diverted to alternate addresses, ignored, and left unprocessed. Shockingly, a JTC representative admitted to me that their office refuses to comply with U.S. Postal Service Return Receipt requests, disregarding an essential layer of accountability and transparency. This negligence deprives Michigan citizens, and by extension, all Americans, of their right to a fair and just legal system.
As you know, theJTC is the agency responsible for investigating allegations of judicial misconduct and recommending disciplinary action. It primarily reports to the Michigan Supreme Court, which has the authority to impose disciplinary measures based on the JTC’s findings and recommendations. The JTC serves as a watchdog for the judicial system in Michigan, and in this role, they are expected to ensure accountability and integrity within the judiciary. Their role includes investigating complaints, holding hearings, and submitting findings to the state’s highest court for final action.
Now, what happens when they fail or REFUSE to do their duty? We, as citizens have the right to submit legitimate and official Complaints to the Commission, but also have them processed! By refusing to process them and refusing to comply with Certified Mail or Return Receipts, the Commission is essentially WILLFULLY avoiding any accountability, and aiding in judicial misconduct and wrongdoing by intentionally refusing to even process the Complaints. The JTC representative’s admittance that they NEVER return the “USPS Return Receipts” is evidentiary of their efforts to avoid being held accountable for processing complaints or any other matters that require confirmation that they office received USPS mail.
The other disturbing issue is that this specific correspondence was mailed to the address reflected on their official “Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission Request for Investigation Form”: 3034 West Grand Boulevard, Suite 8-350, Detroit, Michigan 48202, but per the US Postal Service, that office has specific policy to reroute mail to the Post Office [JTC Audio File].
It is a federal crime, under 18 U.S.C. § 1702 for the USPS mail carrier to deliver our mail to an address other than what is clearly reflected on the mail article. Diverting mail to another address without proper procedures could constitute mail tampering or misdelivery, both of which are prohibited. In this case, the “reason” for the diverted mail is not a lawful reason. Rather, it’s to avoid accepting of official mail. This is unlawful!
The JTC’s conduct must be scrutinized and reformed to ensure it serves its critical role in upholding judicial integrity. I urge The Detroit News to investigate this matter and bring it to public attention. I also plan to post this with an article on Social Media, as well as including the audio tape-recordings so that the public is made aware. It is my hope, since your newspaper has previously reported on the disparities and unlawful policies and practices by the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission, that you would expose this matter further and raise awareness for the public. The audios of the JTC staff member admitting their intentional wrongdoing and deceit of the public is evidence of the critical need for awareness and holding the Commission accountable in adhering to fulfulling their role as it was intended.
I am attaching the following documents and audio tape-recordings for your review in this critical matter. The audio tape-recordings were taken by me, in compliance with my state’s (New York) Eavesdropping Statute, and in compliance with federal law. The attachments are as follows:
3) Audio Recording of phone conversation with Judicial Tenure Commission staff, dated 11/04/2024,
4) Audio Recording of phone conversation with Judicial Tenure Commission staff, dated 11/04/2024.
Sincerely,
/s/ Belinda J. Rossetti’
Belinda J. Rossetti, Paralegal
