This is not legal advice; it’s survival guidance from someone who has learned, repeatedly, how the system actually responds.
I lamented in a previous post that society tells you the system is fair. Spoiler alert — and I’m going to guess if you found your way here, you already know this — but I very much regret to inform you, it absolutely is not fair. Short of being rich and famous, it’s essentially impossible to get actual justice in the system. So, my recommendation is to stop torturing yourself. You may literally go crazy trying to understand it or make sense of it. Instead, take my advice.

What Doesn’t Work — and Why

Don’t Bother 01 The Attorney General, the Governor, the court system do not AT ALL care what happened to you; stop asking them for help.

Unless it politically benefits them — and that’s different, they will be all over it. But the majority of the time, they will go to great lengths to protect each other because they NEED the public to believe the system is working. They need people to believe they’re maintaining order otherwise they won’t keep their seats as elected officials.

Especially prosecutors; they get away with bloody murder and blatant civil rights violations. Whatever misconduct you’re experiencing, this isn’t the first time it has happened and you are not the first victim. Your complaint acts as a heads-up that they might be getting sued, and it actually gives them more time to prepare a case against you.

Instead, report misconduct to outside organizations like the Giglio-Brady List and Judge Watch. As outside organizations, they are more likely to bring fresh eyes to the issue, and it keeps you safer from retaliation.

Don’t Bother 02 Don’t waste your time complaining to the Michigan Attorney General, Judicial Tenure Commission, or Attorney Grievance Board; they’re USELESS.

In Michigan, all of them are useless and will NOT help you. I’ve filed complaint after complaint; none of it mattered. It has to be a really over-the-top complaint to go anywhere, and bureaucracy LOVES secrecy. Here’s why:

Why the Oversight Bodies Won’t Help — The Incentive Structure If they dare admit they were wrong, they open themselves up to civil rights lawsuits. People wrongfully incarcerated in Michigan are to receive $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment by state law. That gets expensive fast. And the incentive structure for prosecutors is to rack up convictions. Period. Admitting a conviction is wrongful means the state admits its actors are wrong, hurts voter confidence, and then pays a sizable bill. The system is designed to protect itself.

Case Evidence — What “No Repercussions” Actually Looks Like

People v. Dawn Dixon-Bay — Jackson County Judge John McBain
Judge John McBain — Unlawful 15-Year Upward Departure

McBain vehemently insisted he knew better than the Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court and upwardly departed from a sentence by 15 years. He has a long history of bad behavior. He is the FIRST entry in the Non-Public Proceedings in the 2023 Michigan JTC Annual Report. NOTHING happened to him. They admonished him, which means nothing. He STILL has a job. Read the COA opinion →

People v. Loew — Allegan County Judge Baker + Prosecutor Koch
Judge Margaret Zuzich Baker + Prosecutor Myrene Koch — Ex Parte Communications

Both knowingly engaged in documented ex parte communications. Zero disciplinary actions against either. Myrene lost her reelection bid to Michael Villar. The Michigan Supreme Court updated the Michigan Judicial Disqualification Handbook citing the case as a “what not to do.” That is the full extent of the accountability. The Michigan AG didn’t do anything about the ex parte communications either.

Don’t Bother 03 DON’T waste your time going to the traditional media.

Local news stations won’t care at all about what is really happening because it’s not news to them; it happens everyday. They’re taking information from self-interested parties protecting themselves. Prosecutors have a media role; members of the media receive their press releases. The media isn’t going to bite the hand that feeds — especially if they know behind the scenes a particular prosecutor is vindictive. They’ll take whatever press release is given to them and publish it, even when the authorities are wrong, corrupt, or both.

Don’t Bother 04 Your lawyer is NOT Atticus Finch; don’t expect a miracle.

There are very few lawyers practicing in the state of Michigan who will stick their neck out for you. They maintain good working relationships with prosecutors and other lawyers, even when they aren’t on the up and up. They have to see the other side everyday. They will protect their career first, and will very rarely file grievances on other lawyers, even though the law profession is supposed to be “self-governing” — spoiler alert, it is not.

Here’s What to Do Instead

7-Step Survival Action Guide — Michigan Court System Misconduct
01 Go grassroots. Organize a group of citizens on a social media platform of your choice. Facebook remains the largest. Organizing people will help you find others willing to discuss what happened and possibly provide testimony if you can escalate to that point.
02 Start a recall campaign if applicable. Michigan’s recall process is a legitimate electoral accountability tool for removing elected officials — including judges and prosecutors — when the institutional oversight bodies fail.
03 Start a Political Action Committee, build a website, release your own press releases, and encourage other candidates to run against them. Be your own media when the traditional media won’t cover the story.
04 Study the playbook. Watch this ABC15 investigative series on how citizens successfully removed a judge and use it as your model for organized accountability campaigns.
05 Consult an out-of-state lawyer who can practice in Michigan about a Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit under Section 1983 — like this case against Michigan State Police Detective Bryan Fuller of Wayland. Prepare as much documentation as possible first.
06 Contact your state representatives and keep an eye on bills focused on reform. Offer testimony whenever possible — it goes into public documentation and creates a permanent record.
07 Report to outside misconduct organizations — Giglio-Brady List and Judge Watch — rather than the JTC, AG, or Grievance Board. Outside organizations bring fresh eyes and don’t have institutional reasons to protect the accused.
Beware of Snake Oil Salesmen There are people who will claim they can help you. But if they aren’t pushing reforms, writing testimony, putting in the work for change, they are not who they say they are. Beware of anyone who promises results through channels Rita has described as useless — or who charges you for the privilege.
From Rita

Above all, roll up your sleeves and stay strong. It’s ok to be angry — but don’t let it destroy you.

Pre-Order Now · Clutch Justice So You Want to Be a Citizen Detective Rita Williams’ guide to investigating the systems that affect your life — public records, court filings, and the paper trails institutions leave behind. The companion volume to this survival guide.
Pre-Order →
If you are documenting a pattern of institutional misconduct and need help building an evidentiary record — FOIA strategy, public records analysis, or civil rights exposure assessment — Rita offers consulting services through Clutch Justice. View consulting services →
Related Coverage — Judicial Misconduct, Civil Rights, and the Records
Barry County, Michigan: Courts, Conviction Rates, and What the Data Shows
NCSC Finds Racial Inequities in Michigan JTC Investigations
Barry County Probation, Civil Rights, and Pretextual Enforcement
Judge Schipper and Sentencing Abuse: COA Remands Raise Constitutional Concerns
Clutch Justice Judicial Misconduct Database — Michigan
How to cite: Williams, R. [Rita]. (2024, December 20). Wronged by the Michigan Court System? Here’s What Actually Helps — and What Doesn’t. Clutch Justice. https://clutchjustice.com/2024/12/20/wronged-by-michigan-court-system/
Drain Dollars & Conflict Questions: Did Eaton County’s Drain Commissioner Cross an Ethical Line?Drain Dollars & Conflict Questions: Did Eaton County’s Drain Commissioner Cross an Ethical Line?July 15, 2025Rita Williams
Michigan Attorney Discipline Roundup – March 2026Michigan Attorney Discipline Roundup – March 2026April 8, 2026Rita Williams
Under Judicial Investigation, Judge Joseph Slaven RespondsUnder Judicial Investigation, Judge Joseph Slaven RespondsJune 23, 2025Rita Williams

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