Just when you think you’ve heard it all, something new appears in the Michigan Judicial Misconduct Circus.
On May 28, 2025, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC) filed Formal Complaint No. 108 against Judge Joseph D. Slaven of the 23rd District Court (Taylor, MI).
The 14-count complaint outlines a wide array of alleged misconduct, from falsified statements under oath to disrespectful behavior toward colleagues and intentional misuse of judicial authority.
Judge Slaven Strikes Back
In his June 20th response, Slaven clapped back with a 29-page response that is equal parts ridiculous, laughable, and a little believable, knowing the shenanigans that occur in courtrooms across Michigan.
…I hope that he did not over-exert himself.
Shockingly, Slaven admitted several aspects of the allegations, such as campaigning for his friend Mike Tinney, recording conversations with Chief Judge Victoria Shackelford without disclosing it, and many times over, being an unprofessional jerk.
He also sent emails to News Nation, in an effort to oust Chief Judge Shackelford.
I’d like to challenge Judge Slaven: if you have proof of being spied on, show us. I’ll publish it. Email me here.
It’s a Mess. Here’s the Highlights.
The document, an explosion of run-ons and bad formatting, is not an easy read. I sincerely struggle to understand how this man ever got his filings accepted by courts.
But it is worth the read, because the strangest yet funniest response lies near the end, where he also makes a curious claim about why he drove a vehicle with severely expired plates…for years.
In the vehicular equivalent of “these aren’t my pants”, he deliberately throws his wife Gale under the bus for not renewing vehicle plates for almost a decade.
He fails to see the issue that he still chose to drove the vehicle to work.
He also claims that the recordings provided to the JTC proving his misconduct were made without his permission and as a result, shouldn’t be used against him.
In one accusation that may have a kernel of truth, Slaven accused Chief Judge Shackelford and the court administrator, of spying on him, specifically through a court camera system.
That seems accurate for the level of petty that appears to reside in this particular courthouse.
The Takeaway
Here’s the takeaway for the legislature and Judicial Tenure Commission: we need accountability and transparency, because the faith in Michigan Judiciary is eroding at an alarming rate.
As artfully outlined in Hallman v. Reeds et al., so much of this could be a non-issue if all Judges were required to be on camera and if the public could access recordings on demand. It would save taxpayers a ton of money, and from having to read the truly terribly written responses prepared by Judges.
Additionally, if the judiciary were subject to FOIA, this would all, to borrow a legal term, become moot.
The times are changing. And so the court accountability system must, too.
And to prevent judges like Schipper, Hartig, and McKay from staying on the bench, there’s so much work to be done.
Judge Slaven: YouTuber?
It’s also interesting to note that Judge Slaven is selective about his on-camera activities, as you can find him here as a guest on YouTuber Colin Cromwell’s channel.
And even more interesting twist, is Judge Shackleford also appears on the channel, and the content creator is an attendee in the Zoom Court Room.
No press permission filings appear on the docket for that case.
He also appears to frequent Judge Erane Washington (who previously voted against making recordings available to the public) and Judge Cedric Simpson’s courtrooms.
You too can torture yourself with Judge Slaven’s response here.
