The Docket — Issue 08

Off the Record

Week of May 26, 2025 • Difficulty: Expert

The Scenario

Four judges, four counties, four complaints that found their way to the JTC anyway — despite the best efforts of some to keep things quiet. Each case ended differently. The outcomes ranged from removal to dismissal. Your job: reconstruct the paper trail before someone else buries it. All judges and cases in this puzzle are fictional.

Clues

1. Judge Wren is not from Bay County or Allegan County.
2. The judge investigated for selective bond-setting was recommended for removal.
3. Judge Patel presided in Bay County.
4. Judge Sokoloff was investigated for false statements to the JTC.
5. The judge from Grand Traverse County received a public censure.
6. Judge Wren received a public censure.
7. The judge investigated for intemperate conduct is from Allegan County.
8. Judge Patel was not investigated for intemperate conduct.
9. Judge Mbeki was recommended for removal.
10. The judge from Muskegon County was investigated for false statements to the JTC.

Your Grid

Solution

• Wren — Grand Traverse County — Case management failures — Public censure
• Patel — Bay County — Selective bond-setting — Removal (recommended)
• Sokoloff — Muskegon County — False statements to the JTC — Dismissed
• Mbeki — Allegan County — Intemperate conduct — Removal (recommended)

The Docket publishes every Tuesday at 10:00 AM EST. Subscribe to Clutch Justice to get each new puzzle in your inbox. Miss last week? Play Issue 07.

From the editor

The patterns in these puzzles are fictional. The ones in Michigan’s courts aren’t. Rita maps those for a living.