The Docket — Issue 11

Campaign Finance, Bench Division

Week of June 17, 2025 • Difficulty: Moderate

The Scenario

Election season generated a fresh round of JTC referrals. Four judges from four different counties attracted complaints ranging from conduct on the bench to conduct on the trail. Each received a distinct outcome. Sort the docket before the canvass closes. All judges and cases in this puzzle are fictional.

Clues

1. Judge Petrov is not from Cass County or Gratiot County.
2. The judge from Gratiot County received a public censure.
3. Judge Adeyemi was investigated for improper campaign conduct.
4. The judge who received a suspension recommendation was investigated for misuse of judicial office.
5. Judge Petrov received a consent agreement.
6. Judge Larsson presided in Cass County.
7. The judge from Antrim County was investigated for retaliation against attorneys.
8. Judge Adeyemi is not from Cass County.
9. Judge Petrov was not investigated for retaliation against attorneys.
10. Judge Larsson received a suspension recommendation.

Your Grid

Solution

• Petrov — Antrim County — Retaliation against attorneys — Consent agreement
• Adeyemi — Gratiot County — Improper campaign conduct — Public censure
• Larsson — Cass County — Misuse of judicial office — Suspension (recommended)
• Whitmore — Branch County — Case management failures — Dismissed

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From the editor

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