Oakland County Probate Judge Kathleen Ryan Retires Amid Controversy
Oakland County Probate Judge Kathleen A. Ryan, who had served on the bench for more than 13 years, has officially retired…
Rita Williams
Rita Williams is a Michigan-based judicial oversight analyst and founder of Clutch Justice, an investigative platform focused on court system accountability, sentencing integrity, and SCAO policy. Her work examines how courts, policies, and administrative systems operate in practice, with a focus on where process breaks down and harm is created. Drawing on lived experience and systems-level analysis, she writes to make legal structures more readable, expose institutional gaps, and advocate for reforms grounded in both evidence and human impact. Rita’s writing bridges legal analysis, institutional critique, and public education, with a consistent focus on accountability without losing sight of the people most affected by the justice system.
When a Death Gets 30 Days: Judge Michael Schipper’s Sentencing Incoherence Problem
Editorial Transparency: Clutch Justice has reported extensively on Barry County’s Fifth Circuit Court and Judge Michael Schipper. The author has…
Why Judges and Prosecutors Retaliate and How to Protect Yourself From the Fallout
Understanding the institutional forces behind containment can help you avoid reactive mistakes that only make things worse. If you have…
Courts, ERs, and the Cost of Treating Mental Health Like a Crisis Instead of Infrastructure
When systems fail upstream, the bill always shows up downstream. Across the country, courts are quietly doing something they were…
Michigan Counties Should Pay When Incarceration Destabilizes Children and Inflates State Costs
What would you say if I told you that the State of Michigan was allowing judges and prosecutors to drain…
Attorney Carl D. Winekoff Suspended for 60 Days Following Aggravated Assault Conviction
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has ordered a 60-day suspension of Carl D. Winekoff (P76862) of Phoenix, Arizona, effective October 3, 2025, following a criminal conviction for…
Attorney Angelina Cummins Suspended for Two Years and Ordered to Pay Restitution Following Custody Matter Misconduct
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has ordered a two-year suspension of Angelina Cummins (P78867) of Southfield, Michigan, effective September 26, 2025, and required her to pay $6,000 in…
How Prosecutors and Judges Use Cognitive Dissonance to Justify Harm
In the past, I have received my fair share of emails from families who have been deeply impacted and harmed…
The Current Michigan Judicial Tenure Wasn’t Built For The Public. Here’s How Fit Bench Fixes That.
As I began working on the Fit Bench Framework, I had an epiphany: most people who file Judicial Tenure complaints…
Attorney David M. Sinutko Reprimanded With Conditions After IOLTA Overdrafts and Misuse of Trust Account
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has issued a reprimand with conditions against David M. Sinutko (P52801) of Utica, Michigan, effective September 27, 2025, following consent discipline proceedings…
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