When the State “Files” but the Defendant Never Receives It: A Quiet Due Process Failure in Michigan Appeals
Filing Isn’t the Same as Fairness In Michigan’s appellate system, deadlines matter. So does service. But there seems to be…
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.
Judges Are Human. That’s Why the Courtroom Isn’t Neutral.
We like to believe courtrooms are neutral spaces, that justice is blind. That judges are impartial referees calling balls and…
What Trauma-Informed Judges and Prosecutors Actually Look Like—and Why Rural Courts Lag Behind
This is why structural incentives, not just attitude, determine whether they exist. Trauma-informed justice has become fashionable language in court…
Happy Xmas.
So this is ChristmasAnd what have you done?Another year overAnd a new one just begunAnd so this is ChristmasI hope…
What Does “Innocent Until Proven Guilty” Actually Mean in Practice?
“Innocent until proven guilty” is one of the most repeated phrases in American justice. And I argue that It’s also…
When Faith Meets the Highway: The Rising Crisis of Amish Buggy Accidents
In September 2023, on a straight stretch of Minnesota highway, Samantha Jo Petersen’s vehicle slammed into an Amish buggy. Accident…
Jelly Roll Got His Clean Slate. 70 Million Americans Are Still Waiting.
Last week, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee pardoned country star Jelly Roll for robbery and drug convictions from decades ago. The…
What a Motion Is — and What It Isn’t
Why judges, lawyers, and the public often mean very different things when they say “motion” I had an interaction today…
What’s The Difference Between Justice and Procedure?
Outcomes that are “procedurally correct” can still be unjust and how judges think about order vs. equity In courtrooms across…
What Christmas Movies Can Teach Us About Criminal Justice Reform
Every December, we return to the same Christmas movies. Not just for comfort, but because they quietly rehearse our deepest…
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