The era of divided government in Michigan that began with the new Legislature in 2025 has brought an impasse over the state budget that threatens a government shutdown, stoked fierce partisan bickering and prompted an ongoing legal battle that landed lawyers for the Democrat-led Michigan Senate and GOP-led Michigan House in a Detroit courtroom Tuesday, Sept. 9.

During oral arguments in front of a three-judge Michigan Court of Appeals panel, lawyers for the two chambers fought over what should happen to a slew of bills passed by the previous Legislature that have yet to land on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's desk.

Mark Brewer, a lawyer representing the Michigan Senate, argued that the Michigan House had a clear legal duty to present the nine bills to Whitmer that have been stuck in legislati

See Full Page