Detroit, MI
Supreme Court to decide whether MSU misled Detroit College of Law retirees
LANSING – Michigan Supreme Court justices quizzed attorneys on Jan. 21 about whether Michigan State University failed to uphold contractual obligations made by the former Detroit College of Law after the schools merged was filed soon enough.
Elizabeth Watza, assistant general counsel for MSU, argued that the claim came outside of the statute of limitations, or in other words, wasn’t filed in time.
Mark Cousens, an attorney for a married couple who are both former employees of the Detroit College of Law and believe contractual obligations are owed to them, argued the university misled the couple about its obligations through the merger. And he noted MSU only shared a transfer agreement with the couple after their two-year window to bring a claim expired.
Amy and Robert McCormick filed the lawsuit against MSU in the fall of 2022 after learning of the terms of the merger between the university and the Detroit College of Law, which included terms that MSU would be responsible for paying and performing certain liabilities and obligations. The McCormicks have argued, including successfully in a 2-1 Michigan Court of Appeals decision, that MSU committed an act of fraudulent concealment by not notifying them sooner of the impact of the merger on them.
The McCormicks were both tenured faculty members at the Detroit College of Law before it merged with MSU in the summer of 2020. In 2013, they both agreed to resign from their positions with the law school “in exchange for certain contractual guarantees.” Robert McCormick retired in exchange for benefits, and Amy McCormick continued teaching as an emeritus professor, teaching one class per academic year while maintaining the healthcare coverage she received as a tenured faculty member.
As the merger developed, the couple had concerns about the Detroit College of Law, in whatever future form it took, honoring contractual obligations to them. They received mixed messages from officials, according to their lawsuit.
Amy McCormick was told by a Detroit College of Law dean that the integration would be done through a sale of assets rather than a merger, meaning MSU would not be responsible for any of the DCL’s responsibilities. And an attorney for MSU told Amy McCormick that any contract claims the couple had would have to be made against the Detroit College of Law.
The McCormicks initially pursued a claim against the Detroit College of Law. Then, in May of 2022, MSU notified the couple of the existence of a transfer agreement. Four months later, the couple filed the lawsuit the Supreme Court is hearing.
The McCormicks are arguing that MSU essentially tried to conceal the agreement.
Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Welch asked Watza whether she believed the clock should reset for any legal filings if fraudulent concealment was found in a case. Watza acknowledged resetting the clock would be appropriate in that instance.
However, Watza told justices that the McCormicks weren’t diligent in their inquiry with university officials about who might be responsible for claims.
Cousens argued MSU is responsible for fraudulently concealing the deal, citing an email from a university lawyer telling the couple the now-defunct entity of the DCL would be solely responsible for any contractual obligations.
“Michigan State hid its liability,” Cousens argued. “Now, this court should not endorse the ability of a defendant to hide behind lies and misrepresentations … the whole point here is Michigan State, deliberately or not deliberately misled the plaintiffs (the McCormicks), and as a result, the plaintiffs could not have known that they should have sued Michigan State, and when they learned, that’s when they filed suit.”
The court is expected to rule in the case at a later date.
Contact Karly Graham at kgraham@lsj.com. Follow her on X at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
4Warn Weather – After a gorgeous Saturday, wonderful weather will continue for Metro Detroit for the second half of the weekend and into next week.
Don’t forget to check out the Blue Moon this evening; our sun sets just after 9 p.m. It’s named the Blue Moon not for color, but because it’s the second full moon of the month.
It’s also a micromoon, meaning the moon is at its farthest point from the earth that it will be all month. It will reach peak fullness at 4:45 a.m. Sunday morning.
Having two full moons in one month only happens once about every 2 to 3 years.
Also, Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury will line up in the western sky.
If you’ll be sitting or standing outdoors for a bit, temperatures will be comfortable tonight, falling to near 60° by 10 p.m. before dropping to the low 40s to near 50° overnight.
That leads to a beautiful Sunday with sunshine and highs in the low to mid 70s.
UV levels will be in the Very High range tomorrow, so if you’ll be outside you may want to grab the sunscreen.
Southeast Michigan will continue to have plenty of sunny days into the coming week. The next chance for rain holds off until late Friday.
Highs will warm to around 80° for Monday for most areas. Closer to the shoreline you’ll find more 70s if not the 60s. Tuesday and Wednesday will feature highs back near 80° before we see mid 80s Thursday and Friday.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
DETROIT, MI (WXYZ) — The Black Legacy Advancement Coalition’s Black Legacy Day celebration is an intergenerational, joy filled gathering in Detroit, centered around authentic joy and liberation.
On Saturday, May 30th, Detroiters, neighbors, partners and friends of every race, creed and background are invited to share in a day of reflection and fun. Highlights will include a food giveaway, a scavenger race, a men’s basketball tournament and free justice resources.
To learn more, visit www.theblac.co.
St. Hubert pastor discusses the Archdiocese of Detroit’s restructuring
The Rev. Douglas Bignall of St. Hubert Catholic Church in Harrison Township discusses the ongoing restructuring effort by the Archdiocese of Detroit on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
The list of churches targeted for the possible stoppage of weekend Masses has grown to at least 58 parishes across southeast Michigan, according to the latest proposed models the Archdiocese of Detroit had released as part of its major restructuring process through Friday.
At least 22 parishes under the first round of proposed models wouldn’t hold weekend Mass. The archdiocese has been divided into 15 planning areas, or geographic areas, and three or four models are being proposed for each planning area, said the Rev. Mario Amore, executive director of parish renewal for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
The archdiocese has been holding listening sessions with parishioners this spring as part of its restructuring plan to get reactions.
The models have different proposed groupings of parishes, in which a grouping would share a pastor and potentially other priests. In some cases, selected churches in the grouping would no longer hold Sunday Mass.
The Archdiocese of Detroit released on May 22 and this past week the model proposals for another five planning areas, including areas of Macomb County, Oakland County and Detroit. Around 36 more parishes would no longer hold Mass in the future under the latest proposals.
Bunches of churches in Detroit would be affected, while four parishes in Troy and three parishes in Clinton Township wouldn’t have Saturday Vigil Mass or Sunday Mass under each of the proposed models presented for their planning areas.
Archdiocese of Detroit spokesperson Holly Fournier said the archdiocese has heard a wide range of reactions about the proposed models, which is “understandable given how personal parish life is for people.”
“Some pastors and parishioners are hopeful about opportunities for stronger collaboration and renewed ministry, while others are experiencing more uncertainty and concern, especially in places where one or more models suggest a parish might no longer host weekend Masses in the future,” she said.
Fournier emphasized that the models are “draft models” and aren’t final decisions.
The models for the final six planning areas will be released in June, according to the restructuring website.
The models are part of the archdiocese’s biggest restructuring plan in years. Announced last fall, Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said the archdiocese can’t maintain the roughly 200 existing parish buildings it has and is working to “right-size” the archdiocese, along with its personnel and financial resources.
These are the latest affected parishes in Detroit, Oakland and Macomb counties
Fournier said the draft models were developed by priests earlier this year and are being presented in listening sessions as proposals “meant to spark broader consultation with the faithful.” Each parish in the archdiocese is holding listening sessions this spring or early summer.
In other dioceses that have undergone restructuring processes like the Archdiocese of Detroit’s, as many as 20-40% of the initial models were changed as a result of parishioner feedback, Fournier said.
“That is why it is so important for Catholics to attend their parish listening sessions to view these models and provide their honest feedback, so informed adjustments can be made where necessary,” she said in an email.
One of the most heavily affected groupings is Planning Area 1, which includes west Detroit. Ten of its 13 parishes would not have Saturday Vigil Mass or Sunday Mass in at least one of the model plans. They include Christ the King, Presentation/Our Lady of Victory, SS. Peter and Paul (Jesuit), SS. Peter and Paul (Westside), St. Charles Lwanga Church, St. Mary of Redford, St. Moses the Black Parish, St. Peter Claver Parish, St. Scholastica and St. Suzanne-Our Lady Gate of Heaven, all of which are in Detroit.
Planning Area 9, which includes southeastern Oakland County, has between 15 and 19 parishes, depending on the model. Ten of the parishes wouldn’t hold weekend Mass in at least one of the models. Four of them are in Troy.
They include St. Lucy in Troy, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Troy, Christ Our Light in Troy, St. Thomas More in Troy, St. Owen in Bloomfield Township, Our Lady of La Salette in Berkley, Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Oak Park, St. Justin-St. Mary Magdalen in Hazel Park, St. Vincent Ferrer in Madison Heights and Divine Providence in Southfield.
Planning Area 10, which includes all of northern Oakland County and parts of western Oakland County, has 19 to 22 parishes, depending on the model. Seven would stop holding weekend Mass in at least one of the models, including St. Benedict in Waterford Township, St. Thomas More in Troy, Sacred Heart in Auburn Hills, St. John Fisher Chapel University Parish in Auburn Hills, St. Perpetua in Waterford Township, St. Rita in Holly and Prince of Peace in West Bloomfield Township.
Planning Area 12, which includes parts of southern and eastern Macomb County, has 16 parishes. Four Warren parishes and three Clinton Township parishes would stop holding Mass under the draft models.
St. Louise de Marillac in Warren wouldn’t hold Saturday Vigil or Sunday Mass in two of the three draft models presented by the archdiocese. Six other parishes would not hold weekend Mass in only one of the models, including St. Louis in Clinton Township, San Francesco in Clinton Township, St. Ronald in Clinton Township, St. Martin de Porres in Warren, St. Faustina in Warren and St. Mark in Warren.
Planning Area 13, which includes areas of central and northern Macomb County and a parish in Troy, has 14 or 16 parishes, depending on the draft model. Three parishes in the planning area wouldn’t have weekend Mass under at least one of the models: St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Sterling Heights, St. Matthias in Sterling Heights and SS. John and Paul in Washington Township.
Amore said that if a church stops holding Sunday Mass, parishioners are encouraged to worship at other churches in their “pastorate,” which is a grouping of parishes overseen by a pastor. In the long term, the church building might close, or other sacramental celebrations might take place there, such as weddings and baptisms, he said.
The parish’s buildings could also be repurposed for other uses, such as religious education classes.
Fournier said the proposed models are meant to “foster discussion and discernment.”
“We encourage Catholics to stay engaged in the process, share their feedback honestly, and remember that the goal is not simply organizational change, but ensuring vibrant Catholic communities for future generations,” she said.
asnabes@detroitnews.com
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