Detroit, MI

Supreme Court to decide whether MSU misled Detroit College of Law retirees

Published

2 months ago

January 22, 2026

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.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know

Published

6 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

$Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know$

Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.

Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.

Here’s what to know:

Shooting outside cocktail bar

“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.

The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.

Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.

There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.

Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.

Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.

He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.

His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.

When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.

What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?

Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.

How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting

Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills

Published

18 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills

The Detroit Lions will need to find a new backup quarterback. Kyle Allen, the 30-year-old ninth-year veteran, will reportedly sign with the Buffalo Bills for two years and $4.1 millions, according to ESPN, reuniting him with his former coordinator Joe Brady.

Allen, who came to the Motor City a year ago after inking a one-year deal, appeared in just three games and attempted two passes this past season as starter Jared Goff logged 98.5% of the team’s offensive snaps at quarterback.

Allen’s greatest contribution came in the preseason, when he forced the organization to give up on its experiment with Hendon Hooker.

In the competition for the No. 2 job, Allen outperformed Hooker and made the former 2023 third-round pick expendable by bringing his stunted development into sharp relief. While Hooker struggled to move the offense when he was in command, Allen thrived in his four auditions, spearheading one productive drive after another for the Lions. He completed 79.5% of his attempts, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. All the while, he exhibited a good understanding of the Lions’ timing-based passing game, giving management the confidence he could – if needed – relieve Goff in a pinch.

“I feel very comfortable with him,” Campbell said last August.

But as it turned out, the Lions were never forced to call upon Allen. Goff, who hasn’t missed a start since Week 17 of the 2021 season, remained reliably present.

The Lions hope Goff’s iron-man streak will continue.

But if it for some reason ends, Allen is no longer there to replace him.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning

article

Vehicles travel through water collected near water main break in Detroit.

DETROIT (FOX 2) – A water main break in Detroit is causing headaches for drivers and sending water into the streets of one of the city’s east side neighborhoods.

The break involves a 42-inch pipeline at East Jefferson and Burns Drive.

The breakage happened on Sunday, leaving only one lane open for each direction of travel.

Local perspective:

A day after the breakage, water was still gathering on the road of Jefferson Avenue.

Video captured of the scene Monday morning showed vehicles driving through ponds of water. Construction equipment were on site along with traffic cones.

The backstory:

This isn’t the only major disruption to water services in the region.

This weekend, a catastrophic breakage at 14 Mile near Drake impacted several Oakland County communities and thousands of residents.

Novi and Walled Lake were among those hardest hit by the breakage, which included dramatic scenes of waves of water washing down the road, submerging vehicles.

The Source: FOX 2’s Charlie Langton and previous reporting were cited for this story.

InfrastructureDetroitInstastories

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