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Major cases likely to be decided by Michigan Supreme Court this week

Michigan Supreme Court
Courtesy of the MI Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court

The Michigan Supreme Court will try to wrap up its cases by the time the session ends Tuesday.

The court will decide if police officers can photograph and fingerprint someone if they don’t have an ID.

This stems from a Grand Rapids Police Department policy. The ACLU says the policy disproportionately affected African Americans. The incidents in the lawsuits are from 2011 and 2014.

The police department says the photograph and fingerprint – or P and P – procedure is no longer routine.

The court will also decide if a ballot initiative to change the way the state draws its political district lines can go on the November ballot.

Voters Not Politicians is a grassroots group behind the proposal to create an independent redistricting commission. Their proposal ran into challenges from mostly Republican backed groups – and the state Attorney General.

Voters Not Politicians says it would be a hit to the democratic process if the measure doesn’t go on the ballot. That’s because they’ve collected hundreds of thousands of signatures – and they’re confident the proposal passes muster.

Before becoming the newest Capitol reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network, Cheyna Roth was an attorney. She spent her days fighting it out in court as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ionia County. Eventually, Cheyna took her investigative and interview skills and moved on to journalism. She got her masters at Michigan State University and was a documentary filmmaker, podcaster, and freelance writer before finding her home with NPR. Very soon after joining MPRN, Cheyna started covering the 2016 presidential election, chasing after Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and all their surrogates as they duked it out for Michigan. Cheyna also focuses on the Legislature and criminal justice issues for MPRN. Cheyna is obsessively curious, a passionate storyteller, and an occasional backpacker. Follow her on Twitter at @Cheyna_R
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