Recently several Northwood University students attended a luncheon hosted by the Midland Bar Association. At the luncheon, students not only met with practicing lawyers with diverse backgrounds but were also honored to hear guest speaker, Justice David A. Viviano, who discussed his experience this past year since his appointment to the Michigan Supreme Court.Justice Viviano compared and contrasted the different functions of courts in Michigan. At the trial court and Court of Appeals level, the primary focus is a determination as to which party should win the verdict. However, our state’s highest court examines the issues presented from a slightly different perspective. Every application asking the Michigan Supreme Court to hear their appeal is not accepted. An important factor that influences whether an application is accepted at the Michigan Supreme Court level is the potential to have applicability beyond the parties in a given case.
Attending Northwood students included members of the Mock Trial Team: Matthew Williams, a junior from Livonia; Stephanie Hentschel, a senior from Midland; Ibrahim Lawton, a junior from Pontiac; Matt Jensen, a junior from Bay City; Chelsea Howe, a sophomore from Davison; and Marlies Klekner-Alt, a sophomore from Ottawa, Ontario. Also in attendance were two members of the Student Honors Association—Harry Flotemersch, a sophomore from Goodrich, and Jillian Fisher, a junior from Midland.
