Maura D. Corrigan
Encyclopedia
Maura D. Corrigan is the Incumbent Director of the Michigan Department of Human Services
. She was also a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
, serving from 1998-2011.
in Detroit, Michigan
in 1969 and earned her Juris Doctor
(J.D.) degree from the University of Detroit Law School in 1973. While in law school, she worked as a probation officer at a Detroit court.
Her first job after law school was with the Michigan Court of Appeals
, where she served as a law clerk to Judge John Gillis. She next worked as a Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor. In 1979, she became an Assistant U.S. Attorney, serving as Chief of Appeals; she later became the first woman to serve as Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 1989, she became a partner at the Detroit law firm of Plunkett & Cooney. In 1992, Governor John Engler
appointed her to the Michigan Court of Appeals. She was twice elected to that court and served as its Chief Judge from 1997-1998.
Corrigan is a long-time member of the Federalist Society
, Michigan Lawyers Chapter. She was also president of the Incorporated Society of Irish-American Lawyers and of the Federal Bar Association, Detroit Chapter.
A member of the (Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care, Corrigan has been recognized for her work on foster care and adoption issues, including The Detroit News
"Michiganian of the Year" award.
Corrigan is the widow of Joseph D. Grano, a professor of constitutional law at Wayne State University
. She has two children: Megan Grano, a comedian with Second City in Chicago, and Daniel Grano, an associate attorney with Flood, Lanctot, Connor & Stablein, PLLC, a law firm in Royal Oak, Michigan.
She has supported several of George W. Bush
's nominees to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
which includes the state of Michigan. She had this to say about nominee Richard A. Griffin:
Corrigan had been mentioned as a potential nominee to the Supreme Court
following the announced retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor
and the withdrawal of Harriet Miers
, and before President Bush's nomination of Samuel Alito
. Jan Crawford Greenburg
recounted in her history of contemporary Supreme Court nominations that Corrigan declined to be considered for a vacancy because she did not desire to go through the ordeal of the nomination and confirmation process.
Corrigan advocates the judicial philosophy of textualism
, which "promotes adherence
to the actual text of statutes". In an article in the New York University Annual Survey of American Law, Corrigan argued that resort to history in interpreting a statute is a form of "dice loading".
(DHS) is the state's second-largest agency. The DHS oversees almost 10,000 employees and has an annual budget of more than $4 billion to administer federal programs.
The DHS staff handles more than 1.5 million medical assistance cases and 1.2 million cash and food-assistance cases all across Michigan. It oversees Michigan's child and adult protective services, foster care, adoptions, juvenile justice, domestic violence, and child-support programs. The DHS also licenses adult foster care, child day care and child welfare facilities.
She recently has caused major controversy in cutting students' access to food benefits. She also made headlines with statements about students' work ethic and their access to jobs.
Michigan Department of Human Services
The Michigan Department of Human Services is the agency of state of Michigan, headquartered in Lansing, that provides public assistance, child and family welfare services...
. She was also a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
, serving from 1998-2011.
Background
She graduated from Marygrove CollegeMarygrove College
Marygrove College is an independent, Catholic, liberal arts college located in Detroit, Michigan. The college is sponsored by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.-History:...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in 1969 and earned her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.) degree from the University of Detroit Law School in 1973. While in law school, she worked as a probation officer at a Detroit court.
Her first job after law school was with the Michigan Court of Appeals
Michigan Court of Appeals
The Michigan Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level appellate court of the state of Michigan. It was created by the Michigan Constitution of 1963, and commenced operations in 1965...
, where she served as a law clerk to Judge John Gillis. She next worked as a Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor. In 1979, she became an Assistant U.S. Attorney, serving as Chief of Appeals; she later became the first woman to serve as Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 1989, she became a partner at the Detroit law firm of Plunkett & Cooney. In 1992, Governor John Engler
John Engler
John Mathias Engler is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003....
appointed her to the Michigan Court of Appeals. She was twice elected to that court and served as its Chief Judge from 1997-1998.
Corrigan is a long-time member of the Federalist Society
Federalist Society
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, most frequently called simply the Federalist Society, is an organization of conservatives seeking reform of the current American legal system in accordance with a textualist and/or originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution...
, Michigan Lawyers Chapter. She was also president of the Incorporated Society of Irish-American Lawyers and of the Federal Bar Association, Detroit Chapter.
A member of the (Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care, Corrigan has been recognized for her work on foster care and adoption issues, including The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
"Michiganian of the Year" award.
Corrigan is the widow of Joseph D. Grano, a professor of constitutional law at Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
. She has two children: Megan Grano, a comedian with Second City in Chicago, and Daniel Grano, an associate attorney with Flood, Lanctot, Connor & Stablein, PLLC, a law firm in Royal Oak, Michigan.
She has supported several of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's nominees to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
which includes the state of Michigan. She had this to say about nominee Richard A. Griffin:
- "I have known Judge Griffin since 1992, when I first joined the Michigan Court of Appeals. I was fortunate to hear cases on panels with Judge Griffin on many occasions during my seven years as a Court of Appeals judge. Judge Griffin is intellectually gifted. He is a spirited questioner who 'cuts to the chase'. He is consistently well-prepared for oral argument and offers incisive views on the assigned cases to his colleagues. He is current in all his own writing assignments and promptly circulates his votes on his colleagues’ opinions. He acquired excellent work habits from private practice that he applies to the business of appellate judging." http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/griffinsupport.htm
Corrigan had been mentioned as a potential nominee to the Supreme Court
Bush Supreme Court candidates
Speculation abounded over potential nominations to the Supreme Court of the United States by President George W. Bush since before his presidency....
following the announced retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor is an American jurist who was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006. O'Connor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
and the withdrawal of Harriet Miers
Harriet Miers
Harriet Ellan Miers is an American lawyer and former White House Counsel. In 2005, she was nominated by President George W. Bush to be an Associate Justice of the U.S...
, and before President Bush's nomination of Samuel Alito
Samuel Alito
Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. is an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He was nominated by President George W. Bush and has served on the court since January 31, 2006....
. Jan Crawford Greenburg
Jan Crawford Greenburg
Jan Crawford, formerly known as Jan Crawford Greenburg, is a television journalist, author, and lawyer. She currently serves as both the political correspondent and chief legal correspondent for CBS News and appears regularly on the CBS Evening News, Face the Nation, Early Show, and CBS News Sunday...
recounted in her history of contemporary Supreme Court nominations that Corrigan declined to be considered for a vacancy because she did not desire to go through the ordeal of the nomination and confirmation process.
Corrigan advocates the judicial philosophy of textualism
Textualism
Textualism is a formalist theory of statutory interpretation, holding that a statute's ordinary meaning should govern its interpretation, as opposed to inquiries into non-textual sources such as the intention of the legislature in passing the law, the problem it was intended to remedy, or...
, which "promotes adherence
to the actual text of statutes". In an article in the New York University Annual Survey of American Law, Corrigan argued that resort to history in interpreting a statute is a form of "dice loading".
Michigan Department of Human Services
The Michigan Department of Human ServicesMichigan Department of Human Services
The Michigan Department of Human Services is the agency of state of Michigan, headquartered in Lansing, that provides public assistance, child and family welfare services...
(DHS) is the state's second-largest agency. The DHS oversees almost 10,000 employees and has an annual budget of more than $4 billion to administer federal programs.
The DHS staff handles more than 1.5 million medical assistance cases and 1.2 million cash and food-assistance cases all across Michigan. It oversees Michigan's child and adult protective services, foster care, adoptions, juvenile justice, domestic violence, and child-support programs. The DHS also licenses adult foster care, child day care and child welfare facilities.
She recently has caused major controversy in cutting students' access to food benefits. She also made headlines with statements about students' work ethic and their access to jobs.