On Thursday, August 29, 2024, The Detroit News reported that the Michigan Supreme Court dismissed a misconduct complaint against Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Paul Cusick.
The Judicial Tenure Commission had publicly filed charges against Judge Cusick in November 2022, alleging that he withheld evidence from the defense in a marijuana case he worked on as an assistant attorney general from 2014 to 2016. The JTC also claimed Cusick allowed or encouraged perjury in that case.
However, a special investigator was appointed to look into the claims. In September 2023, the investigator found no credible proof to support the allegations against Judge Cusick. Former Ingham County Judge and Prosecutor Peter Houk served as the special master overseeing the investigation. Houk said he found Judge Cusick’s testimony in the marijuana case to be very believable. Houk also said the JTC’s charges were “incomprehensible” and “simply without credible support.”
In light of the special investigator’s findings, the JTC dismissed its claims against Judge Cusick in February 2024. The Michigan Supreme Court’s dismissal of the complaint on August 29th administratively closed the case.
Judge Cusick’s attorneys had argued from the beginning that the JTC’s complaint relied on a misunderstanding of the law in the marijuana case and a failure to properly research the facts before accusing their client.
With both the JTC and now the Supreme Court rejecting the misconduct allegations, Judge Cusick has been cleared of any wrongdoing relating to his previous role as a prosecutor. The dismissal brings the investigation against the Wayne County judge to a final close.
Source: The Detroit News
