On Monday, May 12, 2025, the Detroit Free Press reported that Oakland County 52-4 District Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig will be barred from presiding over felony cases starting May 27.
Chief Judge Travis Reeds issued an administrative order on May 7, limiting Hartig to civil, landlord/tenant, and small claims cases. Judge Maureen M. McGinnis will handle all felony cases for the 52-4 District Court, which serves Troy and Clawson. The order, approved by the State Court Administrative Office, replaces a February directive that assigned Hartig civil cases without addressing felonies.
Hartig has faced ongoing conflicts with Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. In 2022, McDonald accused Hartig of dismissing criminal cases due to a scheduling dispute, alleging the judge consistently imposed personal views on legal matters. Prosecutors noted that since Hartig took the bench in 2011, all 20 cases appealed by the prosecutor’s office were reversed, a record unmatched by other Oakland County judges. Hartig responded, asserting that prosecutors failed to follow her requirement for in-person appearances and were deflecting blame for not upholding the law.
Additionally, a former aide sued Hartig in 2022, alleging years of mistreatment of employees and the public. The county settled the lawsuit for $100,000, though Hartig denied the bullying claims.
Former court administrator Dana O’Neal, who filed the suit, claimed her termination was partly due to a complaint she lodged with the Judicial Tenure Commission about Hartig’s conduct. O’Neal’s lawsuit suggested the commission interviewed over 40 individuals regarding Hartig’s behavior as of 2022.
The Judicial Tenure Commission, known for its secretive and lengthy processes, has not confirmed any investigation or commented on potential disciplinary actions.
Source: Detroit Free Press
