On Thursday, October 2, 2025, the Michigan Supreme Court appointed Peter D. Houk as the Master to oversee the formal complaint against Jackson County Circuit Judge Thomas D. Wilson. This appointment stems from a request by the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC).

The case is entitled “In the Matter of Judge Thomas D. Wilson,” with case number 110.

The Supreme Court’s order directs Master Houk to schedule a public hearing promptly. The court stipulated that the hearing procedure must be completed within 182 days from the date of the order.

The formal complaint against Judge Wilson, filed by the JTC on September 11, 2025, contains multiple allegations of misconduct. These allegations include sexual harassment, alcohol abuse, conflicts of interest, and misuse of his judicial office. The complaint, spanning 23 pages, details several instances that have raised concerns about Judge Wilson’s conduct.

According to the JTC complaint, Judge Wilson admitted under oath to abusing alcohol between 2013 and 2015, with the alleged behavior continuing until 2020 or 2021. The complaint further alleges that he sometimes appeared in public smelling of alcohol, looking disheveled, or appearing flushed. One specific instance cited occurred on Election Night in 2016, when he allegedly told county staff that he had been “at the bar next door” and invited them for shots of Fireball whiskey.

The allegations of sexual harassment include claims that Judge Wilson described sexual encounters in graphic terms to women. He allegedly told a female judge that her breasts were bigger, which he admitted under oath in January 2025. He is also accused of telling another woman that he had been wanting to have sex with her for a long time. In 2018, he allegedly drove up to an assistant prosecuting attorney in a parking lot and said, “Nice legs!” and later told her she looked “hot” after losing weight.

The complaint also outlines alleged undisclosed conflicts of interest. According to the document, Judge Wilson owned a building in Jackson where multiple attorneys who appeared in his court were tenants between 2007 and 2022. He also allegedly co-owned investments with two attorneys and received legal services for himself or a family member without payment in some matters. The JTC asserts that Judge Wilson did not disclose these relationships or recuse himself from their cases as required by judicial ethics standards.

Further accusations include interfering in cases. In 2019, he allegedly called police dispatch during a domestic violence case to try to prevent an arrest. He also allegedly approached another judge ex parte during his own divorce to get an order changed and pressured prosecutors about a “minor in possession” case involving a relative, allegedly introducing himself as a judge to a prosecutor and mentioning local officials by name.

The JTC also cites multiple delays in issuing rulings, including a divorce decision that took about a year, a summary-disposition motion that sat for months before and after a medical leave, and a criminal case where the Court of Appeals ordered a conviction reinstated but no action was taken for 23 months. The complaint also states that Wilson failed to act on dozens of personal protection order petitions within the required timeframes.

Additionally, the commission alleges that Judge Wilson directed staff as early as 2007 not to use a required case-tracking code for matters “under advisement,” which kept delayed decisions from appearing on State Court Administrative Office reports. Under oath in April 2025, Wilson did not dispute giving that instruction and, in January, said he wanted time to finish matters “without it showing up as being late,” according to the filing.

Judge Wilson’s attorney, Thomas Cranmer, has stated that “Judge Wilson is a respected and trusted jurist in Jackson County, and it’s not appropriate for us to try this case in the media. But I can tell you that we look forward to clearing his name as we move forward with the judicial tenure commission process.”

The appointment of Master Houk marks a significant step in the proceedings against Judge Wilson. The public hearing will provide an opportunity for the JTC to present evidence supporting its allegations, and for Judge Wilson to respond to the charges against him. The outcome of these proceedings could have significant implications for Judge Wilson’s career and the integrity of the Michigan judiciary.

Judge Wilson‘s courtroom is located at 312 South Jackson Street, 4th Floor, Jackson, MI 49201, and can be reached at 517-788-4380.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.