Judge Hatty Appointed to the MI Appellate Defender Commission

On August 7, 2025, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointment of Judge Michael Hatty to the Appellate Defender Commission.

Judge Hatty is a visiting judge and facilitator, and the former chief judge of the 44th Circuit Court and the 53rd District Court; he previously presided over the business and adult drug treatment courts in Livingston County.

Judge Hatty was recommended for this position by the Michigan Judges Association, for a term beginning on August 7, 2025, and expiring May 24, 2029. He succeeds Judge Thomas Solka, whose term has expired. Judge Hatty has a B.A. in political science and business from Western Michigan University and a J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Welcome and congratulations, Judge Hatty!