State Senator Jim Runestad has formally requested the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission and the Michigan Supreme Court to expedite the removal of Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig from her position at the 52-4 District Court in Oakland County. In a letter, Runestad cited reports of Hartig’s alleged misconduct as grounds for immediate action.
“It is clear from reports that Judge Hartig has displayed a pattern of despicable public behavior unbecoming of the honorable office she holds,” stated Runestad, who serves as minority vice chair on the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety. He emphasized the necessity for swift completion of the investigation by the commission and prompt removal by the Supreme Court to maintain judicial integrity.
The commission reportedly began investigating Hartig following delays in producing a psychological exam report and allegations involving bullying court staff and fostering “a climate of fear.” Specific complaints include dismissing felony cases with prejudice amid scheduling disputes with prosecutors, preventing their retrial, and compelling a pregnant probation officer to reveal her stomach during a Zoom meeting.
Runestad expressed concern over these actions, asserting they breach public trust and violate Canons 1, 2, and 3 of the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct. “Members of our state’s judicial branch should be held to the highest standard of professional conduct,” he wrote. “Trust in our judges and the judicial system is a cornerstone of our republic, and the behavior of Judge Hartig and others like her erodes this system.”
