Michigan residents in court shouldn’t face a judge who requires money from defendants to cover court expenses. This report is designed to address the historic problem with money’s influence on the justice system. The Michigan Legislature created the Trial Court Funding Commission (TCFC) to review Michigan’s trial court funding system and make recommendations. This was in response to People v. Cunningham, a Michigan Supreme Court decision that determined state law does not provide courts with the authority to impose costs on criminal defendants to fund the day-to-day operation of the courts.
