Michigan lawmakers OK bill extending court funding, delay study of court costs

Lansing — Michigan lawmakers on Wednesday voted to extend funding for state courts by severing the tie bar between a bill authorizing the funding and another that would authorize a study to look for new ways to fund trial courts. The passage of the funding bill came six days before the sunset or expiration of a law that enables courts to collect costs from criminal defendants at sentencing — a revenue source that makes up an estimated 2% of trial court budgets. “Somebody’s got to be the adult in the...