The proposal follows a non-binding minority opinion last year from Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Mark Boonstra, who said litigants should have to stick with identifying as male or female. That led to a wave of condemnation and this draft rule.
Angie Iglesia Martell chairs the State Bar of Michigan’s LGBTQA law section. She says it’s already the common practice in many courts to let litigants decide whether to be called “he,” “she,” or “they” and the state court rules should be updated to reflect that:
“Society changes all the time and I’m not sure why there is this resistance to it.”
There’s a public comment period before the rule can take effect. Two justices voted against moving ahead with the rule.
