Michigan Judge Dismisses Trump Disqualification Suits
The court ruled that Section 3 disqualification questions regarding Trump’s 2024 general election eligibility are not yet “ripe.”
Published by The Lawfare Institute
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On Nov. 14, Judge James Redford of the Michigan Court of Claims ruled Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson cannot disqualify former President Donald Trump from the primary ballots in Michigan under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Judge Redford ruled efforts to keep Trump’s name off the 2024 general election ballot had to be dismissed because the issue is “not ripe for adjudication at this time.”
The ruling came in Trump v. Benson, which Trump filed in response to efforts in the state—Davis v. Benson et al. and LaBrant et al. v Benson—to disqualify him from appearing as a candidate for the 2024 election under Section 3. (Redford dismissed LaBrant et al v. Benson and Davis v. Benson on Nov. 14 as well.)
In the Trump v. Benson ruling, Judge Redford wrote that the question of Section 3 disqualification from the presidential primary ballot in Michigan is “a nonjusticiable, political one.” He also noted that the court was “further persuaded by the analysis of the Minnesota Supreme Court” in its recent decision dismissing Section 3 disqualification claims.
Find Lawfare’s Trump Section 3 challenges tracker here. You can read the Trump v. Benson ruling here or below:
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