Served from November 17, 2017 through present
Chief Justice: 2022 through present
Chief Justice Elizabeth T. Clement joined the Michigan Supreme Court in November 2017, becoming the 113th Justice and the 11th woman to serve on the bench. In November 2022, she was chosen unanimously by her colleagues to serve as Chief Justice, making her the 7th woman to step into that role. Chief Justice Clement also represents the Michigan Supreme Court as the chair of the Michigan Judicial Council and serves on the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Task Force.
Clement previously served as the Court’s co-liaison to the State Court Administrative Office Department of Child Welfare Services. Child Welfare Services provides assistance to juvenile courts on child welfare matters, including child protective proceedings, foster care, adoption, termination of parental rights, permanency outcomes, and data collection and analysis. She has presented as a panelist for the National Association of Women Judges Webinar, “The Critical Roles of Child Welfare Judicial Leadership and Community Collaboration: Building Resilience in the Wake of Covid-19.” She co-authored, “The Moment to Transform Child Protective Courts” with University of Michigan Professor Vivek Sankaran for the Child Welfare League of America Essay Collection, “Covid-19 and Child Welfare Challenges and Responses.” Clement also served as co-chair with Justice Megan Cavanagh and MDHHS Child Welfare Director Demetrius Starling for the Child Welfare Leadership Workgroup, a collaborative effort between the judiciary and MDHHS focused on child welfare system improvement.
In addition to her role with Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice, Clement previously served as the liaison to more than 200 problem-solving courts in the state of Michigan and the Michigan Judicial Institute. Problem-solving courts include drug and sobriety, mental health, veterans, and other nontraditional courts. These special court programs focus on providing treatment and intense supervision to offenders, resulting in improved quality of life, reduced crime, safer communities, and avoiding costly incarceration. The Michigan Judicial Institute is the Court’s training arm for the judiciary.
Prior to her election to the court, Chief Justice Clement served as Chief Legal Counsel in the Executive Branch, advising on a wide variety of legal, legislative, and policy matters. Her duties as Chief Legal Counsel also included working with the Attorney General’s Office on litigation affecting the state of Michigan, negotiating tribal compacts and settlement agreements, and interviewing and recommending appointees to Court of Appeals and Supreme Court judicial vacancies. She previously held the positions of cabinet secretary and deputy chief of staff, as well as deputy legal counsel in the Governor’s Office.
Chief Justice Clement served as legal counsel in the Michigan Senate in 2010 where she provided legal research, analysis, and advice on legislation and management of the office. In addition, she was responsible for the State Senate advice and consent process including providing reports and recommendations on appointees. Prior to this role, she served in the Senate Majority Policy Office from 2006 to 2010, where she provided analysis and research to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Health Policy Committee, and the Senate Local and State Affairs Committee.
Chief Justice Clement began her legal career in private practice, representing individuals and in the areas of family law, adoption, probate, estate planning, and criminal law.
Chief Justice Clement was licensed to the State Bar of Michigan in 2002. She graduated from the Michigan State University College of Law that same year, where she served as an executive member of the Moot Court Board. She attended Michigan State University on an academic scholarship and graduated in 1999 with a B.A. in political science.
Chief Justice Clement lives with her husband and children in East Lansing.