Honorable Michael P. Hatty

Chief Judge of the 44th Circuit Court & 53rd District Court

Motion Calls

Judge Hatty’s motion call is held on Thursdays. Motions relating to criminal and personal protection order matters are heard in the morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. and motions relating to civil matters are heard in the afternoon beginning at 1:30 p.m.

About Judge Michael Hatty

Judge Michael Hatty serves as Chief Judge for the 44th Circuit Court and 53rd District Court. He is assigned to preside over 65% of the circuit criminal docket, 33% of the circuit civil docket, 50% of non-domestic personal protection cases, 33% of name change cases, and 34% of District Court Appeals. In addition, Judge Hatty is the presiding Judge of the Adult Drug Treatment Court and of the Business Court. He is also the lead Judge for the Swift and Sure Sanctions Program.

Judge Hatty was appointed to the bench in 2009 by the Governor and was elected in 2010 to complete the partial term of his predecessor. He was re-elected in 2012 to a full six-year term and again in 2018 for another full six-year term. Prior to taking the bench in 2009, Judge Hatty worked in the private practice of law for 29 years. His legal experience encompasses a wide range of areas, including criminal law, general civil law, real estate law, family law, business law, and municipal law. He also served as township general counsel for 24 years and taught business law at a college for ten years. During law school, Judge Hatty worked for various Senate committees as well as in the criminal division of the Michigan Attorney General.

Judge Hatty holds a B.A. in Political Science and Business from Western Michigan University and a J.D. from Cooley Law School. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Livingston County Bar Association. He is admitted to practice law in Michigan Courts, Federal District Courts, and the United States Supreme Court.