Lansing-The election of Justice Maura D. Corrigan as its new Chief Justice was greeted warmly by the President of the State Bar of Michigan, Thomas J. Ryan.

"On behalf of the State Bar of Michigan, I congratulate Justice Corrigan on her new role with the Court," Mr. Ryan said. "In her tenure as chief judge of the Court of Appeals, Justice Corrigan showed that she is a dynamic leader and an effective consensus-builder. We look forward to working with her and her colleagues and continuing the excellent working relationship between the Court and bar leadership."

Chief Justice Corrigan succeeds Elizabeth A. Weaver as Chief Justice. Ryan praised the former Chief Justice for her energetic efforts to improve court services to the public. "I want to thank Justice Weaver for her long history of service to the public and the legal profession, and particularly for her support of the State Bar's Access to Justice programs," he said.

Justice Corrigan was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in November 1998 to an eight-year term. Her legal career includes serving as assistant prosecuting attorney in Wayne County before being appointed Chief of Appeals in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. In 1986, she was promoted to Chief Assistant United States Attorney, and became the first woman to hold that position. In 1989, Justice Corrigan became a partner in the law firm of Plunkett & Cooney, specializing in litigation and appeals.

In March of 1992, Governor Engler appointed Justice Corrigan to the Michigan Court of Appeals. In November of that same year, she was elected to a partial term and then re-elected in 1994 to a full six-year term. After receiving the nomination of her colleagues, in 1997 the Supreme Court appointed her as chief judge of the appeals court. She served two years as chief judge before commencing her term as Supreme Court Justice.