Younkin v. Zimmer

Plaintiff, who was injured while working in Genesee County, filed a workers’ compensation claim. While his claim was pending, defendants, in their capacity as administrators of the workers’ compensation hearing system, advised plaintiff that the Genesee County hearing site where plaintiff’s case was assigned would be closed and that all pending cases from the county, including plaintiff’s, would be transferred to the State Secondary Complex in Dimondale, which is about 70 miles away in Eaton County. Plaintiff brought a mandamus action to compel defendants to maintain the Genesee County hearing site. The trial court granted mandamus relief, and in a divided and published opinion, the Court of Appeals affirmed. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether the trial court abused its discretion by issuing a writ of mandamus compelling defendants to ensure that hearings in workers’ compensation cases were held in the county in which the alleged injury occurred. The Court disagreed with the Court of Appeals, finding that plaintiff did not have a clear legal right to a hearing in Genesee County. Defendants, accordingly, did not have a clear legal obligation to hold the hearing there either. The trial court was reversed, and direct to enter judgment denying plaintiff's complaint for mandamus. View "Younkin v. Zimmer" on Justia Law