The Michigan Supreme Court is considering whether a 30-day suspension is appropriate for a Detroit-area judge who ordered three siblings to juvenile detention for failing to see their father.
The court heard arguments Wednesday about the recommendation from the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission, which acts as a watchdog.
Oakland County Judge Lisa Gorcyca made headlines in 2015 when she held three kids in contempt and sent them to juvenile detention for two weeks. The incident stemmed from a contentious divorce. The judge blamed the mother for alienating the two boys and their younger sister from their father.
Some Supreme Court justices are concerned about setting a precedent by turning a judge's legal errors into an ethics violation.
A lawyer for commission, Lynn Helland, says the kids' treatment was "egregious."
