Speicher v. Columbia Township Board of Trustees
497 Mich. 125
Mich.2014Background
- Open Meetings Act case involving Speicher vs. Columbia Twp Board of Trustees and Planning Commission.
- Planning Commission changed meeting schedule to quarterly for 2011; Speicher alleges lack of notice and nonopen processing.
- Notices and postings were alleged not to reflect the change; Speicher sought declaratory relief and injunctive relief under the OMA.
- Trial court denied relief; CA affirmed declaratory relief on notice issue but denied attorney fees and costs because no injunctive relief obtained.
- CA later relied on precedent to award Costs/fees; Michigan Supreme Court reversed, holding costs/fees require injunctive relief obtained.
- Court reinstated the January 22, 2013 CA decision on costs/fees; Speicher sought costs/fees under MCL 15.271(4).
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether 15.271(4) allows costs/fees for declaratory relief without injunctive relief | Speicher contends ‘relief in the action’ includes any relief, not just injunctive | Columbia Twp argues only injunctive relief qualifies for costs/fees | Costs/fees require injunctive relief obtained |
| Whether the statute’s text supports treating declaratory relief as ‘relief in the action’ | Ridenour lineage shows declaratory relief suffices | Statute confines to injunctive relief; no broad reading | Statute limited to injunctive relief; declaratory relief alone insufficient |
| Whether prior Court of Appeals interpretations were binding or should be overruled | Ridenour line should control costs/fees | Plain language requires injunctive relief; Ridenour misreads text | Overruled Ridenour and related cases to the extent they allowed noninjunctive relief for costs/fees |
Key Cases Cited
- Ridenour v. Dearborn Bd. of Ed., 111 Mich. App. 798 (1981) (declaratory relief can trigger costs/fees when equivalent to injunctive relief)
- Herald Co., Inc. v. Tax Tribunal, 258 Mich. App. 78 (2003) (declaratory relief can support costs/fees under MCL 15.271(4))
- Kitchen v Ferndale City Council, 253 Mich. App. 115 (2002) (costs/fees mandatory when plaintiff obtains relief; broad reading of relief)
- Morrison v East Lansing, 255 Mich. App. 505 (2003) (recognizes costs/fees when OMA violation found; injunctive relief context)
- Nicholas v Meridian Charter Twp Bd, 239 Mich. App. 525 (2000) (declaratory relief supporting costs/fees under appropriate context)