Order Michigan Supreme Court
Lansing, Michigan
November 4, 2016 Robert P. Young, Jr.,
Chief Justice
152889 Stephen J. Markman
Brian K. Zahra
Bridget M. McCormack
David F. Viviano
Richard H. Bernstein
BETTINA WINKLER, by her next friends Joan L. Larsen,
HELGA DAHM WINKLER and MARVIN Justices
WINKLER,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v SC: 152889
COA: 323511
Oakland CC: 2014-141112-CZ
MARIST FATHERS OF DETROIT, INC., d/b/a
NOTRE DAME PREPARATORY HIGH
SCHOOL AND MARIST ACADEMY,
Defendant-Appellee.
_________________________________________/
On order of the Court, the application for leave to appeal the November 12, 2015
judgment of the Court of Appeals is considered. We direct the Clerk to schedule oral
argument on whether to grant the application or take other action. MCR 7.305(H)(1).
The parties shall file supplemental briefs within 42 days of the date of this order
addressing: (1) whether the doctrine of ecclesiastical abstention involves a question of a
court’s subject matter jurisdiction over a claim, compare Lamont Community Church v
Lamont Christian Reformed Church, 285 Mich App 602, 616 (2009), with Dlaikan v
Roodbeen, 206 Mich App 591, 594 (1994); (2) whether the Court of Appeals correctly
concluded that consideration of plaintiff’s challenge to defendant’s admission decision
would have impermissibly entangled the trial court “in questions of religious doctrine or
ecclesiastical polity,” Dlaikan, 206 Mich App at 594; and (3) whether this Court should
overrule Dlaikan, and if so, on what basis. The parties should not submit mere
restatements of their application papers.
Persons or groups interested in the determination of the issues presented in this
case may move the Court for permission to file briefs amicus curiae.
I, Larry S. Royster, Clerk of the Michigan Supreme Court, certify that the
foregoing is a true and complete copy of the order entered at the direction of the Court.
November 4, 2016
t1101
Clerk