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Michigan Supreme Court declines to weigh in on federal gun case

Assault weapons and hand guns for sale.
Seth Perlman
/
AP
Assault weapons and hand guns for sale.

The Michigan Supreme Court has refused to get involved in a complicated federal firearms case.

Here's the background: More than a dozen guns were seized by the Saginaw County Sheriff in 2017 during a domestic violence call that resulted in a conviction. But two friends of the convicted assailant say those guns don't belong to him and authorities ought to return the firearms to their rightful owners, who had nothing to do with the domestic violence case. They say the sheriff's department violated their rights under the 4th and 5th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

The federal judge in the case asked the Michigan Supreme Court to answer some questions regarding the state's forfeiture law. That's even though this case has otherwise never been put before the justices. In a brief, unsigned order, the Michigan Supreme Court said it "respectfully declines" the request.

Rick Pluta is Senior Capitol Correspondent for the Michigan Public Radio Network.