UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
IN THE MATTER OF THE REASSIGNMENT OF Administrative Order
RELATED AND COGNATE COVID VACCINE CASES No. 24-CA-042
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WHEREAS Magistrate Judge Phillip J. Green has previously found a number of cases
involving religious challenges to mandatory Covid vaccine policies to be related to each other and
to other pending cases assigned to Judge Jane Beckering and Magistrate Judge Phillip Green, see
W. D. Mich. LCivR. 3.3.1(d)(iii), and/or that the respective cases are cognate, see W. D. Mich.
LCivR. 3.3.2(c).
WHEREAS, after receiving the consent of the other judges, Chief Judge Jarbou issued
Amended Administrative Order No. 23-CA-037, effecting the reassignment of certain of those
cases, as well as the assignment of subsequent religious challenges to mandatory Covid vaccine
policies, to Judge Beckering and to Magistrate Judge Green.
WHEREAS the number of such cases has exceeded that anticipated by the Court, and that
the judicial efficiencies of cognate case designation are no longer extant.
WHEREAS the Article III judges of this district have approved a modification of the
procedure for case assignment of these cases to eliminate the use of the cognate case designation.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Amended Administrative Order No. 23-CA-037 is
hereby RESCINDED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall, from the date of this
Administrative Order until this Order is rescinded, refer all cases raising religious challenges to
mandatory Covid vaccine policies to Magistrate Judge Green for a determination as to whether the
given case is related to other such cases pending before Judge Beckering pursuant to W. D. Mich.
LCivR. 3.3.1(d)(iii).
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Magistrate Judge Green shall review all cases referred
to him under this Administrative Order for a determination as to whether they are related to
pending cases before Judge Beckering.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all cases deemed related under the provisions of this
Administrative Order shall be assigned to Judge Beckering AND to Magistrate Judge Green; those
not deemed related shall be randomly assigned to a district judge.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Judge Beckering’s draw of other civil cases will be
adjusted to account for each of the additional related cases she receives under this Administrative
Order.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all cases involving religious challenges to mandatory
Covid vaccine policies shall be assigned to Magistrate Judge Green, regardless of the district judge
assigned.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this Administrative Order shall be filed in
each of the cases referenced in Amended Administrative Order No. 23-CA-037, as well as any
subsequent related or cognate case.
FOR THE COURT:
Dated: June 17, 2024
HALA Y. JARBOU
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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