Imagine a scenario where after several months of searching, the police finally find a killer

that was on the loose.

All the evidence points to this person being the killer.

There's even video footage of him committing the crime.

And yet still, during the actual trial, he gets off on a technicality with the technicality

being that the judge used the wrong pronouns when referring to him.

If you think that's ridiculous, well, welcome to the judicial world over in the state of

Michigan, where just last Wednesday, the state supreme court voted in favor of enacting

a new rule, which will force all the judges and the court personnel throughout the whole

state to refer to plaintiffs, defendants, and lawyers by their preferred pronouns.

Or if they don't wish to refer to those people by their preferred pronouns, they now

have to use some verbal gymnastics.

Here specifically what the newly adopted amendment reads in relevant part, quote, courts must

use the individual's name, the designated salutation, or personal pronouns, or other respectful

means that is not inconsistent with the individual's designated salutation or personal pronouns

when addressing, referring to, or identifying the party or attorney, whether orally or

in writing.

So, what it means in practical terms is that let's say you have Derek the murder suspect

thinking of himself as a woman, well, the judge in the case over in Michigan will now

have to play along and refer to Derek as a sheep, although the judge will have a few other

options.

Quote, the rule, which goes into effect on January 1st of 2024, also will allow judges to

...