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May 14, 2020 - Outside Legal Counsel's Philip L. Ellison and co-counsel Matthew Gronda have filed an amicus brief to correct the unconstitutional imbalance created by Michigan's emergency response laws.
April 27, 2020 - Michigan's prior ban between two residences violated Michiganders' constitutional rights.
April 22, 2020 - On behalf of a nonprofit advocacy group, OLC has filed a new lawsuit challenging the actions of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the two laws being utilized to issue nearly four dozen executive orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 7, 2020 - OLC has filed a lawsuit against the State of Michigan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer challenging the legal authority to issue Executive Order No. 2020-38 suspending Michigan's transparency and citizen oversight law.
April 3, 2020 - A federal lawsuit filed by OLC alleges that a City Manager has been deleting comments criticizing the government's response to COVID-19 which violates the First Amendment.
April 2, 2020 - Under the Michigan Constitution, "the executive power is vested in the governor" yet it says virtually nothing about the governor issuing emergency executive orders or who is in charge in an emergency.
March 22, 2020 - Higgins Lake Property Owners: Roscommon County is intentionally causing the mid to later summer lake levels to repeatedly drop below the level mandated by the Legal Lake Level Order to the detriment of the users of Higgins Lake.
November 30, 2019 - A new mandamus lawsuit seeks to legally force the implementation of lake level recommendations from a 2010 engineering study and force Roscommon County to use best practices and available technology to properly maintain the actual level of Higgins Lake.
November 30, 2019 - In the past six weeks, OLC has secured three extremely valuable water rights or "riparian" easements for our clients through Michigan.
May 21, 2019 - A finding of contempt is being sought against Roscommon County for not maintaining water lake levels on Higgins Lake
February 26, 2019 - A new federal lawsuit challenges the government’s use of Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) as being in violation of the First Amendment.
January 4, 2019 - Oral arguments before the Tuscola County Circuit Court to held on Monday, January 7, 2019 following the filing of a six-county class action lawsuit challenging the legality of tax foreclosures by county treasurers.
December 15, 2018 - Judges using personal protection orders to supplement the rules that we all live in society by is deemed unconstitutional.
October 5, 2018 - The parents of nine Michigan children have filed an appeal to a local federal judge’s decision concluding that they lack constitutional rights to be free from newborn blood draws.
September 9, 2018 - Do lake-front property owners have "riparian" rights?
June 28, 2018 - The Sixth Circuit issued a key appellate decision in the case involving three police reserve officers of the Village of Oxford Police Department and their right to demand their government hold a public hearing to clear their good names.
February 22, 2018 - Outside Legal Counsel PLC has today file a merits brief on behalf of a Virginia attorney seeking access to the "Tanton Papers" held at the Bentley Historical Library inside the University of Michigan.
January 4, 2018 - Outside Legal Counsel has today filed a motion with the Kent County Circuit Court seeking summary disposition on a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit which seeks impose a new civil fine against the City of Rockford in excess of one million dollars.
November 9, 2017 - OLC secures documents sought to be kept secret by using an illegal fee to constructively deny access.
November 9, 2017 - On behalf its client Donald Freed, Outside Legal Counsel has recently filed a federal lawsuit challenging the decision and actions of Gratiot County Treasurer Michelle Thomas in what is described in the complaint as governmental theft.
October 26, 2017 - The Michigan Court of Claims has sided with Outside Legal Counsel and its client, Scott Lewis Private Investigations, LLC, and ordered the disclosure of a telephone recording created and held by the Michigan Department of Corrections.
June 25, 2017 - Outside Legal Counsel PLC has secured a legal victory for a local pig farmer against a local government that sued to shut down a small local piggery.
March 11, 2017 - OLC recently filed a federal lawsuit against the Village of Oxford, its president, manager, and others alleging that its actions at a January 2017 meeting violated the constitutional rights of three members of the local police department.
August 15, 2016 - On August 8, 2016, Outside Legal Counsel attorney Philip L. Ellison has been accept for admission to practice and argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington DC.
June 3, 2016 - OLC has today filed a petition with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit requesting all active serving federal Sixth Circuit appellate judges to collectively review the three-judge decision in a case seeking recognition of the First Amendment right to audio and video record court proceedings.
May 30, 2016 - Former Cottrellville Township supervisor Kelly Fiscelli was ordered to be held personally liable for her actions in violating Michigan Open Meetings Act
May 12, 2016 - OLC has obtained a judgment against the Jackson County Sheriff's Office for violations of the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.
March 8, 2016 - The Genesee County Circuit Court has denied the request of Baker College to dismiss or otherwise highly restrict the lawsuit brought by a former nursing student who claims she was wrongly dismissed from the nursing program at Baker's Owosso campus due to discussions involving vaccines.
March 4, 2016 - By a peremptory order, the Michigan Supreme Court has granted Outside Legal Counsel's clients a reversal of the trial court and Court of Appeals decisions dissolving the former's private road easement in a subdivision.
December 31, 2015 - Outside Legal Counsel's response to the December 30, 2015 editorial of The Times Herald newspaper
December 28, 2015 - After violating the required production deadline and attempting to charge high five-figures for records, a Michigan court ruled in favor of Outside Legal Counsel's client finding that Goodrich Area Schools violate Michigan's Freedom of Information Act.
November 29, 2015 - The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered oral argument in a case brought by Outside Legal Counsel regarding a simple question: who is a public official?
November 23, 2015 - OLC has obtain two favorable rulings in two separate courts regarding the same illegality the FOIA practice of giving a written notice of "granting" a request but not actually timely producing requested records.
September 29, 2015 - After trying to demand thousands of dollars for copies of simple emails, Outside Legal Counsel and Cass County reached an agreement requiring the immediate disclosure of nearly 2,000 pages emails and documents at no cost.
August 27, 2015 - The Michigan Court of Appeals today reversed the dismissal of a legal action filed by a former township trustee and two residents who were improperly silenced by a township supervisor at a public meeting.
May 30, 2015 - Following a series of lawsuits involving the Village of Oakley, Outside Legal Counsel PLC has successfully obtained nearly 2000 pages of secret records involving controversial pay-to-play policing program.
May 7, 2015 - Outside Legal Counsel of Hemlock has filed another lawsuit against the Village of Oakley for ignoring valid requests for financial information.
May 6, 2015 - The Michigan Court of Appeals adopts OLC's arguments that excessive fees under a FOIA is actionable at law.
December 29, 2014 - In an issued opinion, the Saginaw County Circuit Court has declared that the Village of Oakley has "clearly" violated the Open Meetings Act in regards to a secret closed-session meeting after excluding the public from observing the same.
December 4, 2014 - Can a Michigan city play favorites with who it releases or refuses to release standard police reports to? The answer is no, according to a new lawsuit.
October 31, 2014 - Outside Legal Counsel attorney and civil litigator Philip L. Ellison has been selected by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of the state's Up and Coming Lawyers for 2014.
October 13, 2014 - Upon the application and evidentiary hearings conducted by OLC, the Saginaw County Circuit Court as ordered the immediate shut down of the Village of Oakley Police Department.
October 13, 2014 - By an order of the Michigan Supreme Court, an amicus brief written and filed by Outside Legal Counsel will be considered by the high court.
August 28, 2014 - Today, the on-going lawsuit between Cottrellville Township and its Board of Trustees and local citizen Caroline Zoran was settled after an hour-long discussion between the parties, their attorneys, and the St. Clair County Circuit Court.
July 29, 2014 - A change to Public Act 56 came into effect in June 2014.
May 29, 2014 - The lawsuit alleges the Algonac Community School's Board of Education of violating the state's Open Meetings Act.
May 3, 2014 - OLC filed papers on behalf of township trustee Michael Zoran requesting the Michigan Supreme Court to assume control over the challenge to a township supervisor's failure to adhere to residency requirements.
April 23, 2014 - The Michigan Supreme Court ruled in favor of OLC's clients, two grandparents who have long been denied the opportunity to seek visitation rights under Michigan’s grandparenting statute.
March 10, 2014 - Comments of Attorney Philip L. Ellison, a water-rights and property-rights attorney at Outside Legal Counsel, following the 8-1 decision in Marvin M. Brandt Revocable Trust v. United States.
February 26, 2014 - Traverse City resident Ann Laurence and the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners today settled their lawsuit involving various allegations of violations of Michigan’s Open Meetings Act.
February 26, 2014 - On February 20, 2014, Saginaw County Circuit Court Judge Robert L. Kaczmarek issued his 22 page decision outlining his long-awaited decision regarding a Freedom of Information Act challenge.
January 20, 2014 - Outside Legal Counsel, a Saginaw-based law firm, has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a client against Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel and one of his subordinates asking for the recently enacted Electronics Ban Order to be halted.
December 20, 2013 - In a first of its kind legal action, a request for "special leave" has been filed with the St. Clair County Circuit Court seeking judicial permission to conduct a legal challenge on whether the Cottrellville Township Supervisor is illegally holding her local municipal office.
November 27, 2013 - On behalf of two grandparents seeking visitation rights under Michigan’s grandparenting statute, Attorneys Colin Dill of Dill Law PLLC and Philip L. Ellison of Outside Legal Counsel PLC have filed a supplemental brief after the Michigan Supreme Court ordered oral argument on whether to hear the case.
November 14, 2013 - Outside Legal Counsel PLC has filed for an emergency temporary restraining order against the State, the Department of Corrections, and its agents from taking any steps to transfer the already underway case to the newly created Court of Claims at the Michigan Court of Appeals.
November 4, 2013 - Cottrellville Township - The St. Clair County Circuit Court ruled today that the actions of Cottrellville Township and its supervisor, Kelly Ann Lisco, violated the Michigan Open Meetings Act
November 2, 2013 - After litigating for more than a year, Outside Legal Counsel PLC has re-established riparian rights to the shorelands of an inland lake in West Michigan paving the way for the landowner to begin enjoying its riparian rights, including building and maintaining a dock.
July 22, 2013 - Outside Legal Counsel PLC has filed a lawsuit in St. Clair County Circuit Court for a township prematurely ending public comment at its public meetings.
May 24, 2013 - A high school senior, within a few weeks of graduation, has filed a lawsuit against his school district alleging violations of the Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act for his district’s failure to disclose who it has expelled over the past three years.
April 29, 2013 - OLC has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Oakland County resident who requested a few legal records and was assessed more than $4,000 in fees before the agency would even begin to look into the request.
April 24, 2013 - Outside Legal Counsel PLC has filed a lawsuit against the Village of Oakley alleging violations of Michigan Freedom of Information Act.
March 18, 2013 - Despite the change of federal law, Michigan also has opted to continue a previously enacted state-level ban more restrictive than TSA's former rules but the Michigan law will likely be trashed under a legal doctrine known as preemption.
February 8, 2013 - OLC has secured a judgment against the City of Ludington on behalf of a citizen activist and community blogger regarding the illegal use of email-based city council meeting and voting practices.
February 1, 2013 - On behalf of an exploited homeowner, Outside Legal Counsel PLC has filed a lawsuit against the Better Business Bureau of West Michigan, Inc alleging its business rating system and business accreditation program are being operated in violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.
December 30, 2012 - Michigan Governor Rick Snyder today signed into law Public Act 478 of 2012, a new law designed to prohibit employers and educational institutions from requiring employees and students to hand over or even request passwords or access to personal online accounts.
November 11, 2012 - Hunters need to pay attention to property rights and property lines or they might find themselves afoul with the law
November 9, 2012 - On behalf a local resident, Outside Legal Counsel PLC has filed a lawsuit against the City of Ludington alleging violations of Michigan's Open Meetings Act.
November 1, 2012 - Outside Legal Counsel PLC has secured an improved civil judgment against Jack's Wholesale Windows and Design of Schoolcraft, Inc, a replacement-windows company located in Southwest Michigan.
September 3, 2012 - OLC has successfully assisted a husband and wife homeowner from the effects of a Stop Work Order issued on the building of a retirement home on Lake Huron in Iosco County, Michigan.
August 3, 2012 - OLC files lawsuit against Mount Pleasant, MI-based hospital over its unpaid student internship employment practices.
July 26, 2012 - On behalf of a young couple in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the law firm of Outside Legal Counsel PLC has secured a civil judgment against local window company, Jack's Wholesale Windows and Design of Schoolcraft, Inc.
June 6, 2012 - Accessing the email and Facebook of your significant other without permission is against Michigan law.
May 9, 2012 - OLC attorney Philip L. Ellison has been featured as a guest columnist in the May 2012 issue of the Woods-N-Water News magazine
May 2, 2012 - Michigan's small claims courts handle cases where the parties are disputing a money claim in the amount of $3,000 or less.
March 26, 2012 - Attorney Philip L. Ellison comments on two leading Democratic US senators' inquiry of whether employer-required access to individual Facebook profiles violates federal laws.
March 16, 2012 - In an age of instant communications and interconnectivity, OLC has secured a court order allowing it to serve a Michigan trial subpoena through the social networking site Facebook.
February 4, 2012 - Michigan's crime victims' law is a powerful tool for the victims of crimes in response to unlawful acts of criminals, but only if utilized.
September 17, 2011 - Starting Saturday, September 17th, Michigan is officially celebrating the US Constitution. The US Constitution contains a number of other unusual and unknown legal aspects.
September 4, 2011 - But once an infestation of bedbugs as occurred, the question becomes who is responsible for the cost of their eradiation under Michigan law?
September 2, 2011 - The First Circuit Court of Appeals has recently ruled that members of the public have a 'clearly established' First Amendment right to film police officers conducting police business in a public place.
September 2, 2011 - The Michigan Court of Appeals declined to review a legal challenge to Michigan's 'Son of Sam' law, a statute within Michigan's Crime Victim's Rights Act, that prohibits a convicted individual from profiting from marketing or publicizing previous criminal acts unless full restitution, compensation, and other costs has been first paid.
August 25, 2011 - On Monday, August 22, 2011, the Honorable Paul A Chamberlin issued a court order against the protesting faculty members requiring the professors to return to work based upon a complaint filed by Central Michigan University.
July 13, 2011 - A survey conducted by the First Amendment Center has found that most Americans can name at least one of the five freedoms found in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Yet, a staggering three in ten could not list a single First Amendment right.
June 24, 2011 - OLC attorney Philip L. Ellison has been featured as a guest columnist in the July 2011 issue of the Woods-N-Water News magazine.
March 30, 2011 - The idea of using the Freedom of Information Act to receive copies of a professor�s emails has spread to Michigan causing a 'perfect storm' of competing principles.
March 7, 2011 - Outside Legal Counsel PLC has recently represented a Saginaw, Michigan property-owner with a minor legal issue but a difficult media situation.
February 28, 2011 - In a published decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Court ruled that a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) denial occurs when the public body issues, rather than drafts, a written notice.
February 11, 2011 - In a lawsuit that started almost two years ago regarding riparian (lake access) rights on a northeast Michigan lake, Outside Legal Counsel PLC attorney Philip L. Ellison has secured a legal victory for the owners of the nearly 480 lots in the Shady Shores Park subdivision near Rose City, Michigan.
February 1, 2011 - With the high amount of expected snowfall, Michigan citizens are reminded of a few key legal provisions on what to do with the wet, cold snow.
January 26, 2011 - The Michigan Court of Appeals explicitly affirmed a strict 90-day window from the occurrence of the alleged violation to bring a claim under the Michigan Whistleblowers' Protection Act.
January 22, 2011 - In his first State of the State address, newly inaugurated Michigan Governor Rick Snyder called for an end to certain provisions of Michigan's Pricing and Advertising of Consumer Items Act, Act 449 of 1976. But the current law is much more than just about price stickers.
January 14, 2011 - Martin Luther King, Jr. once wrote, while confined in the Birmingham jail, that an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Today, several important state and federal laws exist to give and protect citizens’ civil rights.
January 6, 2011 - The Michigan Supreme Court released its lengthy 4-3 opinion regarding Michigan riparian rights for properties separated from a lake by a public roadway.
December 27, 2010 - The CAN-SPAM Act imposes certain requirements to send emails of a commercial nature. CAN-SPAM does not ban spam outright, but rather provides a code of conduct to regulate commercial email messaging practices.
December 26, 2010 - In a land property dispute case, Portage attorney Philip L. Ellison filed an extraordinary appeal request with the Michigan Supreme Court.
November 21, 2010 - A few changes in your sales contracts can put you in a stronger position when attempting to collect on the uncollectible. In this tight economic climate, cash flow is the absolute most important short-term factor in business survival. Most businesses have excellent products or services yet struggle when their customers do not or will not pay on-time.
November 1, 2010 - Outside Legal Counsel, along with co-counsel from Gronda PLLC, has filed an extraordinary pre-trial application to appeal with the Michigan Court of Appeals. The case involves the requested vacation of platted property privately dedicated for shared private use at "Shady Shores."