MHSAA: Tracking the Sports Seasons Lawsuit

Tracking the Sports Seasons Lawsuit

Sports Seasons Litigation Returns to U.S. Supreme Court

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Dec. 11 – The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has denied a motion of the Michigan High School Athletic Association to have the full panel of the Sixth Circuit review a divided decision of a three-judge panel on August 16, 2006. That panel had affirmed the U.S. District Court in Kalamazoo which had found that the sports seasons established by Michigan schools violated state and federal law and the U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. Supreme Court will be asked by the MHSAA to take up the case again. Filings are expected to be made by February, which under normal circumstances would result in the Supreme Court deciding by mid-May if it will give further review to the case.

The MHSAA previously approved and distributed a Contingency Plan for the rescheduling of sports seasons affected by the litigation in the event appellate reviews fail.