The Court is located in the Michigan Hall of Justice at 925 Ottawa Street in Lansing, the state capital.

In most cases, the litigants seek review of Michigan Court of Appeals decisions, but the Supreme Court also hears cases of attorney misconduct (through a bifurcated disciplinary system comprising an investigation and prosecution agency – the Attorney Grievance Commission – and a separate adjudicative agency – the Attorney Discipline Board),[1] judicial misconduct (through the Judicial Tenure Commission), as well as a small number of matters over which the Court has original jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court is given original, superintending control power, and appellate jurisdiction over the issue of penalty (up to and including removal of judges from office).

It had three members and each also oversaw one of the three judicial circuits, located in Detroit, Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo.

The court needed a quorum of two to operate and members were appointed to seven-year terms by the governor with the consent of the senate.

The Michigan Constitution allows vacancies on the state Supreme Court to be initially filled by the Governor, with that appointee serving until the next general election, at which time the elected winner is seated to fill the remaining portion of the vacated term.

[5] Following the 2012 election, the court had a 4–3 conservative Republican majority, with Robert P. Young Jr. serving as Chief Justice.

[8] With the election of Kimberly Thomas to succeed retiring Justice David Viviano in 2024, Democrats increased their advantage to a 5–2 majority on the court, starting January 1, 2025.