Michigan Prosecutors’ Justice Initiative Ethics and Best Practices Committee

The Michigan Prosecutors’ Justice Initiative (MPJI), Ethics and Best Practices Committee was established in 2014 to ensure justice is delivered with the highest degree of integrity through the development of professional standards designed to improve public safety, protect the rights of the accused, secure justice for crime victims, and hold offenders accountable. The committee meets on a regular basis to discuss the challenging issues of the day and to provide guidance on a variety of subjects.

Recent accomplishments by the Committee include:

  • Ethics: Conducted the first ethics conference for elected DA’s in fall 2015 and created a Best Practices Recommendation for Brady/Giglio Material. Read
  • Eyewitness ID: Created a Best Practices Recommendation for Eyewitness Identification and Procedures in collaboration with the Michigan Chiefs of Police and state bar. Read
  • Media Communications: Wrote a Best Practices Recommendation on Prosecutor and Law Enforcement Communication to Media. Read BP Recommendation and Media Guide
  • Conflicts of Interest: Seeking to maintain the high standard of professionalism required to insure the public trust, developed a Best Practices Recommendation to assist in the determination as to when appointment of a special prosecutor is needed. Read
  • Continuing Legal Education: Although Michigan does not require a minimum level of CLE, a Best Practices Recommendation for prosecutors was created to ensure they maintain a level of knowledge and skill necessary for duties required to serve justice. Read
  • Michigan Exonerations: Examined the facts and circumstances surrounding exoneration cases to review lessons learned.

“Michigan’s prosecutors are committed to justice and doing the right thing. Our best practices committee institutionalizes the efforts prosecutors have always made to be proactive in making sure the criminal justice system accomplishes justice.”

-Bill Valliencourt, Livingston County Prosecutor, Chair of the Committee

Contact Information for the Committee:
Bill Valliencourt, Livingston County Prosecutor, [email protected]

Larry Burdick, Executive Director, Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council, [email protected]