Certification of Issues to State Courts

Upon motion or after a hearing ordered by the Judge sua sponte, the Judge may certify an issue (a) for decision to the highest Court of the State whose law governs its disposition. An order of certification shall be accompanied by written findings that: (1) (2) (3) the issue certified is an unsettled issue of State law, and the issue certified will likely control the outcome of the federal suit, and certification of the issue will not cause undue delay or prejudice. Such order shall also include citation to precedent, statutory or court rule authority authorizing the State Court involved to resolve certified questions. (b) In all such cases, the order of certification shall stay federal proceedings for a fixed time which shall be subsequently enlarged only upon a showing that such additional time is required to obtain a State Court decision and is not the result of dilatory actions on the part of the litigants.

(c) In cases certified to the Michigan Supreme Court, in addition to the findings required by this Rule, the United States District Court shall approve an agreed statement of facts which shall be subsequently transmitted to the Michigan Supreme Court by the parties as an appendix to briefs filed therein. January 1, 1992 120 United States District Court Eastern District of Michigan