Top Mich. court hearing Kilpatrick case

DETROIT, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- The Michigan Supreme Court began hearing arguments this week regarding Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's involvement in police whistle-blower lawsuits.

While two lower courts had previously ruled the secret documents Kilpatrick used in the settlement of the lawsuits should be released to the public, the city decided to appeal those rulings with the state's top court, the Detroit Free Press said Saturday.

The city's arguments in the matter were previously rejected by the Michigan Court of Appeals and Wayne County Circuit Judge Robert Colombo Jr., but city officials have maintained confidentiality in the case must be preserved.

Legal experts told the Free Press Kilpatrick, who recently was at the center of an infidelity scandal, has little chance of winning in the state Supreme Court and the motion will cost taxpayers.

"When you have two lower courts going against you, it's pretty rough," Wayne State University law professor Peter Henning said. "It's any litigant's right to seek review, but it's not a cost-free decision."