Judge John R. Schlesiger, the highest-ranking judge in the state of Michigan, has made headlines recently for his handling of the divorce case of his longtime wife, Judge Judy, and the ongoing civil litigation that has rocked the state.
In a new column published by Axios, Schlesingers attorney, Jonathan Rauch, writes that Schlesings wife is not suffering from mental illness.
Schlesinger told the Washington Post in January that Judge Judy was suffering from “post-traumatic stress disorder,” which is a form of PTSD that can be triggered by the loss of a loved one.
Schliesinger also said that Judge Schlesing has not yet been diagnosed with PTSD, though the judge has acknowledged that he has a history of depression.
Schulsinger’s attorney, Rauche, told the Post that Schliesinger had PTSD symptoms and is “not suffering from PTSD.”
“He has a mental health issue that he’s still trying to work through,” Rauchi said.
The court is scheduled to hear arguments from the parties in the divorce lawsuit next week.
The Michigan Supreme Court on Monday issued a temporary restraining order preventing the case from going to trial until after the holidays.
Judge Schliesing’s wife has not commented on the restraining order, though her lawyer, Raux, told Reuters that she’s not planning on commenting on the case.
Schlisinger, the state’s highest-ranked judge, was named to the bench in 2010 by President George W. Bush, and was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan in 2018.
He previously served as Michigan’s chief judge, and he has served in the role since 2016.
Schlusinger is one of the highest court-appointed judges in the country, having been named to three federal appeals courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
He was appointed by President Donald Trump in April 2017.
In 2016, the Michigan Supreme Judicial Court found that Schlusinger violated the Constitution by refusing to grant a divorce because he and his wife, Judy, did not have enough money to pay for their marriage, but he appealed the decision to the state Supreme Court.
Schmesinger’s decision to deny a divorce is the latest legal blow for Michigan, where many judges have faced criticism for rulings that are controversial.
Michigan’s Supreme Court has previously struck down rulings by a state appellate court that said it would be unconstitutional to remove a person from office over allegations of misconduct.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
