An Oakland County district judge facing a misconduct complaint will have fewer cases on her docket at her own request and following action taken by a supervising judge.

A Michigan judicial tenure commission investigation found evidence of misconduct by 52-4 District Judge Kirsten Hartig, according to a complaint made public earlier this month. The report, signed on June 4, said Hartig dismissed at least four criminal cases “to punish the prosecution rather than on the merits of the cases” and created a “climate of fear” among court officials and employees. Hartig also took months to share with the commission an April 2024 state-ordered mental-health evaluation that found she was unsafe to practice.

Bruce Goldberg, president of River’s Bend and a social worker working with Hartig’s sobriety program team, wrote to the commission in June 2024 to defend Hartig. He wrote that he did not believe Hartig was unsafe to practice.

Since April, 52nd District Court Chief Judge Travis Reeds has twice asked the commission to remove Hartig from the bench before the complaint is resolved. Each request was denied.Hartig had denied county prosecutor’s office attorneys’ requests for her to recuse herself from hearing their cases. But on Tuesday, she rescued herself.

The Oakland Press asked Judge Hartig’s spokesman for comment on Thursday morning, but courts and county offices are closed in observance of Juneteenth.

On Wednesday, Reeds responded to Hartig’s recusal with an administrative order moving certain cases to other 52nd District judges.

The 52nd District Court has four divisions: 52-1 in Novi, 52-2 in Clarkston, 52-3 in Rochester Hills and 52-4 in Troy. District court judges handle traffic violations such as driving under the influence, speeding and reckless driving; civil cases, such as evictions, land forfeitures, garnishments for up to $25,000; and civil cases with claims above $25,000 assigned by the Circuit Court. District judges also hear criminal cases with maximum penalties of up to a year in jail. They preside over preliminary and probable cause hearings for criminal cases that are sent for Circuit Court trial.

Reeds said the individual requests for recusals and appeals were creating unnecessary confusion and delays that were unfair to everyone, especially litigants and attorneys. Reed’s order created a temporary procedure to streamline the case-assignment process.

“I want to thank my fellow 52nd District Court judges and the outstanding staff in all four divisions for stepping up to handle the extra cases without complaint,” he said.

Reeds said the court’s priority is to serve the public to the best of its ability.

“We will continue to work together to make that happen,” he said.

All cases involving state-law violations and misdemeanor civil cases will be divided between 52-4 Presiding Judge Maureen McGinnis and Reeds.

McGinnis will hear all of Clawson’s criminal and civil cases normally heard by Hartig and all felony cases.

Reeds will be at the 52-4 District Court in Troy three Tuesdays a month to hear cases. The judge for the four Tuesday remains to be named.

Hartig will continue to hear general civil, landlord-tenant and small-claims cases filed in the 52-4 District Court.

The complaint against Hartig, filed on June 4, requires a response to the judicial tenure commission within 14 business days. Hartig’s response is due June 25.