State Supreme Court takes medical pot appeals

By Ed White Associated Press DETROIT (AP) -- The Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to hear two criminal cases about medical marijuana, the first such appeals accepted by the state's highest court since voters approved the limited use of pot in 2008. In a case from Shiawassee County, a man had a medical marijuana card but was charged with drug crimes when police found pot growing outside in a dog kennel. In a second case, from Oakland County, the issues include whether someone using marijuana must have consulted a doctor after the law was passed, not before. In both, drug charges were dismissed by trial judges but restored by the Michigan Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court agreed to hear appeals in brief orders released Thursday. The court said it would welcome any input from the attorney general and associations representing Michigan defense lawyers and prosecutors, as well as attorneys in the two cases. Published: Fri, Jun 24, 2011