Michigan Republicans Say Courts Can’t Force Movement on Bills

A lawyer for the GOP-controlled Michigan House of Representatives repeatedly told the state’s justices Wednesday that it doesn’t mean to mock their power while arguing that they can’t order it to forward bills from a previous legislative session to the governor.

Neither the Michigan Supreme Court nor lower judges have the power to force the House or state Senate to carry out a “legislative process,” regardless of whether it’s spelled out in the state constitution, Kyle M. Asher of Dykema Gossett Pllc said during oral arguments.

“At the same time, I want to be equally clear that we’re not coming ...