Summary
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan rejected Ted Boniecki’s objections to a magistrate judge’s report and recommendation and order concerning enforcement of Warren rental-inspection ordinances. The court denied motions to clarify a preliminary injunction and for a temporary restraining order, and affirmed denial of motions to join a state district court and its judicial officers as parties. The court held that the magistrate judge acted within her authority and that the existing injunction against Warren officials provided the relief at issue.
Court
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division
Jurisdiction
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division
Decision date
February 5, 2026
Docket number
22-cv-11578
Disposition
other
Questions Presented
- Whether the magistrate judge exceeded her authority by resolving Boniecki's motion for non-party joinder by order rather than by report and recommendation.
- Whether joinder of the Michigan 37th District Court and its judicial officers was necessary to afford Boniecki relief concerning enforcement of Warren's rental ordinances.
- Whether Boniecki was entitled to clarification of the preliminary injunction or a temporary restraining order based on an allegedly missed ticket and prior default judgment.
- Whether the defendants' failure to respond or concur in Boniecki's motions required granting the requested relief or demonstrated a conflict of interest.
Holdings
- The magistrate judge properly resolved the non-party joinder motion by order because the motion was not dispositive of a claim or defense of a named party.
- Joinder was not necessary because enjoining Warren and its enforcement officials was sufficient to prevent the challenged conduct and provide Boniecki the relief available in this action.
- Boniecki was not entitled in this proceeding to have previously issued default judgments set aside or removed from the state court's website because the court had not determined that those judgments were unconstitutional.
- A party's failure to respond or concur did not require the court to grant Boniecki's motions; the court was required to assess the motions' merits and whether the requested relief was available and warranted.
Court Document
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