The Honorable Maura Corrigan served as Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from 2004 through 2011. A graduate of Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan and the University of Detroit Law School, Chief Justice Corrigan got her legal start clerking in the Michigan Court of Appeals. From her clerkship, she worked as a Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor and later an Assistant United States Attorney, serving as Chief of Appeals. She went on to become the first  woman to serve as Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 1989, Chief Justice Corrigan became a partner at the Detroit law firm of Plunkett & Cooney. And in 1992, Governor John Engler appointed her to the Michigan Court of Appeals. She was twice elected to that court and served as its Chief Judge from 1997-1998.

Chief Justice Corrigan is a long-time member of the Federalist Society, Michigan Lawyers Chapter. She was also a president of The Incorporated Society of Irish-American Lawyers and of the Federal Bar Association, Detroit Chapter. A life-long advocate of system-involved youth, Chief Justice Corrigan has served as a member of the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care and has been recognized for her work on foster care and adoption issues to include The Detroit News’ “Michiganian of the Year” award. In line with her passion for serving vulnerable populations and protecting all children, Chief Justice Corrigan was named Director of the Department of Health and Human Services in 2011 by Governor Rick Snyder. As Director, she oversaw the second largest Michigan agency to include an annual budget of $6 billion. Chief Justice Corrigan retired from her directorship in 2014.

Chief Justice Corrigan is the widow of Joseph Grano, a professor of constitutional law at Wayne State University. She has two children – Megan and Daniel – and most recently welcomed a new grandchild.