Madison student court leaves chair in seat after rejecting final procedural appeal

The student judiciary for the Associated Students of Madison (ASM) dismissed a second petitioner’s brief on Sept. 29, formally ending the challenge to the current chair’s election. The dismissal confirms the results of the April 24 vote for chair of the 33rd session, a race that Rep. Michael Harry lost.

Harry filed his latest brief on Sept. 22, marking his second submission to the body. In this filing, he argued that the judiciary mishandled the order regarding his initial brief and that the Chief Justice misapplied procedural rules. He also contended that requiring a two-thirds majority to treat the first brief as a special order lacked precedent.

The dispute originated on April 30, when Harry first sent a brief claiming the election results were invalid due to broken meeting rules and the absence of the presiding Chief Justice. On Sept. 14, he amended that original brief to add information and request that alleged violators be barred from future chair elections. The judiciary issued an order on Sept. 8 permitting the brief to be discussed as a special item at the Sept. 16 council meeting.

At that Sept. 16 meeting, ASM representatives voted against adopting the special order. The motion failed to reach the required two-thirds majority, though a simple majority of representatives voted in favor. Had the motion passed, the council could have re-elected the 33rd session chair using a simple majority vote.

The dismissal notice indicated that a majority of student justices recused themselves from the decision. Chief Justice Chloe Sieman was among those who recused, a step that Harry had previously requested. Because of these recusals, the judiciary did not assign a full panel to hear the case.

ASM Chair Haia Al Zein responded to the decision in a statement to The Daily Cardinal. "The Student Judiciary's decision gives me hope for the remainder of the 33rd session, and I hope it serves as an opportunity for us to work more collaboratively and move forward in greater unity," Al Zein said. Sieman, Harry, and the student judiciary declined to provide further comment on the brief.