Jackson, Mich. (WKHM) — A Wednesday morning (April 29) evidentiary hearing for a potential preliminary injunction against two now-former members of the Michigan Theatre of Jackson’s Board of Directors has been adjourned, similar to the motion hearing on the matter back on April 10.
Former Board Chair Nan Whitmore and member Kathryn Snyder resigned from the board on Friday, prompting Judge Richard LaFlamme to ask why the Plaintiffs are still pursuing the preliminary injunction that would suspend the defendants.
The Plaintiffs’ attorney argued that other relief is being requested from the court, including the temporary implementation of a new board after Whitmore and Snyder allegedly attempted to appoint multiple new board members shortly before resigning.
He argued that there is nothing stopping the “hand-picked” board from simply appointing Whitmore and Snyder again.
The attorney said that they received a “document dump” from the Theatre on Monday that he alleged contained no meeting minutes after January of this year, which was when former Executive Director Steve Tucker was removed from his position.
He argued that meeting minutes from October 2025 say that then-Chair Nan Whitmore allegedly welcomed Kathryn Snyder to the board with no mention of Snyder in the previous month’s meeting minutes and no record of a vote to appoint Snyder.
It was also alleged that records showed that $47,000 of capital campaign funds were used to pay the Theatre’s operational costs.
The defendants, who were once again without legal representation, requested to meet with the judge and the Plaintiffs’ attorney in chambers, and also made a motion for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
Both of the requests were denied with Judge LaFlamme saying that he only meets in chambers with legal counsel, and that he would not be making a dismissal at this point in the legal process.
The Judge did say that the Plaintiffs can make a motion to schedule a default judgment due to the lack of a formal response from the Theatre, and adjourned the hearing to May 15 at 8:30 a.m.
