Section 600.6404 - Court of claims; assignment; jurisdiction; pending matters; transfer; disability, disqualification, or inability of judge to attend to matter; death of judge; term; assignment of judge to serve remainder of term; selection of chief judge(1) The court of claims consists of 4 court of appeals judges from at least 2 court of appeals districts assigned by the supreme court. A court of appeals judge while sitting as a judge of the court of claims may exercise the jurisdiction of the court of claims as provided by law.(2) All matters pending in the court of claims as of the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection shall be transferred to the clerk of the court of appeals, acting as the clerk of the court of claims, for assignment to a court of appeals judge sitting as a court of claims judge pursuant to section 6410. The transfer shall be effective on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection.(3) Beginning on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection, any matter within the jurisdiction of the court of claims described in section 6419(1) pending or later filed in any court must, upon notice of the state or a department or officer of the state, be transferred to the court of claims described in subsection (1). The transfer shall be effective upon the filing of the transfer notice. The state or a department or officer of this state shall file a copy of the transfer notice with the clerk of the court of appeals, who shall act as the clerk of the court of claims, for assignment to a court of appeals judge sitting as a court of claims judge pursuant to section 6410.(4) If a judge assigned to serve on the court of claims is disabled, disqualified, or otherwise unable to attend to a matter, another judge assigned to sit as a judge of the court of claims may continue, hear, determine, and sign orders and other documents in the matter.(5) In case a court of appeals judge designated to sit as the judge of the court of claims dies before signing a judgment and after filing a finding of fact or rendering an opinion upon proof submitted and argument of counsel disposing of all or part of the issues in the case involved, a successor as judge of the court of claims may proceed with that action in a manner consistent with the finding or opinion and the judge is given the same powers as if the finding of fact had been made or the opinion had been rendered by the successor judge.(6) A judge assigned as a judge of the court of claims shall be assigned for a term of 2 years and may be reassigned at the expiration of that term.(7) The term of a judge of the court of claims expires on May 1 of each odd-numbered year.(8) When a judge who is sitting as a judge of the court of claims leaves office or is otherwise unable to serve as a judge of the court of claims, the supreme court may assign a court of appeals judge to serve for the remainder of the judge's term on the court of claims.(9) The supreme court shall select a chief judge of the court of claims from among the court of appeals judges assigned to the court of claims.Amended by 2013, Act 164,s 3, eff. 11/12/2013.1961, Act 236, Eff. 1/1/1963 ;--Am. 1974, Act 145, Imd. Eff. 6/7/1974 ;--Am. 1978, Act 164, Eff. 1/1/1979.