---
title: "Christopher P. Yates | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/christopher-p-yates-mi"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-07"
---

# Christopher P. Yates

Michigan Court of Appeals · Judge

## Profile

- Court: Michigan Court of Appeals
- State: Michigan
- Role: Judge
- Service status: active

## Summary

Christopher P. Yates — Michigan Court of Appeals

## Sources

- [Michigan Court of Appeals 2025 Annual Report](https://www.courts.michigan.gov/49e82a/siteassets/reports/coa/annualreports/annualreport2025.pdf)

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## Biography

### Professional career

- After retiring from the bench in 2026, Yates joined Ven Johnson Law as a senior trial attorney
- Michigan Court of Claims Judge: Served from January 2024 to May 2026
- Michigan Court of Appeals Judge (3rd District): Appointed in 2022 by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and served until his retirement in 2026
- Kent County Circuit Court Judge: Served from 2008 to 2022, including as one of Michigan’s first business court judges

### Education



### Additional information

- focusing on complex civil and appellate litigation



## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [Michigan Court Rule 8.115, Courthouse Decorum and Portable Electronic Devices](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-2f4be1384a246c5cc0b6bc97) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim.  Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.courts.michigan.gov/siteassets/rules-instructions-administrative-orders/michigan-court-rules/court-rules-book-ch-8-responsive-html5.zip/Court_Rules_Book_Ch_8/Court_Rules_Chapter_8/Court_Rules_Chapter_8.htm?rhtocid=_25). Collected 2026-07-26.
- [Michigan Court Rules — Court of Appeals proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-ca06979bc04146487fb59a31) — Michigan Court of Appeals proceedings only; retained September 2, 2026 compilation. Source exceptions and later amendments apply. [Official source](https://www.courts.michigan.gov/siteassets/rules-instructions-administrative-orders/michigan-court-rules/michigan-court-rules.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.