Sherrone Moore found himself back in court this week, fighting felony charges. The former Michigan head coach is pushing to have the case against him dismissed, and this time, his lawyer is going public. Moore’s attorney, Ellen Michaels, spoke up after a judge granted a motion hearing to dig deeper into how charges were authorized. The revelation is a significant development that could alter the trajectory of the case.

“We will be back here on March 2 for an evidentiary sharing,” Ellen Michaels said after the court session as Sherrone Moore stood beside her. “Judge Simpson got it right in this motion, and due process matters. Coach Moore maintains his innocence, and the truth will come out.” 

Moore, 40, was fired on December 10 following an independent university investigation that found he had an inappropriate relationship with an executive assistant, Paige Shiver. That same day, he was accused of entering the woman’s apartment without permission, pointing butter knives at her, then turning them on himself and threatening su—de.

The 40-year-old is charged with third-degree home invasion, stalking, and illegal entry, with the home invasion charge alone carrying up to five years in prison. But here’s where his lawyer is drawing a hard line. 

Ellen Michaels argues that when Pittsfield Township Detective Jessica Welker sought charges from a magistrate, she left out a key detail. Sherrone Moore was the woman’s boss, and yes, he reportedly called 12 times on December 10, but it was during business hours while preparing the team for a bowl game. The court acknowledged some texts as work-related, including “please answer” and “can you call me when you get a chance?”

“It’s not stalking if the communication has a legitimate purpose,” Michaels argued. “Why does that matter? It matters because the communications presented to the magistrate were 12 alleged phone calls that were unanswered. The 12 alleged phone calls were on a workday. The complainant had not taken a leave of absence; she had not left her job. It was working hours, and she was the executive assistant of Sherrone Moore.”

If what she’s arguing is true, that’s central to whether probable cause existed in the first place. This potential due process violation will be the central focus of the March 2 hearing. And if the court determines the warrant was authorized without full disclosure, the charges could be in jeopardy. And the judge made it clear he’s not brushing this aside.

Judge raises red flags over Sherrone Moore’s half story

Washtenaw County 14A District Court Judge J. Cedric Simpson voiced ‘very worried’ concerns about the omission, calling it a ‘glaring’ issue. He questioned whether he was ‘getting half the story’.

I find it a problem when the court isn’t given all the information for the court to make a proper determination of probable cause,” he said. “I have a problem with that. Quite frankly, I think the defendant’s due process rights, as well as the rights of the people to be able to proceed with a validly sworn-out complaint, are in jeopardy.”

While this hearing focuses on the stalking charge, the separate allegations regarding the apartment entry and the use of knives remain a central part of the case against Moore. Assistant prosecutor Kati Rezmierski argued a hearing wasn’t even necessary, but the judge disagreed, and March 2 is now the date to watch.