A Menominee judge is weighing whether to force private cannabis companies, ballot campaign backers and even city officials to hand over emails, invoices and other records tied to the city’s messy marijuana rollout. The issue surfaced at a March 5 hearing in Menominee County Circuit Court, where attorneys clashed over subpoenas in a years‑long fight over dispensary licenses. If the court orders production, it could reveal who has been bankrolling the legal battles and what behind‑the‑scenes deals shaped Menominee’s cannabis market.
Barglind heard arguments and will file written rulings
Menominee County Circuit Judge Mary B. Barglind spent more than two hours on summary‑disposition and discovery arguments and told attorneys she will issue written decisions instead of ruling from the bench, as reported by WTAQ. Much of the hearing centered on whether subpoenas aimed at companies, consultants and campaign committees are relevant to Puff Cannabis’ push to finally open its doors.
Subpoenas name a treasurer and seek to depose the city manager
Puff Cannabis has issued subpoenas seeking emails, payment records and other documents and has asked to depose City Manager Brett Botbyl. Court filings and hearing arguments list committee officers, consultants and private operators as potential discovery targets, including a subpoena naming the treasurer of the ballot campaign committee, a set of details outlined in court filings and reported by MLive. Attorneys for other parties say the subpoenas are overly broad, while Puff’s legal team argues the records are needed to show who bankrolled the ballot drive and who has been paying the city’s legal bills.
Puff’s lawsuit and the vote that reset the market
Puff Cannabis sued Menominee after saying it had been cleared to open in late 2024 but was blocked from receiving final approvals, and the company is seeking millions in damages for lost revenue, WBAY reported. The fight escalated after voters in November approved a measure capping the number of dispensaries at nine, and a court injunction issued last year has stopped the city from issuing any additional licenses while related lawsuits play out. That injunction, combined with a series of intervention motions, has left Menominee’s licensing process effectively frozen while several companies press competing claims in court.
Settlement agreements complicate who’s paying
The dispute traces in part to a 2023 settlement that guaranteed licenses to certain applicants in exchange for those businesses agreeing to cover the city’s future marijuana litigation expenses. Local reporting names firms that have covered prior bills, including Lume, Higher Love, Highwire Farms, Rocky North and Nu Group, and notes those arrangements are central to questions over who is funding the current fights, per WNCY. Puff’s lawyers argue discovery is needed to show whether private money influenced municipal decisions and how settlements were handled.
What happens next
Attorneys are expected back before Judge Barglind for another round of motions later in April, when the court will decide whether to compel production of the contested documents. Parties are scheduled to return for a motion hearing on April 24, 2026, and the judge said she intends to issue written rulings after reviewing the filings, according to MLive. If the court orders the records turned over, attorneys say the disclosures could reshape settlement talks and affect who ultimately gets to open as the city works to untangle its stalled cannabis market.
