10/07/2026
The Michigan Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 1:00 p.m. in regards to the September 6, 2020, drowning death lawsuit of Brandon Chambers, 18, versus the City of South Haven.
The oral arguments will be heard in the Hall of Justice, 6th floor (Live We**am). The lawyers for Chambers and the lawyers for South Haven will each have 15 minutes to argue their case. Then, the Supreme Court will render a decision at a later date.
The Incident
On Labor Day, September 6, 2020, Chambers, from Jackson County, was swimming at an area marked by yellow flags, struggled, and went under the surface “due to dangerous wave conditions/rip currents,” the estate said in its court brief. No lifeguards were on duty there. The suit alleged that the city ignored National Weather Service warnings about dangerous swimming conditions and didn’t mark that stretch of beach with red flags.
The City of South Haven is seeking immunity – In general, public bodies in Michigan are immune from negligence claims when carrying out governmental functions. However, there is an exception for so-called proprietary — or profit-seeking — activities. (To sue the government, one has to prove Gross Negligence over Neglience.)
The estate argued that the city isn’t shielded from responsibility for Chambers’ death because it uses some of its beach funds for other city purposes.
DANGERE IN THE DAYS BEFORE
Days leading up to Brandon Chamber's September 6, 2020, Labor Day incident, there were multiple water emergencies reported leading up to the Summer Holiday Weekend in South Haven.
08/29/2020 – SHAES Facebook Post & Pics – Woman Swept off Pier. Man went in water to rescue. Good Samaritans located the man and brought him to shore. The male was first brought to Bronson South Haven Hospital. An Air Care helicopter from Kalamazoo was on standby. The woman was evaluated at Bronson-South Haven Hospital. The SHAES responder was also taken to Bronson-South Haven Hospital for observation. [It is still unknown if the man survived.]
09/03/2020 – VIDEO – South Pier – 4 Children in Distress – Bystander Rescues – It shows 4 children ages 10 to 14 enter the water during red flag conditions. 3 of them had boogie boards for flotation. They struggled for over 30 minutes before 2 were able to self-rescue and 2 were rescued by bystanders with life rings on the pier.
09/04/2020 – News Video & Pictures – Waves push 2 children into rocks at South Haven pier, bystanders make rescue [The other 2 were rescued by a surfer/how to catch a wave on boogie board back to shore]
09/05/2020 – VIDEO – South Haven Boat Rescue at South Beach, South Haven, MI – It shows a dual prop boat entering the swim zone near the pier to rescue a drowning victim.The Michigan Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 1:00 p.m. in regards to the September 6, 2020, drowning death lawsuit of Brandon Chambers, 18, versus the City of South Haven.
