The 17th Circuit Court is a circuit court in Michigan . All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for a necessary cut if a reply exceeded character limitations. It would not be the first time the Michigan Supreme Court took up a case pertaining to term limits in Warren. margin-bottom:0px; There are a substantial number of cases in the Courts, especially in Genesee County. Denenfeld, Paul J. [3], Qualifications [1][2] He took office on August 10, 2009. Christenson: The Supreme Court Administrator does set and track benchmarks for courts to follow however, the information is not easily ascertainable. Marsh: I believe that social injustice is the greatest challenge to justice. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. However, I think this critical to allow for continuous quality improvement and to ensure that the judicial system is helping to meet the goals of the community. It will help them keep their pulse on the residents they serve so that they are staying relevant. .widget-row.value-only.white { display: inline-block; Michigan Circuit Court color: white; The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. This begins by providing the public with the tools to confirm that fair and equal justice apply to everyone. } Marsh: I think that the judicial system needs to always be representative of the people it is serving. background-color: #f9f9f9; In general, circuit courts handle all civil cases with claims of more than $25,000 and all felony criminal cases. Box 20126, . background-color: grey; He has been a Genesee District Court judge for 20 years, was an assistant prosecutor in Genesee County for seven years, and a district attorney in Pennsylvanias Allegheny County for more than two years. If you are interested in receiving MAJ's endorsement please go to our candidate endorsement page. Lansing, MI 48933 All rights reserved. He was appointed to this position by Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm on July 22, 2009, to succeed Steven Mitchell Pestka. Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. .widget-row.heading { Weier: I believe the greatest challenge to justice/public accountability is moving court cases forward in a timely fashion. background-color: green; background-color: grey; As a Flint District Judge for 20 years, and 9 years as a prosecutor, I have more experience than any other candidate. In Genesee Circuit Court (7th Circuit Court), Genesee District Judge Harman Marable . "We conclude that the relevant charter sections failure to specify that time in office before the 2020 amendment will be counted does not make them ambiguous. That experience, especially in the Circuit Court level, has shown me great, innovative ways to run a courtroom, and target areas that courts can improve to better serve residents in a more fair and equitable fashion. Christenson: Transparency is the greatest challenge to justice and accountability. Michigan is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. from the University of Cincinnati. font-weight: bold; if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .courts-container { background-color:#fcfcfc; width:100%; border:1px solid black;padding:5px;text-align:center;clear:both; } .courts-container hr {background-color:#f0a236;padding-bottom:2px;}, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Michigan Supreme Court Each court typically publishes related data on a dashboard on court websites for public view as required and monitored by SCAO. %%EOF Term-limit questions have appeared in ballot questions before Warren voters in 1998, 2016 and 2020. Michigan Court of Appeals The courts have 10 elected judges, four appointed magistrates, nine probation officers and a staff of 50 employees. p. 517.321.3073 My length of time as an attorney coupled with my experience in District Court qualifies me for this position. There are 14 judges currently sitting on the 17th Circuit. The term runs from November 2023 until November 2027. Results Final. He is a graduate of Roeper School in Oakland County. All candidates for Michigan House and Senate, regardless of party, are invited to return a questionnaire and apply for an endorsement. The supreme court may authorize persons who have been elected and served as judges to perform judicial duties for limited periods or specific assignments. Previously, he was a director for the Institute for New Democracies for Uzbekistan and senior litigation counsel for the federal public defender office. Judge Sima Patel* CIRCUIT COURT. More:4 of Warren's longest serving councilmen knocked off ballot again. As the immediate past president of the Genesee County Bar Association, and member of the board for over 10 years, I have not only helped to ensure that our legal community is educated in the most up-to-date law but also assists our fellow citizens. Michigan Probate Courts, Courts in Michigan Michigan judicial elections Judicial selection in Michigan. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. .widget-row.Democratic { color: white; Stage. Access to justice for those who can not afford legal services or for those that have disabilities is equally important to ensure that the court system is fair to all that wish to use it. 3066 0 obj <> endobj Phone Directory . The district courts are responsible for parking citations, traffic violations, criminal misdemeanors, preliminary examinations in felony cases, landlord-tenant, small claims, and general civil cases. margin-bottom: 0; If there are not more than twice the amount of candidates than there are persons to be elected, the race will not appear on the primary election ballot, but only on the general election ballot. 0 Warren Mayor Jim Fouts eligible to be on city ballot, judge rules, Warren Mayor Jim Fouts files to run for 5th term despite term limit amendment, 4 of Warren's longest serving councilmen knocked off ballot again, Making Marrocco's home a prison: No TV, no parties, no golf, Trans male fencer Bobbie Hirsch is making history at Wayne State University, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. hbbd```b`` TD29`5O?`r-X}&Mo9OI_ vH/c];9D2H-`z R*lJ q g 2.1 Selection method. Knowing a persons history sheds light on their environment, nurturing (or lack thereof), adequacies, inadequacies, gifts, talents, struggles, family, etc. Michigan Court of Appeals This is the reason that I suggested that judges attend community forums and events. color: black; [3] Sitting judges who reach age 70 are allowed to serve out the remainder of their term. font-size: 1.2em; Using tools such as Alternate Dispute Resolution and Mediation the courts can encourage participants to work to resolve their differences earlier in the process, saving them time, money and stress. The courts need to stay relevant to the times. width: 100%; The longtime politician is seeking a fifth, four-year term as mayor of Michigan's third-populous city. 16th (Macomb) - Judge Teri Lynn Dennings. He served as chairman of legal redress for the Michigan NAACP. I have worked in the prosecutors office, as a judicial clerk and now as a criminal defense attorney. be a qualified elector of his or her district; be licensed to practice law in the state; have at least five years of law practice experience; and. background-color: red; Marable Jr.: I will bring experience, fairness, commitment, integrity, and diligence to the Circuit Court bench. In the nonpartisan primary, the two candidates who receive the greatest number of votes advance to the general election. Judge Denenfeld is assigned to the Civil/Criminal Division of the Circuit Court. He received 31.42 percent of the vote.[5]. 2.2.1 Primary election; 2.2.2 General election; 2.2.3 Ties; 2.3 Footnotes; Circuit Court. She has practiced law for more than 15 years and served as a Genesee County public defender, representing indigent criminal defendants in felony cases for more than 14 years. Such matters include: civil cases, landlord/tenant cases, misdemeanor criminal cases and felony criminal cases. Nor do we find dispositive the fact that the 'terms served prior' language was not in the ballot proposal question itself, where the language actually was on the ballot within the proposal section," according to the ruling. I have represented clients in every type of case litigated in District Court. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. .widget-row.Republican { Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. from the University of Cincinnati. hb```lw@(qour@x{/JM J?4X~@Q9HHt0p40t04p0h4p`5DXKEBY'3 3z0Md\4))1Sy8nIc(uK3 D8K_c` She was formerly on the public defender list, representing hundreds of defendants in felony cases. Ballotpedia features 408,485 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. Ballotpedia does not currently cover this office or maintain this page. Jeff Schroder, an attorney representing the City Council, said "we're very pleased with the court's decision because it upheld the will of the voters who approved a term limit amendment by over 67% of the vote in 2020. border:1px solid #FFB81F; from Western Michigan University and a J.D. Courts must be accessible to all whether you are rich or poor. Article 6, 26 Circuit court commissioners and justices of the peace, abolition; courts of limited jurisdiction. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Her community involvement includes State Bar of Michigan, Genesee County Bar Association, Mallory VanDyne Scott Bar Association Executive Board, Embassy Covenant Church International Presbytery Board and Ministerial Team, Flint Childrens Museum Executive Board, Flint Institute of Arts Gala Committee, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and Michigan Branch of the NAACP. I believe in treating people fairly and with respect. I have strong morals and ethics, integrity, and I am naturally energetic, involved, and visible. font-weight: bold; The 17th Circuit Court is a circuit court in Michigan that encompasses Kent County. She is a certified civil mediator and received the Genesee County Bar Associations Brian M. Barkey Community Service Award earlier this year. from Western Michigan University and a J.D. The candidate filing deadline for incumbents was March 21, and the deadline for non-incumbents was April 19. Justice must be carried out in a fair and equal manner. If not, should they be put in place and shared? I am also highly organized, extremely detail-oriented, and able to work on multiple projects and transactions simultaneously. Court Judge file with the Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections, P.O. ", He expressed doubt "that I can get a fair and objective legal opinion in this court and maybe beyond?". ", He said the administration "has been playing games with term limits for over a decade. 17th Circuit Court, 61st District Court, Probate Court 180 Ottawa Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (616) 632-5220 Health. 1.1 Judges; 1.2 Former judges; 1.3 See also; 1.4 External links; 2 Elections. They argued that Fouts is ineligible to run because of term limits approved by voters in 2020. Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2023, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2022, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2021, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2020, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2019, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2018, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2017, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2016, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=17th_Circuit_Court,_Michigan&oldid=9037092, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. There is no substitute for the community and legal experience I bring to the courtroom. Michigan Probate Courts, Courts in Michigan Michigan judicial elections Judicial selection in Michigan.
float:right; The current jury system disenfranchises poor people, the elderly, and those who are not technologically savvy. Circuit courts are the trial courts with the broadest powers in Michigan. Denenfeld holds a B.A. We need to have judges who will fight the status quo. The impact of COVID on the justice system will require new methods of operating for safety and efficiency. Candidates for three judicial races in Genesee County are pictured in these submitted photos. } text-align: center; He has been involved in the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, Whaley Childrens Center, Hurley breast cancer events, Hurley Childrens Hospital events and is a director on the Friends of Berston Field House. Schroder said he believes the "real problem" is the city attorney, who he said "keeps writing bogus legal opinions and putting his thumb on the scale so the mayor gets the result he wants. She is a former member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Flint Board of Directors. The following background information was provided by each candidate. Marable Jr.: There are access issues for low-and moderate-income users to our courts. Nevertheless, I think this is something the courts should establish. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). be a qualified elector of his or her district; be licensed to practice law in the state; have at least five years of law practice experience; and. background-color: #003388; The 221 judges of the Michigan Circuit Courts are selected in an identical . Brighton, MI 48116 To learn more about judicial selection in Michigan, click here. "Buffa is hereby ordered to immediately disqualify Mayor Fouts as a candidate for mayor in 2023 and not place his name on the ballot for election," the Court of Appeals' opinion said. Marable Jr.: As a Flint District Judge, we faced 2 financial emergencies for our funding source, (City of Flint) many mid-year budget cuts, staff layoffs and the elimination of Probation services. The ruling comes less than a month after a Macomb County Circuit Court judge denied a motion from the Warren City Council and Councilman Ron Papandrea that challenged Fouts' eligibility. Fouts said Warren residents should be able to decide who will be mayor. In addition, I am the only candidate who has quasi-judicial experience. They are chosen in nonpartisan elections and must face re-election if they wish to continue serving. Hammon is a graduate of Atherton High School, the University of Michigan Flint and Ann Arbor campuses and Ave Maria School of Law. .widget-row.Green { width: 250px; vertical-align: top; . Similar crimes should warrant similar sentences but this does not always occur. A primary election occurred on August 2, 2016. Weier: The State Court Administrators Office monitors the judges dockets to ensure they are running efficiently. clear: both; The 2020 vote didnt affect Fouts fourth, four-year term, which began in 2019, but it did appear that he would be unable to seek a fifth term. At the end of the day, it is critical that justice and Constitutional rights are not sacrificed in this changing environment. Thus, my conclusion is that the Court of Appeals has chosen to deny the voters of Warren the right to have a choice in November. } Judges make decisions about peoples lives daily. We should review these benchmarks quarterly and make adjustments. .widget-row.value-only { .widget-row { A more consequential date, if the Michigan Supreme Court takes up the appeal, would come within the next few months. Endorsements for all offices are voted on by the Executive Board. Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. 67th District courts are limited jurisdiction courts, authorized under state statute, with jurisdiction over Genesee County, including the City of Flint.
