michigan 17th circuit court judge candidates 2020

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. He took office on August 10, 2009.Denenfeld was re-elected in 2010 and 2016. from the University of Cincinnati. [1], .courts-container { background-color:#fcfcfc; width:100%; border:1px solid black;padding:5px;text-align:center;clear:both; } hb```lw@(qour@x{/JM J?4X~@Q9HHt0p40t04p0h4p`5DXKEBY'3 3z0Md\4))1Sy8nIc(uK3 D8K_c` A primary election occurred on August 2, 2016. Kent County, Michigan. display: inline-block; Support local journalism. 3066 0 obj <> endobj .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} .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 2022 Michigan Official General Candidate Listing - 11/08/2022 background-color: grey; Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Further, the 67th District Court has a website where information about the Court is accessible to the public at any time.

float:right; Fouts, Papandrea, City Council President Pat Green, state Rep. Lori Stone and Macomb County Commissioner Michelle Nard have filed to run for mayor. } Christenson: The Supreme Court Administrator does set and track benchmarks for courts to follow however, the information is not easily ascertainable. In addition, the judicial system could work harder to reduce recidivism. background-color: white; .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} If you are interested in receiving MAJ's endorsement please email Executive Director Steve Pontoni at spontoni@michiganjustice.org. 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. 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. Article 6,  26 Circuit court commissioners and justices of the peace, abolition; courts of limited jurisdiction. 	font-weight: bold; She is a Soup Kitchen volunteer and a Red Cross blood donor. Such matters include: civil cases, landlord/tenant cases, misdemeanor criminal cases and felony criminal cases. The council has achieved a TKO in denying a competitive election in November. The Court's activities are divided into the following functions: .top_disclaimer { %PDF-1.6
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 [4] Incumbent Paul Denenfeld and incumbent George Jay Quist were unopposed in the 17th Circuit general election (2 open seats). In Genesee Circuit Court (7th Circuit Court), Genesee District Judge Harman Marable Jr. is running against attorney Chris Christensen while in Genesee District Court (67th District) races, Judge Jessica Hammon faces attorney Dawn Weier in the 2nd Division, and attorneys Torchio Feaster and Tabitha Marsh are seeking the open seat in the 5th Division. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Weier: The State Court Administrators Office monitors the judges dockets to ensure they are running efficiently. Weier is a Bentley Senior High School honors graduate and received her bachelors degree with honors from the University of Michigan-Flint and her juris doctorate from the University of Detroit-Mercy Law School. Box 20126, . .infobox { The 17th Circuit Court is a circuit court in Michigan . } 	margin-top: 1px; 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. I adhere to the proposition that judges should serve the public in a respectful manner and treat everyone that comes before the Court with respect. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should not be considered as an endorsement. [1], Prior to joining the court, Denenfeld was an attorney with LaGrand & Denenefld. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Friday that Warren Mayor Jim Fouts is not eligible to run this year for another term. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Phone Directory . 	text-align: center; I would work to avoid bias and ensure equity in my sentencing. FILING REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-INCUMBENT . Marable Jr.: The State Court Administrators Office (SCAO) uses a benchmark system for Michigan courts. He has worked as a licensed attorney for 13 years and was a Flint Blight Court judge for two years. Sec. Marsh: The courts are monitored by the State Court Administrators Office; however, I am not aware of the courts establishing any benchmarks to determine if they are effectively meeting the needs of their jurisdiction. . Judge Denenfeld is assigned to the Civil/Criminal Division of the Circuit Court. .clearfix { This is more efficient, reduces costs, lessens court appearances and litigants do not have to miss as much work. Every defendant has the right to a jury of their peers, which means that a jury needs to reflect the make-up of the community.  	font-weight: bold; .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 As Judge, I will work to accomplish this goal by promptly and consistently taking the bench  encouraging participants to work through their disputes to narrow the issues and providing decisions in an expeditious manner. 	color: white; Legislative candidate endorsements are based on voting records for incumbents and a comprehensive candidate questionnaire. .widget-row.value-only.white { But the Court of Appeals reversed the Circuit Court's decision and ruled in favor of the City Council. All rights reserved (About Us). Spelling and grammar were not corrected. border:1px solid #FFB81F; 738 W. Grand River Ave, Suite N I am proud that all of my court hearings, despite the current COVID pandemic, are continuing and are streamed live so that the public can see what occurs in my courtroom. The success of my prior judicial campaign is a demonstration of my work ethic and viability as a judicial candidate.  She was the Pro-Bono Attorney of the Year for Legal Services of Eastern Michigan and provided at least 100 hours of documented pro-bono service to low income individuals and families in 2019. He wrote " 'any terms of years served prior to this amendment are included' language was in the ballot's explanatory caption, but not in the 'proposal' section on the ballot or in the amended charter.". } 	color: white; } .widget-row.Republican { If there are more than twice the number of candidates than there are judgeships up for election, the race will appear on the primary election ballot. 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. 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.           
 I am also highly organized, extremely detail-oriented, and able to work on multiple projects and transactions simultaneously. Fouts has not been named a party in any of the lawsuits, but the decisions by the courts directly affect him. Vinsons opinion, which was accepted by the Warren Election Commission during an Election Day meeting in November, stated it was not clear that the ballot proposal approved by voters in 2020 should apply to Fouts. f. 517.321.4694, {{#if featuredimages.homepage}} {{featuredimages.homepage.url}}{{else}} /userassets/MI/MI/userimages/DefaultBlogImage.jpeg{{/if}}. He has more than 20 years of experience as a practicing attorney in Genesee County Circuit Court and was on the Family Courts child abuse and neglect panel for seven years. They are chosen in nonpartisan elections and must face re-election if they wish to continue serving. District courts have jurisdiction in civil matters where the amount in controversy does not exceed $25,000. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Feaster: The system has failed the community in many ways from jurors to sentencing. In establishing the Community Action Committee I have organized countless community activities. I hear cases on blight and enforce city ordinances designed to eliminate our citys blight problem. .widget-row.heading { 

0 [4], The chief judges of the circuit courts are appointed by the state supreme court to two-year terms. Michigan Circuit Court 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. Paul Denenfeld - Ballotpedia Judges - Kent County, Michigan His community involvement includes membership in the State Bar of Michigan, Genesee County Bar Association, and Genesee County Democratic Party Executive Committee. This is not necessarily what the State Court Administrators Office is paying attention to. Denenfeld, Paul J. [3] Sitting judges who reach age 70 are allowed to serve out the remainder of their term. display: inline-block; .widget-row.value-only.black { 17th Circuit Court - Kent County, Michigan The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. Candidates are placed on the ballot via nonpartisan primaries or by nominating petitions. The 221 judges of the . Candidates for three judicial races in Genesee County are pictured in these submitted photos. That term-limit situation was a seesaw battle through the courts with expedited appeals. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Jim Fouts ineligible to seek 5th term as Warren mayor, Michigan 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. The impact of COVID on the justice system will require new methods of operating for safety and efficiency. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. margin-bottom: 1px; If yes, how often should they be reviewed or shared with the public? This was a targeted proposal in which I was the only one affected by the vote without acknowledging it was aimed at only Mayor Fouts. Lawrence Garcia, an attorney representing the city clerk and Warren Election Commission, had no comment on the ruling. Before she was elected to this court, she was a judge on the 61st District Court for the City of Grand Rapids for almost 3 years. I have a great deal of trial experience including civil and criminal trials. Christenson was raised in Flint and lives in Grand Blanc. .widget-key { 3rd (Wayne) - John C. Gillis* 3rd (Wayne) - Nicholas Hathaway* 6th (Oakland) - Amanda Shelton* 10th (Saginaw) - Megan Cottington-Heath. GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Six candidates are vying for three judicial seats in contested races Nov. 3 in the county. We as the judiciary must strive to make all things we do transparent to all. He was appointed to this position by Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm on July 22, 2009, to succeed Steven Mitchell Pestka. Marsh: I believe that social injustice is the greatest challenge to justice. Hammon: The 67th District Court, with the assistance of the State Court Administrators office conducts yearly audits that are available to the public. The judicial system exists to help with order and it is difficult for the public/community to have confidence in the judicial system without some measurable accountability. Michigan Circuit Court [1], .courts-container { background-color:#fcfcfc; width:100%; border:1px solid black;padding:5px;text-align:center;clear:both; } Please, 100 largest cities in America by population, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2016, Local trial court judicial elections, 2016, Michigan Trial Courts Directory: Kent County, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paul_Denenfeld&oldid=7280132, Michigan circuit court judges, 17th Circuit, Successful Michigan judicial candidates, 2010, 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. } The candidates are (from top left) Chris Christenson, Herman Marable Jr., Jessica Hammon, Dawn Weier, Torchio Feaster, and Tabitha Marsh. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Ballotpedia features 408,485 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. The 221 judges of the Michigan Circuit Courts are selected in an identical . Jail overcrowding has long been an issue as many with felony warrants are not lodged at the Genesee County Jail. Candidates are placed on the ballot via nonpartisan primaries or by nominating petitions. We can go a long way to restoring the confidence in the court system by being completely transparent and showcasing the integrity of the courts. The Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ) endorses candidates that will fight to protect the right to a civil trial by jury, and promote a fair and effective justice system. He is a graduate of Roeper School in Oakland County. "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. All candidates for Michigan House and Senate, regardless of party, are invited to return a questionnaire and apply for an endorsement. 17th Circuit Court, 61st District Court, Probate Court 180 Ottawa Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (616) 632-5220 Health. The 221 judges of the Michigan Circuit Courts are selected in an identical manner, each serving six-year terms. The 17th Circuit Court is a circuit court in Michigan that encompasses Kent County. In the nonpartisan primary, the two candidates who receive the greatest number of votes advance to the general election. font-weight: bold; endstream endobj startxref 2.1.1 Selection of the chief judge; 2.2 Election rules. To be elected to either of these courts, a judge must:[3]. Why? Macomb County Circuit Judge Joseph Toia wrote that "the evidence presented demonstrates that the ballot language and Charter are not clear on whether previous terms served are counted towards the current term limits." It did so in 2019, making a ruling in June of that year that four veteran councilmen's names were to be off the primary ballot, reversing a Court of Appeals ruling that would have allowed the four names to be on the ballot. Christina Elmore. 17th Circuit Judge of Circuit Court Incumbent 6 Year Terms (4) Positions: Filed On: Method: INC. 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. Term-limit questions have appeared in ballot questions before Warren voters in 1998, 2016 and 2020. background-color: #f9f9f9; Health Department. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Making fair decisions as a judge is truly a skill that takes years to develop. display: inline-block; Endorsements for all offices are voted on by the Executive Board. A more consequential date, if the Michigan Supreme Court takes up the appeal, would come within the next few months. Overview; Michigan; Races; Michigan 17th District Court; Data through 12/31/2022 Michigan 17th District Court 2022 Election Season $0 Total Contributions. Michigan Court of Appeals This decision, once again, corrects their unlawful actions." width: 250px; Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. 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. To your knowledge, have the courts established any benchmarks to determine if they are effectively meeting the needs of their jurisdiction? I will continue to support rehabilitation programs that teach defendants in my court how to break the cycle that brought them in front of me. I believe a judge having compassion and understanding is essential. Judge Sima Patel* CIRCUIT COURT. 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. The candidate filing deadline for incumbents was March 21, and the deadline for non-incumbents was April 19. I believe that any studies, assessments or audits should always be available to the public. You cannot adequately understand where a person is today without understanding where they came from. .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} .widget-value { Justice must be carried out in a fair and equal manner. We cannot ignore the social unrest that is taking place in our nation at this time. Feaster: The current system demonstrates a lack of respect for the time of those participating in the legal process. Each candidate was asked to outline their stances on a variety of public policy issues. 16th (Macomb) - Judge Teri Lynn Dennings. If there are more than twice the number of candidates than there are judgeships up for election, the race will appear on the primary election ballot. Each court typically publishes related data on a dashboard on court websites for public view as required and monitored by SCAO. There is also bias with regards to sentencing. What attributes/qualifications do you possess that make you the best choice for this court? He has been a member of the Genesee County Democratic Party, Genesee County Democratic Black Caucus, NAACP and Urban League of Flint. Better decisions are made when theres an understanding of the person you are making a decision regarding. She was formerly on the public defender list, representing hundreds of defendants in felony cases. Heres a look at how the candidates responded to questions on some key issues. Nevertheless, I think this is something the courts should establish. Court Judge file with the Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections, P.O. There are a substantial number of cases in the Courts, especially in Genesee County. Circuit courts are the trial courts with the broadest powers in Michigan. The Michigan Court of Appeals decision is at best an unlikely and implausible conclusion clearly contradicting the ruling of the Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Toia, Fouts said in a lengthy response. I choose to return to Flint to pursue my legal career so that I could serve the city that raised me and gave me the opportunity to succeed. Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2018; Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2017; Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2016; Michigan judicial elections, 2014; Michigan judicial elections, 2012; Michigan judicial elections, 2010; Selection method See also: Nonpartisan election of judges. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Such specialty courts are a great tool to help our citizens learn to better themselves and contribute to our society. She is on the MIDC arraignment team and has represented defendants on misdemeanor and felony warrants and misdemeanor cases through trial. 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. Additionally, Denenfeld has been an adjunct professor at Cooley Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, Michigan State University/Detroit College of Law, Wayne State University, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. PDF FILING REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-INCUMBENT JUDICIAL CANDIDATES - michigan.gov Please explain. The current jury system disenfranchises poor people, the elderly, and those who are not technologically savvy. We can do a better job of keeping the public informed by making information about the process of the courts readily available. This also ensures that cases are proceeding in a timely manner. She is currently the judge in Genesee District Courts 2nd Division and has 12 years experience in the practice of criminal, family, and child welfare law. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Stage. 17th Circuit Court, Michigan. Incumbent judicial address withheld . These metrics should be selected in conjunction with the community, reviewed on a biannual basis and shared with the public. Michigan District Courts Marable Jr.: There are access issues for low-and moderate-income users to our courts. I will not have to learn how to be a judge. ", More:Making Marrocco's home a prison: No TV, no parties, no golf, More:Trans male fencer Bobbie Hirsch is making history at Wayne State University. 1.1 Judges; 1.2 Former judges; 1.3 See also; 1.4 External links; 2 Elections. [1], Michigan held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. . election law stipulates that in instances where a candidate for Court of Appeals Judge, Circuit Court Judge, District Court Judge, or Probate Court Judge seeks election in a district where . if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Ballotpedia features 408,485 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. Courts must be accessible to all whether you are rich or poor.

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