Know your judges before voting for them

In Michigan, our judges are all elected. If a seat is vacated, the governor gets to appoint, but only for the remainder of the elected term. Then the judge must run again. So, every time election day comes and goes, you have a chance to change the face of our judiciary. Unfortunately, most people simply vote for incumbents. In the upcoming election, please take a moment to look at the judges in your area, learn about them, and vote for the judge who will do the best job. To make things harder, most of the judges are at the very end of the ballot, sometimes on the back. Needless to say, being at the end or on the back doesn't foster great attention. Many voters simply leave the judges portion blank, neglecting to weigh in on this important issue. I have been talking with other attorneys and compiling a brief list of judicial races from various communities, and I hope you consider my suggestions when you vote in less than two weeks. Michigan Supreme Court In our Supreme Court race, two incumbents will be facing one challenger. One incumbent is excellent, Justice Michael Cavanaugh. The other incumbent has been a disaster for Michigan. The challenger, Jane Beckering, is a plaintiff's attorney from Grand Rapids who would make an excellent Supreme Court Justice. She is extremely intelligent, a fantastic and caring person, and most of all has displayed both a sophisticated understanding of the law and a lifelong commitment to it. Visit her web site and decide for yourself. The other incumbent, on the other hand, has been a part of a very conservative majority, most of whom were appointed by former Gov'r Engler. This block of Federalist Society members have shifted the focus of our laws toward benefiting corporations, business, government and insurance companies. Click here to view a list of cases in which our Supreme Court has been particularly activist. The Supreme Court race is very, very important. I urge you to vote for Cavanaugh and Beckering. Washtenaw County Judges This year, all the Washtenaw County Circuit and District judges are unopposed, and I'm not aware of any write-in campaigns. Wayne County Appeals Judges Kirsten Frank Kelly is running against an incumbent. The incumbent is well-funded and very conservative. He is the author or signatory of some of the worst appeals decisions that favor big business and disfavor ordinary people. My suggestion is to vote for her. Oakland and Macomb County Appeals Judges My suggestion is to vote for Jessica Cooper and Deborah Servitto. Jessica Cooper has been instrumental in starting our local lawyer chapter of the American Constitution Society, and Deborah Servitto has a long history of being a fair and caring judge while on the Macomb County Circuit Bench. She was recently appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor Granholm. Macomb County Circuit Court Carrie Lynn Fuca is the standout candidate. I'd suggest voting for her. This is an important race, and every vote counts. 36th District Court - Detroit Rudy Serra is a former colleague of mine, a great person, and a fair judge. He definitely deserves your vote. He was appointed by Governor Granholm to the bench and is currently running to retain his seat. 35th District Court - Plymouth, Canton and Northville James Plakas is up against an incumbent. The 35th District Chief Judge John MacDonald (who is well-liked and respected) has endorsed Plakas. I would suggest voting for Plakas. If anyone wants to email me or comment endorsing a judicial candidate, simply explain why they deserve our vote, and I'll be happy to put up more endorsements in judges' races.