Barr: I believe in the Constitution and the Rule of Law. What have you achieved in your law practice that brings you the most pride? Consolidation of services is especially critical in this day of scarce governmental resources. In the Army I was taught to never seek a promotion if you were not prepared to lead. We can do this. border: none !important; Counties | letter-spacing: 1.24px; Corporate Crimes and Economic Justice Taskforce Member (Washtenaw). Main article: Michigan intermediate appellate court elections, 2020 Judges with expiring terms This is a list of the justices who had to stand for nonpartisan election in 2020 in order to remain on the bench. While African Americans only make up 13% of the county population, we made up over 70% of criminal defendants. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. border-radius: 6px; .hide-mobile { In disputes that come before the court, it will be my job to help parties find that common ground. First time offenders of all types come through the district court; many of which start with misdemeanor offenses or low-level felonies. The Judge is the protector of a persons constitutional rights. I am in court nearly every day and I see the flaws and areas for improvement. We must be vigilant against bias, and streamline cases to make them less cumbersome. Collis: Judges are required to rule based upon the law, but it is important that these laws are fair and equitable to all parties. For example, when determining a custody case, there are 12 factors that a judge must consider to make sure that the finding is in the childs best interest. The Judge in this Court needs to have insight and understanding into these issues, because everything the Court orders has a huge impact on peoples daily lives: bonds, drug tests or tethers, court fees and fines. I will make the courtroom process less stressful, knowing that the people who appear before me may be going through trauma. I am currently the senior partner at Collis, Griffor & Hendra, PC in Ypsilanti. Criminal Justice Reform - As a leading criminal justice reformer, I understand how reforming the way individuals interact with law enforcement and the criminal justice system can and will change our community for the better. Judge Julia B. Owdziej was appointed Probate Judge on June 3, 2014 and was elected by the Washtenaw County voters in November of 2014 and 2020. 2022 Election Results: Washtenaw County Judicial Races By David Fair Published November 9, 2022 at 11:17 AM EST Arianne Elizabeth Slay of Ypsilanti won election to a six-year term in 22 nd District Circuit Court with nearly 71-percent of the vote. I worked at the William Booth Legal Aid Clinic in Detroit providing assistance to residents of the Salvation Army Harbor Light Center. We need to have judges who will fight the status quo. Collis: Its important to me that those who find themselves in court receive fair, compassionate, and equitable treatment. If the matter is criminal, what is the living situation of the Defendant? I have assisted victims of domestic violence; people facing foreclosures, evictions, and utility shutoffs; first offenders seeking a second chance; and victims of discrimination at school and work. State legislature | Van den Bergh: I believe that the U.S. Constitution is a living document and I believe in equal access to justice. Two are in private practice in Ypsilanti, and two work for the county. Our courts must demonstrate this not only through our actions, but by a relentless focus on transparency so that the people we serve have confidence in what we do. He was appointed to this position by former Governor John Engler on March 18, 1999, to replace Judge Kurtis Wilder. Judges should be caring and invested in the lives of not just the people that come before the Court, but also the people of their community. My diverse educational background and my extensive professional experiences will provide that for all parties involved. 1.0 1.1 Michigan Courts, "Washtenaw County," accessed July 11, 2014; As a trial attorney, I understand how courtrooms operate, and how best to identify disparities therein. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. [3] The elections for this court are nonpartisan contested elections. I believe my knowledge of the community and life experiences give me a deep understanding of the human elements that play into cases. Your justice will not be delayed. Judge Profiles Trial Court judges are elected for terms of six years in non-partisan elections. MLive Media Group has partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide candidate information and other voting resources to readers ahead of 2020 elections. 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. As an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, I have an ethical obligation to seek justice, not just for the victim but also to ensure that the case is handled appropriately and within the limits provided by law. Feaster: The system has failed the community in many ways from jury diversity to sentencing. As judge, I would have more compassion for people struggling to pay fines and seek to waive fines or order community service in lieu of fines. This experience will transfer to the bench and makes me the most qualified candidate. I will increase protections for domestic violence survivors during hearings and I plan to develop a child support specialty court to increase compliance with child support payments and stabilize employment for payers. I am most thankful for helping thousands, throughout my career, to put their legal problems behind them with some measure of justice. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Related: Election results for the Nov. 8 general election in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County. Van den Bergh: Depending on the legal issue, the law requires judges to consider certain factors before deciding a case. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Prior to joining the AGs office, though I specialized in high-conflict family law, I also tried cases involving defamation, employment, real estate, contract, probate, consumer, and landlord tenant matters. Honorable Patrick J. Conlin Based on my experience working with domestic violence and sexual assault victims, I will also be able to recognize that some cases will not be appropriate for mediation due to underlying power and control issues. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The following is a little nonpartisan voter guide that I compiled, based on the ballot for Ann Arbor. What in your education and experience makes you the best qualified candidate for this position? About the Honorable Julia B. Owdziej. My dedication to justice, fairness and respect will be my guiding philosophy on the bench. Collis: A judge must be independent and honorable when dispensing justice. As a social worker and attorney with family law expertise, I am uniquely qualified to preside over these cases. .mobile-app-cta { What is your general judicial philosophy? Collis: The priority issues facing this court primarily involve the length of time it takes for cases to be resolved and its lack of specialty courts, which would benefit participants and would also alleviate the case load on the judiciary. Fawn Armstrong and Karl Barr were the top two vote-getters in the non-partisan primary Tuesday, meaning they will run-off against one another in the general election. Michigan is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. Ballotpedia includes comprehensive election information for the largest 100 cities by population, as well as all state legislative, statewide, and congressional races across the nation. color: white; Here is how each candidate responded to the questions. What are the priority issues facing this court, and how would you address them if elected? In the race for a six-year term in 14-A District Court, Karl Barr of Ann Arbor garnered nearly 58-percent voter support to win a seat on the bench. #content { Slay: I will be a judge that our community can depend on to not only follow the law, but to do so in a way that shows respect for all involved. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Washtenaw County Sample Ballot (Michigan), Click here to read about the Eight Quality Benchmarks, Ballot access for major/minor party candidates, Ballot access for major and minor party candidates, List of absentee/mail-in ballot request websites by state, List of official voter registration websites by state, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Washtenaw_County_Sample_Ballot_(Michigan)&oldid=8384260, 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. State and local courts | Primary Election Results 2022: Township Races in Washtenaw County. Janet Dillon received 2994 votes, Dean Girbach 2904 votes, and Christen Mitchell 2711 votes, with 53 write-ins. I am the only candidate that grew up and attended the school system within the 14A2 District Court-- I attended Perry School, Fletcher Elementary, West Middle School and Ypsilanti High School. But we sometimes forget to hear each other, especially today when people seem more divided than ever. And if I see something is not right, I will work to make it right. Ballot measures, Who represents me? I will expand the use of Specialty Court programs that focus on rehabilitation, community support and reduction of recidivism. My priorities are to work within the court system to (1) reduce a persons financial stressors by establishing task forces to assist with self-representation in civil cases; (2) return small claims cases to their roots by resolving them in as little as a day; (3) provide the use of technology to increase a persons access to their case by reducing common practical burdens such as transportation, child care, work issues, and more; and (4) ensure that the voices of victims are able to be heard without fear of reprisal, especially for our societys most vulnerable. MLive.com File Photo.MLive.com File Photo. I served on the ACLU and NAACP Lawyers Committees, and was twice elected to the Ann Arbor School Board. DOWNLOAD THE APP I am the only candidate who has prosecuted, defended and practiced both sides of civil cases in the 14A2 District Court. A Judge can be the one to give a person a second chance, which can change their path and their future in positive ways. Most importantly, the voice of the child will be paramount in my court. Enter your email if you would like to receive Ballotpedia's election news updates in your inbox. Cities | All rights reserved (About Us). The law should not act in a vacuum without consideration for equity and compassion, even when the law requires punishment. Furthermore, diversity in representation of lawyers, judges, and other officials helps to build trust. I have volunteered with seniors, teens in crisis, disabled adults, and at-risk students. I wrote the guide on how to reopen safely and helped the Michigan YMCAs reopen (pro bono). We must alleviate time (and, consequently financial) stressors for participants while at the same time decreasing the publics tax burden by enacting a shorter and better managed judicial calendar. Reiser: One of the priority issues facing circuit court is the need for specialty courts so that we can resolve the underlying issues that cause people to return to court. Transparency - We must correct the wrongs of past descrimination in our courts. Prior to that role, she prosecuted domestic violence cases in the Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office. With regards to the racial disparity in sentencing, as your Judge in 14A2, I would conduct a yearly equity audit to give transparency to the fact that I will be a trusted and fair Judge for all. The new judge will be assigned the family court docket during the six-year term in office. 100% remote. Skyline PTSO President. Judges of the Michigan District Courts are each elected to six-year terms. My experience will ensure that no matter what type of case, no issue will be new to me. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI Four Washtenaw County attorneys are vying for a chance to be the next 14A District Court Judge in the upcoming Aug. 2 primary. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Karl V. Fink (Ret.). Ballotpedia features 395,432 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. My record of community service is second to none. Slay: The biggest goal we can achieve is to build trust in a broken system. Learn more Explore the Data I have worked in the prosecutors office, as a judicial clerk, as a criminal defense attorney and currently as a public defender. padding: 5px 10px 5px 10px; In my prior career as a clinical social worker, I supported 100s of struggling families; at Legal Services, I assisted over 1,000 vulnerable, under-resourced Washtenaw County residents, specializing in family law issues. Slay defeated Marla Linderman Richelew of Ann Arbor. Some examples are: Analyzed, advised and/or wrote briefs in the most important civil rights, employment, and constitutional issues before the Michigan Supreme Court for the last 15 years. Each candidate was asked to outline their stances on a variety of public policy issues listed below. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Roumel: Having practiced 36 years, I am the only candidate with extensive experience in family, civil, and criminal law, and the only one to have conducted civil and criminal jury trials. } This sample ballot tool includes: All candidates in every upcoming election occurring within the 100 most-populated cities in the U.S., plus all federal and statewide elections, including ballot measures, nationwide. Securing 40,729 votes during the Nov. 8 general election, Barr defeated fellow Washtenaw County attorney Fawn Armstrong, who garnered 29,852 votes. County residents taxes variously fund multiple state, county, city, township, and university police forces, and seven courthouses. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Reiser: My goal as a judge will be to preside over the circuit court with fairness and respect. I was a struggling single mother for years, and I understand what its like to live paycheck to paycheck. } Like 89.1WEMUonFacebookand follow us onTwitter, Contact WEMU News at734.487.3363or email us atstudio@wemu.org, Serving Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, MI, PublishedNovember 9, 2022 at 11:17 AM EST. I practiced in two civil law firms before becoming an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Washtenaw County, where I have been for almost ten years. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Justice delayed by COVID is still justice denied. Richelew: Courts are here to serve the people. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). I have represented many survivors of sexual assault, including those victimized by Larry Nassar and MSU. I also clerked for a federal judge and interned for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. We can make justice more timely for people who have been living in pain, denied medical care, in fear of losing their homes, kept from their children, trapped in a marriage they no longer want, or in fear of losing their freedom. How to run for office | ANN ARBOR, MI Three legal minds are on the August primary ballot vying to be Washtenaw Countys next new trial court judge, but only two can progress to the November general election. Use my expertise in civil rights to identify and eliminate unnecessary hurdles and inequities faced by so many, in civil and criminal cases alike, and work to build trust in the legal system. Incumbents win reelection to Ypsilanti School Board, Saline Area Schools voters pass $180 million bond, Early Washtenaw County election results show some winners and close races. Finally, it should not contain errors such as misspelled names, inaccurate incumbency labels, or incorrect political party affiliations. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - Two Washtenaw County attorneys are vying for a chance to be the next Washtenaw County Trial Court judge in the upcoming general election in November The. background: grey; 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. I will tailor sentences to each persons needs, be an active participate in probation review hearings (listen, foster hope), finding new programs within the community for probationers, and establishing a mentorship program for young adult probationers. } Arianne Elizabeth Slay was elected to become the Ann Arbor Circuit Court Judge, receiving 70.6% of the vote, with Marla Linderman Richelew receiving 28.91% of the vote. what is your general judicial philosophy? I have defended the City of Ypsilantis Human Rights Ordinance. Great judges must have breadth and depth of experience. Having directly treated individuals facing these issues as a social worker, and having represented numerous families facing these difficulties as a lawyer, I understand the support required to stabilize families. Candidates in this contest and votes received: Julia B. Owdziej (54.0%), Tracy Van den Bergh (45.4%), All Other Votes (0.6%), Total Votes Cast (0.0%), and Total Ballots Cast (0.0%). Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. Download the mobile app to save your choices. As your Circuit Judge I will: Devote the time and effort to ensure every person coming into my courtroom knows their individual circumstances count. Armstrong: If there is a bench trial and the judge is the finder of fact, you must determine whether or not the prosecution or the plaintiff has proven its case by the appropriate burden of proof, following the applicable jury instructions, court rules, and statutes. Statewide election results on this website go back to 1980. By David Fair. To do this, I would utilize my experience leading community organizations to forge partnerships with local and state stakeholders to help develop a plan of action to make offenders in my court less likely to return to crime and more likely to evolve into productive members of society. 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