Candidates to fill two seats on the Michigan Supreme Court (click here) were near unanimous during a candidate forum Wednesday evening: They said they would be impartial judges, not merely politicians sitting on the bench of the state's highest court.
The forum, held virtually by the League of Women Voters and the Jewish Bar Association of Michigan, was an opportunity for voters to hear from five candidates who will be on the ballot this November: Justice Brian Zahra, Justice Richard Bernstein, state Rep. Kyra Bolden, Paul Hudson and Kerry Morgan.
All of the individuals have been endorsed by a political party for the contest — Democrats have backed Bernstein and Bolden, while Republicans have endorsed Zahra and Hudson. Morgan has been endorsed by the Libertarian Party of Michigan....
...Zahra and Bernstein will likely be boosted by their incumbent status, as voters will see "Justice of the Supreme Court" next to their names when they receive their ballots, either on Election Day or during early voting. Zahra was appointed to the court by former Gov. Rick Snyder in 2011 before winning a partial term the next year and a full term in 2014. During the forum, Zahra highlighted his work as co-chair of the Michigan Justice For All Commission, a state-sponsored group that works to ensure equitable access to justice."One of the biggest areas of injustice in our civil justice system is when people who have legal problems are denied assistance," Zahra said.
Bernstein, whose family name is synonymous with the Sam Bernstein Law Firm in Michigan, is the first and only blind person to serve on the court....
..Bolden, a state representative whose district includes Southfield and other nearby communities, is in her second term in the Michigan House of Representatives. She is also an attorney, and would be the first Black woman to serve on the Michigan Supreme Court.
Hudson leads Miller Canfield's appeals division. Hudson has argued more than 150 cases in the Michigan appellate system, per his website.
Morgan is an attorney for Pentiuk, Couvreur and Kobiljak. He specializes in a variety of fields, including labor law and municipal law, according to the law firm's website.
While there are two seats on the court that will be decided at the ballot box this November, a third new face will appear on the Michigan Supreme Court before next year. Chief Justice Bridget McCormack has announced her retirement from the court. Whitmer will name her replacement before the end of the year.
