VOTE411 Voter Guide

I received my B.S. from Eastern Michigan University in 2002. I received my J.D. From Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2005. During law school I interned for the Oakland County, Wayne County and Chippewa County prosecutor's offices. I was hired by Hank Zavislak as an Assistant Prosecutor in February of 2006. I have prosecuted every type of criminal case through out my career. When I left the office in 2013 I was a Senior APA, assigned to Circuit Court and also in charge of gang violence prosecutions and a member of the Project Safe Neighborhood task force in Jackson County. Since 2013, I have been a criminal defense attorney in Jackson County. My experience in criminal law stems over 20 years. Making me the most qualified candidate.

My objective is to make Jackson County a safer place to live and work, while upholding the constitution and being a fair voice for all residents. I have the great pleasure of being endorsed by all the major police organizations in Jackson as well as all three Circuit Court Judges and the Chief District Court Judge. Working with these hard working officers and judges I will continue to help our community strive towards greatness. I have first hand knowledge of how the judicial system works from both the defense and the prosecution. This gives the voters of Jackson County an opportunity to elect a Judge that has seen it all. A Judge that understands the law and the people of this County. Being a Judge is about fairness and holding criminals accountable when they step outside of the law and endanger the people of this great community.

Over my 20 years of practicing in the 12th District Court, one issue that I would like to address would be the amount of time a case waits to get called, or how long witnesses need to wait to be called to the stand. Having police officers sit for hours waiting to testify only for the case to be canceled or adjourned. I would rather have our brave men and women on the streets, helping to keep our community safe instead of sitting in the Courthouse for hours waiting for the case to be called. I want to work with the Prosecutor's Office and the Defense Bar to streamline cases and stop the waisted time that consistently occurs on the second floor. If a Judge sets a time for a hearing the Judge should be on the Bench at that time, prepared and ready for the hearing.

It is important to point out that a Judge should never have an agenda. As a Judge you are a referee, and the law is your rule book. For the last 20 years I have had the great opportunity of practicing in front of some of the best Judges in Jackson County history, and the message is always the same; the law is all that matters, follow the law and the Court rules and you will succeed as a Judge. It will not be my job to make new laws or to insert my personal feelings about a case that is in front of me. It will be job to interpret the law that is written and follow that law the rules of evidence and procedure, and while doing that to make sure that people of Jackson County are protected by those same laws. To be a Judge is a great responsibility. The voters are choosing you to be fair all parties that appear before you, to protect the people that need protecting and to be just in everything you do.

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