U.S. President & Vice President
Representative in Congress, 6th District
University of Michigan Board of Regents
Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Wayne State University Board of Governors
Michigan Court of Appeals, 3rd District
Judges of the Circuit, District & Probate Courts
1. In order of priority, list your major concerns about the court which you hope to serve. What measures are needed to address them? [70 word limit]
2. What is the appropriate role of the courts in serving the community? [50 word limit]
9th Circuit Court Judge
Six-year term. Vote for not more than
two.
Stephen M. Gorsalitz
Did not respond in time for publication.
Philip D. Schaefer
Did not respond in time for publication.
8th District Court Judge
1st Division – Incumbent
Six-year term. Vote for not more than one.
Jeffrey Martin Gagie
Age 41. Self-employed attorney focusing on criminal defense,
divorce, custody, juvenile court, civil litigation. Loy Norrix H.S.;
B.B.A., M.B.A.,
WMU; law degree, Cooley. Before law school, industrial sales, financial
services. Current President, Van Buren County Bar Association; member,
governing council for Criminal Law Section, State Bar; Executive Committee,
Boys and Girls Clubs Kalamazoo; former member, Kalamazoo County Bar Association
Board of Directors.
1. (a) I want people with cases in this court to believe they received fair, prompt justice consistent with similar cases. (b) Prospective jurors should be given notice of their required attendance more than just one hour in advance. (c) All who use the court should be treated with patience, dignity and respect. (d) I’ll use my education, professional and life experiences to instill in others the same confidence in our system that I have.
2. Courts should fairly, promptly, and consistently interpret and apply the law as written. Judges should remember that courts are for the benefit of the public, not the judiciary. Courts should always maintain high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of the court system is preserved.
Carol A. Husum
Age 61. Judge, District 8 Court, 1994–present. B.S., education,
Ohio State U; M.B.A. and J.D., U of Toledo. Elementary and high school
teacher, adult probation officer, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District Court
Magistrate, Assistant City Attorney (Kalamazoo); member, Judicial and
Professional Ethics Committee of the Michigan State Bar Association.
1. Challenges facing the 8th District Court: (a) using limited available resources to provide a fair and neutral forum to resolve civil and criminal cases to assure public confidence in the law, (b) to provide meaningful sentencing options for convicted persons in order to protect the public, instill individual accountability and enhance the opportunity for rehabilitation, (c) focus on long-term objectives, wise use of available resources, and practical experience.
2. Courts do not make laws but do have a central role in a democracy to insure that all persons are protected by the laws and are accountable under the law. The courts need to be truly accessible to the parties, open to public scrutiny, fair to all, and remain an independent and equal branch of government.
8th District Court Judge
1st Div. Non-incumbent
Six-year term. Vote for not more than one.
Anne E. Blatchford
Age 44. Magistrate, District 8 Court. Valparaiso Univ. School of
Law; Kalamazoo College; Kalamazoo/Parchment Public Schools. Magistrate
for
9-1 District Court; Deputy City Attorney, Kalamazoo; Acting City Attorney,
Naperville, IL; Assistant City Attorney, Rockford, IL; only candidate
in this race with judicial bench experience. Four years as magistrate,
conduct criminal arraignments, search/arrest warrant reviews, small claims
court, informal hearings, weddings.
1. Two major concerns are jail overcrowding and inadequate funding resources for alternative sentencing. The Kalamazoo County jail is overcrowded. Offenders who have committed serious crimes are being released into the community before completing their sentences. Jail overcrowding results in placement in alternative programs of individuals better served by jail time, and thereby results in overcrowding of probation and alternative programs already stretched by restricted resources. Additional resources must be developed.
2. First and foremost, it is imperative that the court remain an impartial, unbiased entity to ensure equality of justice and the preservation of individuals’ rights under the law. Therefore, the court must never be a proponent or advocate for one faction of the community over the other.
Lee Kirk
Age 55. Deputy City Attorney, City of Kalamazoo. B.A., M.A.,
U.S. history, U of Michigan; J.D., Wayne State U. Deputy City Attorney,
1992–present;
Assistant City Attorney, 1990–92; 10 years in Flint with City Attorney,
UAW and Legal Aid; active in KPS, neighborhoods, and non-profits; experience
in state and federal trial and appellate courts; visit my website, www.Kirk4Judge.org
1. The Court must be more responsive to neighborhood concerns even as its budget is cut. My courtroom and community experience handling drunk driving, domestic violence, code enforcement, landlord/tenant and other quality of life cases in District Courts will allow me to access community resources to make the court more responsive to community issues. Doing more with less requires collaboration and flexibility, skills I would bring to the bench.
2. Judges must follow the law, respect the rights of all citizens, and provide justice to the parties and the community. I have the legal experience and knowledge gained from 14 years of involvement in the courts and the community to make our legal system’s ideals a reality for all citizens.
3rd
Division
Six-year term. Vote for not more than one.
Vincent C. Westra
Age 52. Judge, District 8 Court, 1992–present. Kalamazoo
Public Schools (K-12, Loy Norrix H.S., 1970); B.A., WMU, 1974; J.D.,
U of Toledo,
1982. Law clerk, Kalamazoo County Circuit Court, 1982-83; private practice,
1983-89; Assistant Kalamazoo City Attorney, 1989-92.
1. (a) Increased demand to impose local sanctions and develop programs without additional funding. (b) Lack of jail space means a lack of meaningful sanctions for repeat offenders and minimized consequences when the rules of alternative to jail programs are violated, thereby greatly diminishing the effectiveness of those programs. (c) To address these concerns, additional jail space and state funding are critically needed.
2. “...participate in establishing, maintaining, and enforcing, and should personally observe, high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of the judiciary may be preserved...contribute to the improvement of the law, the legal system, and the administration of justice....” (Canons 1, 4, Code of Judicial Conduct.)
Probate Court Judge
Six-year term. Vote for not more than one.
Donald R. Halstead
Age 62. Chief Judge of Probate Court. B.S., 1964; J.D., U of Detroit,
1967. Law Clerk to Federal Judge; private practice, 13 yrs; Special
Prosecutor, 7 yrs; elected Probate Judge in 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998;
appointed Chief Judge of Probate.
1. (a) Reduced revenue and increased costs; educate the community, legal profession and government agencies of the continuing needs of the people who are served by the Court (mentally ill, vulnerable individuals under guardianship). (b) Increased mental health costs; monitor the increased state placements and psychiatric costs assigned to Kalamazoo, develop new programs and services for those individuals in the community who are wards and need supervision.
2. (a) Develop
and conduct an efficient process that oversees the administration
of decedents’ estates, guardianships and conservatorships
of minors and adults. (b) Develop community programs and community
resources that supervise the continuing care and provide continuing
education and protections for the guardians and conservators and
the people served.