Dear Editor,
As a retired Monroe County Probate Judge, I have a deep interest in the upcoming race for Probate Court Judge.
Judge Cheryl Lohmeyer is our Probate Judge and she is doing an excellent job. I urge Monroe County voters to keep Judge Lohmeyer in this important position. Here are my reasons:
Judge Lohmeyer was appointed Probate Judge by the governor in February. Other local attorneys, including the other person in this race, applied for the appointment and went through the screening process described below. Ultimately, Judge Lohmeyer was chosen.
A judicial appointment is significant because the judicial selection process is so thorough and, frankly, quite grueling. First, prospective candidates must complete lengthy applications which are referred to the Michigan State Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee. This committee is independent of the governor’s office. It is comprised of over 25 experienced lawyers from all around the state. Members of this committee review the applications. They interview the candidates. More importantly, they actually interview local judges and lawyers who are familiar with the candidates. They ask not only about a candidate’s legal knowledge, but also about the important matters of ethics, character and judicial temperament. It takes more than a law degree to make a good judge. If a candidate passes this scrutiny, his or her name is submitted to the governor’s office, where more interviews, investigation and background checks are conducted before the final decision to appoint a judge is made.
While being selected by the above process is an important affirmation of her qualifications, we now have further evidence of Judge Lohmeyer’s judicial capabilities. We have the added benefit of actually knowing her impressive performance on the job. Judge Lohmeyer has already earned the respect of her colleagues; they unanimously supported her appointment as the administrative head of the Juvenile section of the court. Local prosecuting attorneys and local law enforcement officers have endorsed Judge Lohmeyer. They see what I see. Judge Lohmeyer is intelligent, hardworking, efficient, and dedicated. Judge Lohmeyer has judicial experience. She has the ethics, temperament and character that will continue to instill a sense of pride in our courts. We need to keep good judges in our courts.
In short, Judge Lohmeyer has proven herself. Our county needs her. She deserves your vote on November 4th.
Pamela A. Moskwa, Retired Judge of Probate Court for the County of Monroe
