In Michigan we have laws which allow a mid-term vacancy in a judgeship to be filled by appointment by the governor.  Our governors have proven that they select based on qualifications and merit.

In Monroe County we have a rich history of judicial appointments. A number of these have occurred recently; specifically, Judge Frank Arnold was appointed to the probate court in 2010 by Governor Granholm;  Judge Daniel White was appointed to circuit court by Governor Snyder in 2012;  In 2014, Judge Cheryl Lohmeyer was appointed to probate court by Governor Snyder and later in 2014, Judge Mark Braunlich was appointed by Governor Snyder to fill a vacancy in circuit court.  This appointment of Judge Braunlich completely dispels any notion that appointment process is political.  Judge Braunlich was historically aligned with the democrat party; at one time he was the democrat party chair.  Obviously, our republican governor set aside politics and selected Judge Braunlich based on his legal credentials and qualifications, and reputation for excellence, character and trustworthiness.

If we go back in time, former Judges Joe Costello and John Hohman and retired Judge Bill LaVoy also began their judicial careers by a governor’s appointment.  They also were chosen after careful inquiry into their qualifications. They were chosen based on their merit and reputation.

I am an attorney who has practiced law in Monroe County for over 30 years.  Having worked with all of the above professionals, I can proudly state that the appointment process has produced an excellent group of judges for our Monroe County Court system.

In the upcoming election, retired Judge LaVoy’s daughter wants to unseat the governor’s choice for our Probate Court.   However, quite unlike her father, Ms. LaVoy was never selected by any governor. In fact, she applied for such an appointment on three separate occasions since 2010.  On each occasion the governors, both democrat and republican, declined to appoint her.  Now she wants the voters to overlook what the State Bar and Governors learned.  She is not the best person for the job. I urge voters to stay with all our incumbent judges, including Judge Cheryl Lohmeyer for probate court.  They are full time, hard- working, trustworthy, excellent judges, dedicated to upholding the law and serving our citizens.

Be grateful for the good judges now serving our county!  Vote to retain our sitting judges.

Jeffrey A. Dulany

Attorney at Law

Monroe, Michigan