Deborah Thomas

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
BP-Initials-UPDATED.png
This page was last updated during the official's most recent election or appointment. Please contact us with any updates.
Deborah Thomas
Image of Deborah Thomas

Nonpartisan

Michigan 3rd Circuit Court
Tenure
Present officeholder
Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 6, 2018

Education

Bachelor's

Western Michigan University, 1973

Graduate

University of Detroit, 1976

Law

Valparaiso University School of Law, 1977 

float:right;
border:1px solid #FFB81F;
background-color: white;
width: 250px;
font-size: .9em;
margin-bottom:0px;

} .infobox p { margin-bottom: 0; } .widget-row { display: inline-block; width: 100%; margin-top: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; } .widget-row.heading { font-size: 1.2em; } .widget-row.value-only { text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.value-only.white { background-color: #f9f9f9; } .widget-row.value-only.black { background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; } .widget-row.Democratic { background-color: #003388; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Republican { background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Libertarian { background-color: #f9d334; color: black; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Green { background-color: green; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-key { width: 43%; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold; } .widget-value { width: 57%; float: right; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; word-wrap: break-word; } .widget-img { width: 150px; display: block; margin: auto; } .clearfix { clear: both; }

Deborah Thomas is a judge of the Michigan 3rd Circuit Court.

Thomas ran for re-election for judge of the Michigan 3rd Circuit Court. She won in the general election on November 6, 2018.

On August 27, 2016, the Michigan Democratic Party nominated Thomas to run for the Michigan Supreme Court, challenging incumbent Justice Joan Larsen.[1] Thomas was defeated.

She also ran for election to the Michigan Supreme Court in 2014 and 2004.[2]

Education

Thomas received her undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University in 1973, her M.A. in criminal justice from the University of Detroit in 1976, and her J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1977.[3]

Career

  • 1995-Present: Judge, 3rd Circuit Court
  • 1984-1994: Attorney in private practice
  • 1993: Mediator, Wayne County Probate Court
  • 1983-1986: Assistant general counsel, Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority
  • 1981-1983: Administrative law examiner, Department of Labor for State of Michigan
  • 1979-1981: Attorney, UAW Legal Services Plan
  • 1977-1979: Attorney, Oakland County Legal Aid Society[3]

Awards and associations

Awards

  • Spirit of Detroit Award
  • Silver Key, American Bar Association
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, Michigan Women's Foundation
  • Myzell Sowell Eagle Award
  • Honoree, B'nail and B'rith Barristers Bar Association
  • Certificate of Appreciation, Homeless Fighters Program
  • Certificate of Appreciation, Kettering High School Community Counsel

Associations

  • IBPO of Elks of the World
  • YWCA of Metropolitan Detroit
  • Trade Union Leadership Council
  • NAACP
  • Wayne County Legal Services Judicare Law Program
  • United Way Foundation for Metropolitan Detroit
  • Black American Law Students Association[3]

Elections

2018

See also: Municipal elections in Wayne County, Michigan (2018)

General election

General election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court (16 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dana Margaret Hathaway
Dana Margaret Hathaway (Nonpartisan)
 
7.8
 
248,761
✔
Image of Deborah Thomas
Deborah Thomas (Nonpartisan)
 
7.6
 
240,778
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Annette Berry (Nonpartisan)
 
7.5
 
239,572
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Karen Braxton (Nonpartisan)
 
7.1
 
227,278
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Jerome Cavanagh (Nonpartisan)
 
7.0
 
221,566
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Kathleen McCarthy (Nonpartisan)
 
6.7
 
212,946
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Kevin Cox (Nonpartisan)
 
6.5
 
208,304
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Leslie Smith (Nonpartisan)
 
5.9
 
188,721
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Catherine Heise (Nonpartisan)
 
5.9
 
187,777
✔
Image of Qiana Lillard
Qiana Lillard (Nonpartisan)
 
5.6
 
178,880
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Prentis Edwards Jr. (Nonpartisan)
 
5.5
 
175,133
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Gregory Bill (Nonpartisan)
 
5.4
 
171,153
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Adel Harb (Nonpartisan)
 
5.3
 
168,962
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Edward Ewell Jr. (Nonpartisan)
 
5.3
 
167,159
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Paul Cusick (Nonpartisan)
 
5.2
 
165,694
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Charles Hegarty (Nonpartisan)
 
4.9
 
156,625
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.7
 
21,211

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,180,520
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Selection method

See also: Nonpartisan election of judges

The 221 judges of the Michigan Circuit Courts are selected in an identical manner, each serving six-year terms. They are chosen in nonpartisan elections and must face re-election if they wish to continue serving. Candidates are placed on the ballot via nonpartisan primaries or by nominating petitions.[4] Sitting judges who reach age 70 are allowed to serve out the remainder of their term.[5]

Selection of the chief judge

The chief judges of the circuit courts are appointed by the state supreme court to two-year terms.[4]

Qualifications
To be elected to either of these courts, a judge must:[4]

  • be a qualified elector of his or her district;
  • be licensed to practice law in the state;
  • have at least five years of law practice experience; and
  • be under the age of 70.

2016

Thomas was nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party convention to run for the Michigan Supreme Court against incumbent Justice Joan Larsen.[1] The election is on November 8, 2016.

Election results

November 8 general election

Incumbent Joan Larsen defeated Deborah Thomas and Kerry L. Morgan in the general election for the Michigan Supreme Court, Larsen's seat.

Michigan Supreme Court, Larsen's Seat, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Joan Larsen Incumbent 57.62% 1,940,260
     Democratic Deborah Thomas 29.23% 984,107
     Libertarian Kerry L. Morgan 13.15% 442,781
Total Votes (84 of 83 counties: 100%) 3,367,148
Source: Michigan Secretary of State Official Results

2014

See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2014

Thomas ran for election to the Michigan Supreme Court.
General: She was defeated in the general election on November 4, 2014, after receiving 28.9 percent of the vote. She competed against David Viviano and Kerry L. Morgan.Thomas was nominated as a candidate at the Democratic convention.[2] 

2012

See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2012

Thomas was one of 17 candidates competing for 16 seats on the 3rd Circuit Court. Only one candidate was a non-incumbent. Thomas was re-elected with 6.8 percent of the vote.[6] [7]

Bar association ratings

The Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association rated candidates running for judicial office in 2012. Candidates were given one of five ratings: Outstanding, Well Qualified, Qualified, Not Qualified or No Rating.

Thomas was rated as Qualified.[8]

2004

In 2004, Thomas ran for the Michigan Supreme Court and was defeated with 20 percent of the vote.[9]

Video clips

  • Off the Record (Television) Interview: Part I
  • Off the Record: Part II

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Michigan Supreme Court Deborah Thomas. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Deborah Thomas - Google News

See also

External links

   .contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
   .contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
   .external_links_table { width: auto !important; }
   @media (max-width:600px) {
       .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;}
       .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}  
   }

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 MLive, "See Democratic and Republican candidates for Supreme Court, university boards," August 28, 2016
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michigan Department of State, "2014 Unofficial Michigan General Candidate Listing," accessed August 26, 2014
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, "Judge Deborah Thomas" (dead link)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Michigan," archived October 2, 2014
  5. ↑ Michigan Daily, "Washtenaw County judge announces early retirement," May 1, 2014
  6. ↑ Michigan Department of State, "Official 2012 General Election Results: 3rd Circuit Court," January 4, 2013
  7. ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2012 Unofficial Michigan Primary Candidate Listing," July 31, 2012
  8. ↑ Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, "Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee"
  9. ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2004 General Election Results: Supreme Court"

Michigan courts

Federal courts:

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan

State courts:

Michigan Supreme Court • Michigan Court of Appeals • Michigan Circuit Court • Michigan District Courts • Michigan Probate Courts

State resources:

Courts in Michigan • Michigan judicial elections • Judicial selection in Michigan


Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Deborah_Thomas&oldid=9984210"