Lita Masini Popke

This page was current at the end of the official's last term in office covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Lita Masini Popke

Nonpartisan

Prior offices

Michigan 3rd Circuit Court

Successor: Yvonna Abraham

---

Report an officeholder change

Education

Bachelor's

St. Mary's College

Law

University of Detroit, Mercy School of Law

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; }

Lita Masini Popke was a judge for the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County, Michigan. She was appointed to this position on June 14, 2000, by Governor John Engler and took office the following month. Popke retired from the court in 2021.

Biography

Email [email protected] to notify us of updates to this biography.

Popke received a B.A. in English from St. Mary's College in 1980 and a J.D. from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1983. She began her career in 1983 as an associate attorney at the law firm of Harvey, Kruse, Westen & Milan. There she focused on insurance defense, asbestos litigation, no-fault, and commercial litigation. She then practiced as a partner and shareholder of the firm Mager, Monahan, Donaldson & Alber, P.C. from 1985 to 1994, specializing in commercial litigation, fidelity and surety, zoning, and appellate cases. From June of 1994 to June of 2000, she worked at Weisman, Young, Schloss & Ruemenapp, P.C.

Awards and associations

• President and former Secretary and Treasurer, Michigan Judges Association
• Member, Child Support Leadership Council
• Family Division Academic Advisory Committee, Michigan Judicial Institute
• Former faculty member, Michigan Judicial Institute New Judges Seminar
• Advisory Board Member, Dads From Day One
• Member, Schoolcraft College Development Authority
• Former appointed member, State Board of Ethics

Elections

2016

See also: Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2016

Michigan held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election occurred on August 2, 2016. The candidate filing deadline for incumbents was March 21, and the deadline for non-incumbents was April 19. The following candidates ran in the 3rd Circuit general election (16 open seats).

3rd Circuit, 16 open seats, General Election, 2016
Candidate
Eric Cholack Incumbent
James Chylinski Incumbent
Patricia Fresard Incumbent
Alexis Glendening Incumbent
David A. Groner Incumbent
Cynthia Hathaway Incumbent
Susan L. Hubbard Incumbent
Muriel Hughes Incumbent
Timothy Kenny Incumbent
Sheila Ann Gibson Manning Incumbent
Bruce Morrow Incumbent
John A. Murphy Incumbent
Lita Masini Popke Incumbent
Mark Slavens Incumbent
Martha Snow Incumbent
Brian Sullivan Incumbent
Source: Michigan Department of State, "2016 General Election Official Results," November 28, 2016

2010

See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2010

Popke was re-elected to the 3rd Circuit Court in the general election on November 2, 2010, along with 18 other judges.

Noteworthy cases

Judge Popke orders Duggan off mayoral ballot

Judge Popke ordered Mike Duggan, former CEO of the Detroit Medical Center, off the ballot for the August 2013 mayoral primary. Duggan filed his candidacy for the office too soon in violation of the Detroit City Charter, which requires a candidate to have been a registered voter for at least a year before filing as a candidate. Duggan appealed Judge Popke's decision to the Michigan Court of Appeals, which upheld her ruling on June 18, 2013. Duggan pulled out of the race a day later.

See also

• Courts in Michigan
• Michigan Circuit Courts
• Local trial court judicial elections, 2016

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;}  
   }

Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

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 Court of Claims • Michigan District Courts • Michigan Municipal Courts • Michigan Probate Courts

State resources:

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