Patrick W. O'Grady

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Patrick W. O'Grady

Michigan 15th Circuit Court

Tenure

Present officeholder

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Western Michigan University, 1993

Law

Cooley Law School, 1999

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army Reserve

Personal

Profession

Judge

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

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Patrick W. O'Grady is a judge of the Michigan 15th Circuit Court.

O'Grady (Nonpartisan, Republican Party) ran in a special election for judge of the Michigan Supreme Court. O'Grady lost in the special general election on November 5, 2024. He advanced from the special Republican convention on August 24, 2024.

O'Grady completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Patrick W. O'Grady served in the U.S. Army Reserve. He earned a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University in 1993 and a law degree from Cooley Law School in 1999. His career experience includes working as a judge, attorney, Michigan state trooper, and Michigan State Police officer.

Elections

2024

See also: Michigan Supreme Court elections, 2024

General election

Special general election for Michigan Supreme Court

Incumbent Kyra Harris Bolden defeated Patrick W. O'Grady in the special general election for Michigan Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kyra Harris Bolden (Nonpartisan)	61.5	2,430,106
		Patrick W. O'Grady (Nonpartisan)	38.5	1,518,641

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source	Total votes: 3,948,747
= 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.
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Democratic convention

Special Democratic convention for Michigan Supreme Court

Incumbent Kyra Harris Bolden advanced from the special Democratic convention for Michigan Supreme Court on August 24, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Kyra Harris Bolden (D)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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.

Republican convention

Special Republican convention for Michigan Supreme Court

Patrick W. O'Grady advanced from the special Republican convention for Michigan Supreme Court on August 24, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Patrick W. O'Grady (R)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race.
= 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.
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Endorsements

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O'Grady received the following endorsements.

• Former President Donald Trump (Republican Party, Conservative Party)
• Citizens for Traditional Values – PAC

2014

See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2014
O'Grady ran for re-election to the 15th Circuit Court.
General: He was unopposed in the general election on November 4, 2014.  

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Patrick W. O'Grady completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by O'Grady's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have served as a steadfast presence on the 15th Circuit Court bench since my election in 2008, winning a contested election and subsequently securing unopposed reelections in 2014 and 2020. With over 15 years of judicial experience, I have presided over a staggering caseload of nearly 14,000 cases spanning complex litigation in both criminal and civil law realms.

Throughout my tenure, I have demonstrated my judicial acumen in navigating diverse legal landscapes, from overseeing high-stakes criminal jury trials involving offenses such as murder, robbery, kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct, domestic violence, and child abuse, to adjudicating matters in civil law encompassing labor disputes, contractual intricacies, property rights, family law issues, auto negligence, and nuanced topics like medical malpractice.

Moreover, as a circuit court judge, I have the responsibility of adjudicating cases appealed from other trial courts or administrative agencies.

My unwavering commitment to safeguarding families, championing individual rights, and upholding the integrity of our beloved Michigan is evident in my distinguished record. My steadfast adherence to the Rule of Law in the trial court is a testament to my judicial philosophy, one that I pledge to bring to bear as a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I believe that my background and experience uniquely qualify me in a way that is very different than others paths of legal professionals.
• As a Rule of Law Justice, I will prioritize governance rooted in the letter of our laws, not the whims of our leaders. As a Rule of Law Justice, I will protect the rights of all and make Michigan safe for our families.
• I have a proven track record of protecting families, protecting your rights and protecting our Michigan.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Rule of Law

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I would have to say my grandfather, because he was incredibly hard working and honest.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Character, integrity, and leadership.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Learning to understand people through my experience as a police officer, prosecutor, and judge.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Steadfast and unwavering commitment to safeguarding families, championing individual rights, and upholding the integrity of our beloved Michigan.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of grace and wisdom.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember Ronald Reagan being shot and I was 11 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Movie theater usher for four years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

Because it makes you think deeply about the world.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crew

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Learning that patience is a learned skill.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

They create the administrative and court rules that affect everyday citizens interactions with the state legal system.

How would you describe your legal philosophy?

Contextualist and Rule of Law, interpreting the law as it is written.

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?

Empathy is an important quality

What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?

Provide legal access efficiently in an ever increasingly technological world.

How does your state’s supreme court serve as part of the state government’s checks and balances?

The court determines whether the powers used by the other branches of government fall within their particular purview, within the bounds of the state constitution.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Transparency goes hand in hand with government accountability. This is essential to a well functioning government and the foundation of trust with the citizenry.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Patrick W. O'Grady campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Michigan Supreme Court	Lost general	$0	$0
Grand total			$0	$0
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

2024 Elections

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