Douglas Shapiro (Michigan)
Douglas Shapiro was a judge for the 3rd District of the Michigan Court of Appeals. He assumed office on February 2, 2009. He left office on January 1, 2024.
Shapiro ran for re-election for the 3rd District judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Education
Shapiro received his B.A. in history from the University of Michigan in 1983 and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1986. He also studied abroad at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland.[4]
Career
Shapiro began his legal career in 1986 as a law clerk to Justice James Brickley of the Michigan Supreme Court. In 1989, he served as an assistant attorney in the State Appellate Defenders Office. He then served as a staff attorney with the Center for Social Gerontology. He joined the law firm of Muth and Fett, PC in 1991. The firm's name changed to Muth and Shapiro, PC in 1995 when Sharpiro became a partner. Shapiro continued his practice with this firm until his appointment to the Michigan Court of Appeals in 2009.[2]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Michigan 3rd District Court of Appeals (2 seats)
Incumbent Jane M. Beckering and incumbent Douglas Shapiro won election in the general election for Michigan 3rd District Court of Appeals on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jane M. Beckering (Nonpartisan) | 52.1 | 678,505 |
| ✔ | Douglas Shapiro (Nonpartisan) | 47.9 | 622,681 | |
| Total votes: 1,301,186 | |||
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Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The 28 judges of the Michigan Court of Appeals are chosen in nonpartisan elections and must face re-election if they wish to continue serving. A full term on the court is six years. Candidates are placed on the ballot via nonpartisan primaries or by nominating petitions.[5] The process for filling vacancies on the appeals court is identical to that used by the supreme court. With the assistance of the judicial qualifications committee, the governor names a replacement to serve until the next general election.[5]
Qualifications
To be elected to the court, a judge must:
- 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;
- be under the age of 70.[5]
Sitting judges who reach age 70 are allowed to serve out the remainder of their term.[6]
Selection of the chief judge
The chief judge of the appeals court is selected by supreme court appointment to terms lasting two years.[5]
2012
Shapiro was re-elected to the Michigan Court of Appeals after running unopposed in the general election on November 6, 2012.[7][8]
- See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2012
2010
Shapiro ran unopposed and was elected to the Michigan Court of Appeals on November 2, 2010.[3][9]
- Main article: Michigan judicial elections, 2010
Campaigns and Campaign Finance Reporting
According to Newsmeat, Shapiro has given substantially (in the thousand dollar ranges) to Democratic candidates, including John Kerry, Barack Obama, Congressional candidates Gary Peters, Mark Schauer, David Allen Nacht, former Congresswoman Nancy Rivers, and US Senator Debbie Stabenow. He was appointed by Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm two months after the November 2008 election, which seemed to be his most active in contribution terms.[10]
In 2008, he filed a campaign finance statement of organization declaring he would spend less than a $1,000 (requiring no further reporting) in a local race for 22nd Circuit Court judge in Washtenaw County. [1] According to other records with the Secretary of State, he filed a candidacy petition to enter a judicial race against two long-time incumbents who faced re-election. Because beating an incumbent in Michigan can be difficult, especially when spending very little money, some speculated that Shapiro had entered the race to signal that he was interested in being elected a judge or appointed to fill a judicial vacancy. Shapiro's signatures were filed a month after both judges filed affidavits to run, despite some media reports to the contrary.[11]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Michigan.gov, "Governor Granholm Announces Judicial Appointments," December 23, 2008
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michigan Courts, "Third District Judges: Douglas B. Shapiro," accessed June 4, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Michigan Department of State, "2010 Official General Election Results: Court of Appeals," accessed June 4, 2015
- ↑ LegalNews, "A look at candidates for the Michigan Court of Appeals," October 7, 2010
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Michigan," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Michigan Daily, "Washtenaw County judge announces early retirement," May 1, 2014
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "Official 2012 General Election Results: 3rd District Court of Appeals Judge," accessed June 4, 2015
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2012 Official Michigan Primary Candidate Listing," July 31, 2012
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2010 Candidate List," accessed June 4, 2015
- ↑ NewsMeat, "Campaign Contributions Search," accessed June 4, 2015
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2008 Official Michigan Primary Candidate Listing," accessed June 4, 2015
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| Current |
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| Former | Clifford Taylor (Michigan) • Michael Cavanagh • Elizabeth Weaver • Marilyn Kelly • Maura Corrigan • Stephen Markman • Richard Bandstra • Helene White • Kurtis Wilder • Brian Zahra • Pat Donofrio • E. Thomas Fitzgerald (Michigan) • Michael Smolenski • Alton Davis • William Whitbeck • Bill Schuette (Michigan) • Robert P. Young Jr. • | ||
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
