Leo Bowman
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Leo Bowman is a judge of the 6th Circuit Court in Oakland County, Michigan. He was appointed to this position by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on January 17, 2007 to replace Judge Deborah Tyner. He was elected in 2008 to a partial term that ended on January 1, 2013.[1][2][3] His current term expired on January 1, 2019.
Career
Bowman worked as a legal advisor for the Pontiac City Council prior to his election to the 50th Judicial District Court in 1988. In 1998 and 2000, he was also selected as a Drug Court Judge for the Circuit Court. He served on the 50th District Court until he was appointed to the circuit court in 2007.[1][3][4]
Awards and associations
Bowman serves on the Board of Directors for the American Judges Association Board of Governors and the Oakland County Bar Association. He has received the Ronald H. Brown Excellence in Leadership Award from the Pontiac Urban League and the Northern Oakland NAACP’s Community Treasurer’s Award.[4]
2012 election
Bowman was one of seven candidates competing for five seats in the general election on November 6, 2012. He was re-elected with 15.33% of the vote.[5] [6]
- See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2012
Bar association ratings
Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
The WLAM rated candidates running for judicial office with one of four ratings: Outstanding, Well Qualified, Qualified or No Rating.
Bowman received No Rating.[7]
Wolverine Bar Association
Bowman received a rating of Extremely Well Qualified from the Wolverine Bar Association.[8]
Endorsements
- The Detroit Free Press. To read the endorsement: Detroit Free Press, "Endorsements: Judge position in Wayne, Oakland counties," October 7, 2012.
Incumbents decry interest group advertisement
In October, the five incumbents running for re-election to the 6th Circuit Court united to condemn an ad aimed at Judge McMillen, which was run by the Virginia-based group Americans for Job Security. In a meeting, Judge Warren said,
| “ | We felt that it was very important that to maintain the integrity and independence of the judiciary that we unite together and stand against attempts to subvert our independence and integrity of the court, and try to politicize what should be a nonpartisan, non-political position.[9][10] | ” |
In a statement on his website, challenger William Rollstin says,
| “ | Just as challengers to incumbents express their displeasure with the status quo, so too can citizens affect the process...It’s ironic that a slate of candidates, unified by incumbency and not by ideological or philosophical bonds, would whine about following the law as determined by judicial precedent passed by the highest court in the land [Citizen's United v. Federal Election Commission].[11][10] | ” |
Education
Bowman received his B.A. degree from Oakland University in 1976 and his J.D. degree from the University of Detroit Law School in 1981.[4]
Noteworthy cases
Mother ordered to jail after arriving late to jury duty
Bowman has come under media and official criticism for his heavy-handed treatment of potential jurors, and has been verbally warned and been given written warnings to stop levying punishments against potential jurors who attempt to provide reasons for being excused from jury duty. In 2010 he ordered a mother of small children who could not find child care for them, and was late for jury duty, to sit as an observer for the entirety of a two-week murder trial, and additionally told her she would be jailed for 24 hours at the end of the trial. Previously, he had jailed a medical student who asked to be excused because the trial would affect his midterms, and a businessowner who had asked to be excused because his business was under a deadline. Bowman released the mother after the Michigan State Court Administrative Office sent a letter to the judge saying he had no authority to act as he had, and threatening sanctions if he didn’t stop.[12][13][14]
External links
- Michigan Trial Courts Directory: Oakland County
- Oakland County Bar Association, 2012 Judicial Candidate Questionnaire: Leo Bowman
- The Oakland Press, "Judge warned about ordering non-jurors to sit through trials," March 3, 2010
- Oakland University, "Judge rules in favor of his alma mater," June 23, 2006
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Michigan.gov: Former Governors, "Granholm Appoints Bowman Judge of the 6th Circuit Court," January 17, 2007
- ↑ Michigan 2008 Election Results: 6th Circuit Court Incumbent
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Oakland County, "Hon. Leo Bowman"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Thomas M. Cooley Law School, "'Integrity In Our Communities' Series To Feature Judge Leo Bowman," March 17, 2008
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, Unofficial 2012 General Election Results: 6th Circuit Court
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, 2012 Unofficial Michigan Primary Candidate Listing
- ↑ Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Press Release: "WLAM Endorses, Rates Judicial Candidates"
- ↑ Wolverine Bar Association, 2012 WBA Judicial Qualifications Results
- ↑ The Oakland Press, "Oakland County judges object to outside money in their re-election campaign," October 7, 2012
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Rollstin for Judge, Statement on Outside Spending
- ↑ The New York Times: Parenting, "Jailed for Taking Kids to Jury Duty," March 8, 2010
- ↑ ABC News, "Michigan Mom Ordered to Jail After Being Late for Jury Duty," March 6, 2010
- ↑ The Oakland Press, "Judge warned about ordering non-jurors to sit through trials," March 3, 2010
