Macie Gaines
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Macie Gaines is a judge of the Wayne County Probate Court in Michigan. She assumed office on January 1, 2025. Her current term ends on January 1, 2031.
Gaines ran for election for judge of the Wayne County Probate Court in Michigan. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Gaines completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Macie Gaines graduated from Canyon High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona in 2008. Her career experience includes working as a lawyer, middle school teacher, and adjunct professor.[1]
Gaines has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- Third Circuit State Bar Representative Assembly
- Wolverine Bar Association
- Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Association
- Detroit Mercy Law Association of Black Law Alumni
- Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
- State Bar of Michigan Estate Planning and Probate Section
- Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
- Michigan Association of Justice
- Junior League of Detroit
- Ark Detroit Church
- Michigan Black Business Alliance
- Hispanic Bar Association of Michigan
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Wayne County, Michigan (2024)
General election
General election for Wayne County Probate Court (2 seats)
Macie Gaines and Todd Briggs defeated Ron Haywood, Daniel Mercier, and Reno Boles in the general election for Wayne County Probate Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Macie Gaines (Nonpartisan)  | 36.2 | 313,894 |
| ✔ |  | Todd Briggs (Nonpartisan) | 23.8 | 206,141 |
| Ron Haywood (Nonpartisan) | 22.3 | 193,575 | ||
 | Daniel Mercier (Nonpartisan) | 17.7 | 152,989 | |
| Reno Boles (Nonpartisan) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 3 | ||
| Total votes: 866,602 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Todd Briggs, Macie Gaines, Ron Haywood, and Daniel Mercier advanced from the primary for Wayne County Probate Court.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jennifer Parmalee (Nonpartisan)
Endorsements
Gaines received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Gaines's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Macie Gaines completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gaines' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Macie Gaines is the protégé of the late Honorable Adam A. Shakoor, one of the most prominent attorneys in Detroit, former Deputy Mayor of Detroit, Chief Judge of 36th District Court and the first Muslim ever appointed to an American judgeship. Hon. Adam Shakoor introduced her to probate where she worked hundreds of files, including but not limited to the Rosa Parks Estate, Motown artists, dignitaries and Wayne County residents. She eventually transitioned to her own private practice with her husband, Attorney Robbie Gaines, where she continued her probate work. She had the honor of working on the late Congressman John Conyers' estate, Willie Ford of the Dramatics, and many other notable names. She also became a Probate Law professor at her alma mater, Detroit Mercy Law.
For the past decade, she has been a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable people in society. She focuses on the protection of families and vulnerable adults through guardianships, conservatorships, and neglect/abuse matters. She has served Wayne County Probate Court as a fiduciary, Guardian Ad Litem, and court appointed attorney for the mental health and developmentally disabled docket. As a community minded attorney, her zealous representation has never wavered regardless of the client’s income or lack thereof. As a Judge, she plans to utilize her specialized legal knowledge to every case while treating every person who enters the courtroom with the dignity they deserve.
- Wayne County Voters deserve compassion. I have stood in the shoes of those who will comebefore me. I’ve experienced intense grief after my father’s death in 2022. I’ve exercised patience standing with vulnerable adults in my own family. I’ve gained empathy from caring for my late grandmother growing up. My legal knowledge of law provides me with the ability to rule appropriately under the law. But my life gives me the skills to do the right thing while preserving everyone’s dignity.
- Wayne County voters deserve Experience. I’ve served clients in the Wayne County Probate Court throughout my entire career. I am familiar with the caseload and dynamic of the Court. I’ve helped hundreds of people navigate their probate issues. I’ve also served at the pleasure of the Court in different capacities for a decade. I am a former Detroit Mercy School of Law Probate Professor, longtime member of the Wayne County Probate Bar, Chair of the Detroit Metro Bar Association Probate Litigation Committee and Member of the State Bar of Michigan Probate & Estate Planning Section.
- Wayne County voters deserve Service. A community-minded judge is imperative in Probate Court. As a UAW Cooperating Attorney, I provide discounted services to the members. I regularly hold free probate/estate planning workshops throughout Wayne County. I volunteer with legal aid clinics to provide probate assistance. And, I provide a minimum of 50 pro bono hours per year.
Access to Justice.
My late father, Andrew Tuiasosopo. He was a 30 year carpenter who
I believe in the rule of law and that all people, regardless of race, class, gender, etc. deserve to be heard with an equal opportunity to access justice. Many people do not know what probate court is until they need it. Unfortunately, people need Probate Court, something tragic or unanticipated happened in their lives whether it be the incapacity of a loved one, death, mental illness, developmental disabilities or any other ailments that would render one to need help or seek help for another. I believe my personal philosophy and experience, coupled with my professional expertise in Probate, will allow me to rule under the law and uphold dignity of all of those who will come before me.
I want to use my experience as a CA and MI attorney, former teacher for native American children from a reservation, a legislative intern/staffer in DC, a Job Corp counselor in Tucson, AZ to be open minded about people of all age, race, economic background and sexual identity. I will not only rely on my professional experience to shape my service in this position. When I worked in a hot warehouse in Compton, California to save money for college, it taught me about hard work and also about those who have to work in those conditions. When my family was evicted multiple times as a child, it taught me resilience and adaptability to new environments. When I realized we were poor growing up, I became grateful for the love my parents still had to give that shielded us from understanding our reality. When I marched outside in the freezing cold to protest in the middle of Campus Martius, I learned compassion and camaraderie. When I had two children within 18 months, I learned patience. These traits are needed to serve on the bench.
I want to use my experience as a CA and MI attorney, former teacher for native American children from a reservation, a legislative intern/staffer in DC, a Job Corp counselor in Tucson, AZ to be open minded about people of all age, race, economic background and sexual identity. I will not only rely on my professional experience to shape my service in this position. When I worked in a hot warehouse in Compton, California to save money for college, it taught me about hard work and also about those who have to work in those conditions. When my family was evicted multiple times as a child, it taught me resilience and adaptability to new environments. When I realized we were poor growing up, I became grateful for the love my parents still had to give that shielded us from understanding our reality. When I marched outside in the freezing cold to protest in the middle of Campus Martius, I learned compassion and camaraderie. When I had two children within 18 months, I learned patience. These traits are needed to serve on the bench.
I possess exceptional legal probate ability, outstanding personal and professional integrity, and an interest in, and demonstrated commitment to, working to improve the administration of justice. I have the highest capacity for distinguished judicial temperament, including courtesy, impartiality, and respect for all persons, the law, the judicial process, and for the dignity of the court. I have actively participated in charitable activities, community activities, mentoring, civic organizations, and professional bar organizations. I consistently exhibit commitment to promoting access to justice for all.
Compassion: I will always keep an open mind and treat those who enter my courtroom with dignity and respect. I stood in the shoes of many who will come before me with probate issues and general life struggles. I was the guardian for two family members with mental health challenges and was my grandmother's caretaker until she died. These are life changing moments that should be met with compassion. Experience: I will use my 10+ years of experience as a probate attorney and former probate law professor skills to be prepared for all those who come before me. I will continue to learn and sharpen my legal knowledge to serve those who enter my courtroom. Consistency: I will remain consistent in my rulings and litigants will know what to expect when they enter my courtroom.
I would like young people to know that anything is possible with hard work despite any circumstances.
I worked at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (a water park) when I was 15 years old. That is when I learned responsibility and how to manage money.
She Hulk (Marvel Comics). Jennifer Walters is a talented lawyer and the cousin of Bruce Banner, the Hulk. After being shot by a mobster and seriously injured, she was saved by a blood transfusion from Bruce, and his gamma-irradiated blood mutated Jennifer into the She-Hulk, kicking off her adventuring career.
Jen wasn't as strong as her cousin, but she maintained her intelligence as She-Hulk, soon learning to control her transformations and even embracing her green form. Throughout the years, Jen fought for justice in court and on the streets, developing great rivalries and friendships,and growing to become a respected leader. She worked for the District Attorney and also fought crime as a member of countless teams, namely the world-famous Avengers and Fantastic Four.
Jen wasn't as strong as her cousin, but she maintained her intelligence as She-Hulk, soon learning to control her transformations and even embracing her green form. Throughout the years, Jen fought for justice in court and on the streets, developing great rivalries and friendships,and growing to become a respected leader. She worked for the District Attorney and also fought crime as a member of countless teams, namely the world-famous Avengers and Fantastic Four.
Grateful by Connor Price
The death of my father and grief associated with it.
The probate court also covers the mental health docket and the developmentally disabled docket. This requires experience with both to have the ability to rule effectively. Probate Experience matters.
13. My work in the courtroom matters, but my work outside in the community is equally important. I believe that you get what you put out into the world. I think community service should always be a priority as an attorney and as a Judge especially since a Judge is a public servant. I represent clients on issues that can ruin their lives because of lack of knowledge. I believe wholeheartedly that "we don't know what we don't know" and believe that we should share our knowledge to help others. Therefore, I routinely provide free probate/estate planning workshops throughout Wayne County in community centers. I also provide probate workshops to help people navigate probate court. I volunteer with the Generations Clinic at Lakeshore Legal Aid to help people with probate issues. I also commit to a minimum of 50 hours a year to pro bono and serve as a UAW cooperating attorney to provide the working-class quality representation at 50% off. Through the Wolverine Bar Association and Association of Black Law Alumni, I work to provide scholarships, network opportunities, and career placement for black law students and new lawyers. I either volunteered or organized Gleaners Food Bank work, expungement clinics, pro bono estate plan workshops and child support clinics with Third Circuit Court. I have organized soup kitchen volunteers for Detroit Rescue Mission, “Know your Rights” forums with the ACLU, coordinated legal clinics at Mariners Inn Shelter and spearheaded adopting a family through the Detroit Rescue Mission. I am also committed to the NAACP “Ask a Lawyer” program and the George W. Crockett, Jr.
Hon. Adam A. Shakoor. Shakoor was born in 1947 as Adam Caddell. He grew up in northeast Detroit's Sojourner Truth public housing complex. He obtained bachelor's, master’s and law degrees from Wayne State University. Shakoor converted to Islam during his time at Wayne State, prompting his name change. He was an activist for social change and stood up for the rights of others with a passion for justice and fairness, especially during the civil rights movements of the 1960s and 70s, family members said. He became an attorney and was appointed judge of the Common Pleas Court for Wayne County by the late Gov. William Milliken in 1981. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) say he was the first Muslim judge in the United States. Shakoor served two terms as chief judge of 36th District Court in Detroit. He retired from the bench in 1989 to take on duties as the deputy mayor of Detroit under Mayor Coleman A. Young. He served in that position until 1993. As an attorney, Shakoor won several landmark decisions that broke down barriers for Michigan Muslims. CAIR pointed to two pivotal cases; In 1979, he represented Masjid Wali Muhammad, a Detroit mosque, for the right to announce the Muslim call to prayer over loudspeakers, the first such ruling in the country. Also in 1979, Shakoor led litigation against the Michigan Department of Corrections in a push for religious accommodations for Muslim inmates, leading to the hiring of its first Islamic chaplain. After his services as a judge and deputy mayor, Shakoor returned to private practice in 1994 and later founded the law firm Adam Shakoor & Associates in 2004. He served as the personal attorney of civil rights icon Rosa Parks from 1995 until her passing in 2005. Shakoor was also a professor of business law and African American Studies at Wayne County Community College for more than 45 years, according to family members.
Yes, one should always attempt to stand in the shoes of others to understand how to treat them with dignity and respect.
I received the HIGHEST qualification ratings with the Wolverine Bar Association (Extrememly Well Qualified), Detroit Bar Association (Outstanding) and Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (Outstanding).
I care about the future of the probate court because I've practiced in it my entire career. I am My entire career is dedicated to the protection of vulnerable people. (i.e., those who are developmentally disabled, struggle with mental health challenges, suffer from age related issues (alzheimers, dementia, etc.), stroke victims, minors, or those who passed away., etc.) I've been appointed by EVERY current sitting Probate Court Judge on hundreds of cases to serve as the eyes and ears of the Court to write a recommendation to the Judge on how to rule. I've been a probate law professor at Detroit Mercy Law and will continue when my children are older. I am the Probate Litigation Chair of the Detroit Bar Association and am a 10 year member Wayne County Probate Bar Association. Personally, I've been a guardian for two members of my family, a caregiver for my grandmother and dealt with grief when my father passed in 2022.
It is not beneficial. Legal experience matters most. Specifically, legal experience in the Court that a judge seeks to preside over. Government and politics have no place in the court.
Access to the Court is an issue in Wayne County Probate Court. The Court needs to open up. It has remained closed since COVID and citizens cannot enter Court to file paperwork. Pre-COVID, a person could walk to the 13th Floor where every possible probate form would be available for free. A person could fill it out and file it immediately. Now, the court only takes filings via fax, mail or email. Payment can only be submitted via mail or online. Unfortunately, this is not convenient for many. This leaves out an entire group of people who do not use computers (or own one) or those who refuse to enter their personal information into the computer. Equal access to the Courts means equal access to justice in probate court.
I would only do so if there is a dire need and I would apply for an appointment for Supreme Court or run an election when my kids are older.
Absolutely. For example, in the Detroit Bar Association, The Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee of the Detroit Bar Association has completed its rating of participating judicial candidates officially running for open seats in the courts of Wayne County for the 2024 election cycle. The Committee is comprised of 33 attorneys from the Detroit Metropolitan area who evaluated the fitness of each candidate for judicial office based upon the candidate’s legal ability (scholarship, analysis, judgment, clarity of expression), trial experience, integrity, honesty, judicial temperament, and reputation, without regard to party affiliation, race or creed. Ratings are given after review of the candidate’s completed questionnaire and/or an in-person interview conducted with an Interview Panel of the Committee. The ratings refer only to a candidate’s qualifications for the position of judge in the court that the candidate is seeking, and do not in any way refer to a candidate’s qualifications as a practicing attorney. To be rated “outstanding,” an individual must stand at the top of his/her profession; and must rank among the very best qualified judges or lawyers available for judicial service. S/he must have outstanding legal ability and background, and wide experience, wisdom, intellect, insight, and impartiality. To be accorded this highest rating, a candidate should generally also have the breadth of vision and outlook which derives from participation in the civic, charitable, religious or political activities of the community and the work of the organized bar of other professional organizations. In short, s/he should be a person whose preeminence in the law and as a citizen is widely acknowledged and whose qualifications for the position are virtually unanimously hailed by judges and lawyers. The same for WLAM and WBA.
What did the egg say to the doctor? You crack me up.
Why did the teddy bear's stomach hurt? Because he was stuffed.
Why did the teddy bear's stomach hurt? Because he was stuffed.
Unions: LiUNA, Local 1191, Detroit Federation of Teachers, UAW, Region 1 and Region 1A, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters, AFL-CIO Metro Detroit, Sheetmetal Workers Local 80, Plumbers Local 98, Michigan Building Trades Council, IBEW Local 58, AFSCME Michigan 925
Elected Officials:, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy, Senator Darrin Camilleri, State Representative Jason Hoskins, State Representative Donavan McKinney, State Representative Jamie Churches, Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, Detroit School Board/Former State Representative Mayor Byron Nolen, City of Inkster, Mayor Pro Tem, Latonya Lamb, City of Ecourse, Councilman Coleman A. Young, Jr., Detroit City Council at Large
Transparency and accountability are paramount in government, especially in the courts. The Courts exist to serve the public and public trust is only possible with transparency and accountability.
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.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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
