Michelle Rick

Michelle Rick

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals

Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals

Tenure

2021 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

5

Prior offices:

Michigan 29th Circuit Court

Year left office: 2020

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Report an officeholder change

Compensation

Base salary

$195,625

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Next election

August 4, 2026

Education

Bachelor's

Michigan State University

Law

University of Detroit

Personal

Birthplace

Bay City, MI

Religion

Christian

Contact

Official website

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Michelle Rick is a judge of the Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals. She assumed office on January 1, 2021. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Rick is running for re-election for judge of the Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on August 4, 2026.^[source]

Education

Michelle Rick was born in Bay City, Michigan. She earned a bachelor's degree in social sciences from Michigan State University in 1987. She earned a J.D. from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1991.

Rick's career experience includes working as an attorney in private practice, as an assistant Livingston County prosecutor, as a senior assistant attorney general from 1995 to 2006, and as deputy legal counsel for Governor Granholm until her circuit court appointment in 2007. She served on the circuit court until her election to the court of appeals. She has also taught at Lansing Community College and Michigan State University.

Rick has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• American Bar Association
• American Bar Foundation Fellow
• Michigan Bar Foundation Fellow
• The Michigan Judges Association
• The National Association of Women Judges
• The Women Lawyers Association of Mid-Michigan
• State Bar of Michigan Affordable Legal Services Committee
• State Bar of Michigan Criminal Law Section
• State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section
• State Bar of Michigan Judicial Council
• State Bar of Michigan Prisons & Corrections Section

Elections

2026

See also: Michigan intermediate appellate court elections, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on August 4, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Nonpartisan primary

Nonpartisan primary election for Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals (3 seats)

Incumbent Allie Greenleaf Maldonado (Nonpartisan), incumbent Michael J. Kelly (Nonpartisan), and incumbent Michelle Rick (Nonpartisan) are running in the primary for Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals on August 4, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Allie Greenleaf Maldonado (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Michael J. Kelly (Nonpartisan)
		Michelle Rick (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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2020

See also: Michigan intermediate appellate court elections, 2020

General election

General election for Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals

Michelle Rick won election in the general election for Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michelle Rick (Nonpartisan)	100.0	802,117

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 802,117
= 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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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. Incumbent Michelle Rick ran unopposed in the 29th Circuit general election.

29th Circuit, General Election, 2016
Candidate
Michelle Rick Incumbent
Source: Michigan Department of State, "2016 General Election Official Results," November 28, 2016

2010

See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2010

Rick was re-elected without opposition in the general election on November 2, 2010.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Michelle Rick has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Michelle Rick, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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2020

Michelle Rick completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rick's responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Judge Michelle Rick. I am running to be the next judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals, 4th Judicial District. I am a Judge for the People.

Throughout my 29-year legal career, I have worked to protect and preserve the rights of people in the State of Michigan. I have served as an assistant prosecutor, an assistant state attorney general, and deputy legal counsel in the Governor's office before I became a judge.

I have been a circuit judge for the last 13 years. I believe the Courts are for the people and should be available to meet the needs of the public. I have created several problem-solving courts, including a women's drug treatment court and a high-risk felony court. I have served on statewide committees, including the Human Trafficking Commission, the Michigan Judges Association, and the State Bar Affordable Legal Services Committee. I am Michigan's chair to the National Association of Women Judges.

I believe the United States legal system is the best in the world. I also believe the legal system can be reformed to better meet the needs of all its users. As a Judge for the People on the Michigan Court of Appeals, I will continue to promote reforms and innovations to our legal system. All Michiganders are entitled to have access to justice.

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 am a judge for the People.
• I believe in Access to Justice for all, and have worked tirelessly as a judge to promote innovative programs to allow the greatest number of people access to the courts.
• I believe Courts should be innovative and transformative. The current pandemic has transformed the justice system. Judges, lawyers, and litigants are relying on technology and innovation more than ever before. We must keep the legal system moving forward.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Access to Justice;

Civil and criminal justice reform;

Technology.

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

I am courageous.

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

Judge must remain knowledgeable of the law. They must engage in continuing legal education to stay abreast of changes in the law. Judges must adhere to the rules of judicial conduct. Finally, to instill confidence in the judiciary, judges must be transparent and give back to their community.

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

It was August, 1974. We were spending a few weeks up at my parents' hunting camp in Gogebic county. We had no tv, but we did have a radio. I recall listening to President Nixon resign his Presidency. I recall my mother saying it was a historic moment.

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

I worked in my father's pharmacy from the time I was a teen until I finished undergraduate. I emptied waste baskets, wrapped gifts, and operated a register and postal machine. This is where I learned to interact with the public.

What is your favorite book? Why?

"Healing Neen", by Tonier Cain. This autobiography chronicles Tonier's life of substance abuse disorder and crime. She was able to reclaim her life and now works to help others whose lives are intertwined with the criminal justice system due to addiction.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Sarah Connor

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

R E S P E C T, Aretha Franklin.

How would you describe your legal philosophy?

I follow the rule of law. I do not legislate from the bench. Sometimes outcomes are unfair, but barring ambiguity, it is for the legislature to remedy.

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

I admire Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She was the first female to serve on the United States Supreme Court. She worked tirelessly to get there. She believed in the Constitution and the need for children to learn about civics. Resultantly, in 2008 she created iCivics, Inc. for youth to learn about our democracy.

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

Yes, all judges should have empathy. Judges are problem solvers. They must follow the law and apply the law to the facts of each case presented, most certainly. But they can do this with compassion and understanding that litigants are real people with real lives. While a pending dispute may be inconsequential to a judge, it can mean everything to the individuals involved in the case.

Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?

I was rated by the Michigan Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee when I ascended to the 29th Circuit Court bench in 2007. I do not know my rating, but following my rating I was appointed to the bench.

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

Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.

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Officeholder

Michigan 4th District Court of Appeals

Website

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Footnotes

Michigan courts

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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

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