Todd Briggs

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Todd Briggs

Nonpartisan

Wayne County Probate Court

Tenure

2025 - Present

Term ends

2031

Years in position

0

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Jackson Parkside High School

Bachelor's

Michigan State University, 1985

Law

Syracuse University College of Law, 1988

Personal

Birthplace

Jackson, Mich.

Profession

Attorney at law

Contact

Campaign website

Personal Facebook

Todd Briggs is a judge of the Wayne County Probate Court in Michigan. He assumed office on January 1, 2025. His current term ends on January 1, 2031.

Briggs ran for election for judge of the Wayne County Probate Court in Michigan. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

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

Biography

Todd Briggs was born in Jackson, Michigan. He graduated from Jackson Parkside High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in 1985 and a law degree from Syracuse University, College of Law in 1988. His career experience includes working as an attorney at law.

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
	Submit photo	Ron Haywood (Nonpartisan)	22.3	193,575
		Daniel Mercier (Nonpartisan)	17.7	152,989
	Submit photo	Reno Boles (Nonpartisan) (Write-in)	0.0	3

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 866,602
= 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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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates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

Briggs received the following endorsements.

• Women Lawyers Association of Michigan

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

With 36 years of dedicated service, I am committed to bringing my extensive legal experience and unwavering dedication to the role of Probate Judge. I want to ensure every person has a voice and is given the opportunity to be heard, whether asking for protection, helping a loved one or requesting assistance with a family dispute.

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 every person, no matter their circumstances, is deserves to be treated with dignity and respect so that fairness and justice prevails.
• As Probate Judge, I will ensure that every case is handled with the utmost integrity, compassion and respect, and will create a court environment where families feel supported and confident that their concerns are being addressed with the highest level of care and professionalism.
• My commitment to “Putting Families First” reflects my belief that every decision should prioritize the well-being and best interests of families and individuals that come before the Wayne County Probate Court.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about several key areas of public policy, particularly estate planning and inheritance, which ensure families can navigate these processes smoothly. I advocate for guardianship and conservatorship to protect vulnerable populations and promote mental health initiatives that integrate these considerations into the judicial process. Additionally, I believe it's crucial that individuals from all socioeconomic backgrounds have access to the court’s services and legal representation, ensuring fairness and equity in our judicial system.

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

As a lifelong competitive swimmer, I started coaching young swimmers while I was in college. It was in this job that I discovered my love for mentoring, training , and working toward the best possible outcome for each swimmer. As a probate judge, I get to use my knowledge and experience in a different way, but still always striving for the best possible outcome. When time time allows, I still coach swimming today.

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

Yes. Many of the issues handled by the Probate Court happen at difficult and emotionally charged times in peoples lives. A strong sense of empathy ensures that all sides are heard and considered fairly.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Michigan Association for Justice

Women Lawyer’s Association of Michigan
Hon. Judy A. Hartsfield - Wayne County Probate Court
Hon. Milton Mack (Ret.) - Chief Judge, Wayne County Probate Court
Hon. Michael McClory - Wayne County Probate Court
Hon. Lawrence J. Paolucci - Wayne County Probate Court
Hon. James M. Biernat, Jr. - Chief Judge, Macomb County Circuit Court
Hon. Sandra A. Harrison - Macomb County Probate Court
Hon. Sara Schimke - Macomb Country Probate Court
Hon. Antonio Viviano (Ret.) - Macomb County Probate Court
Hon. Jennie E. Barkey - Genesee County Probate Court
Hon. Daniel E. Hass - Menominee County Probate Court

Hon. Christopher M. Murray - Michigan Court of Appeals

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

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Government

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Newsletters

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External links

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Candidate

Wayne County Probate Court

Website

Personal

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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