Wanda Evans
Wanda Evans is a judge of the Michigan 3rd Circuit Court. Her current term ends on January 1, 2029.
Evans ran for re-election for judge of the Michigan 3rd Circuit Court. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Evans was a judge on the 36th District Court from 2013 to 2016.
Biography
Education
Evans received her undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University in 1984 and a master's degree in social work from Wayne State University in 1987. She was awarded a J.D. from the University of Detroit, School of Law.[1]
Career
Prior to joining the court, Evans was a trial attorney. She also worked as a probation officer for Wayne County and as a therapist.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Wayne County, Michigan (2022)
General election
General election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court (15 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Wanda Evans (Nonpartisan) | 8.6 | 224,761 | |
| ✔ | Yvonna Abraham (Nonpartisan) | 8.3 | 217,062 | |
| ✔ | Melissa Cox (Nonpartisan) | 7.7 | 200,491 | |
| ✔ |  | Susan L. Hubbard (Nonpartisan) | 6.6 | 172,287 |
| ✔ | Sheila Ann Gibson Manning (Nonpartisan) | 6.5 | 170,263 | |
| ✔ | Kelly Ann Ramsey (Nonpartisan) | 6.5 | 169,933 | |
| ✔ |  | Susan Dabaja (Nonpartisan) | 6.4 | 167,865 |
| ✔ | Darnella Williams-Claybourne (Nonpartisan) | 6.4 | 167,093 | |
| ✔ | Brian Sullivan (Nonpartisan) | 6.3 | 163,331 | |
| ✔ | Mark Slavens (Nonpartisan) | 6.1 | 159,788 | |
| ✔ | Eric Cholack (Nonpartisan) | 6.1 | 158,631 | |
| ✔ | Martha Snow (Nonpartisan) | 6.1 | 158,054 | |
| ✔ | Alexis Glendening (Nonpartisan) | 5.9 | 155,054 | |
| ✔ | Patricia Fresard (Nonpartisan) | 5.9 | 154,448 | |
| ✔ | Muriel Hughes (Nonpartisan) | 5.7 | 148,465 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 23,884 | ||
| Total votes: 2,611,410 | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- David Groner (Nonpartisan)
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.[2] The following candidates ran in the 3rd Circuit general election (4 open seats).[3]
| 3rd Circuit, 4 open seats, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Melissa Cox |
15.42% | 208,932 |
| Wanda Evans |
15.04% | 203,738 |
| Kelly Ann Ramsey |
13.72% | 185,872 |
| Thomas Hathaway |
13.57% | 183,875 |
| Regina Thomas | 13.18% | 178,538 |
| Brian L. Morrow | 10.91% | 147,778 |
| Matthew Evans | 10.27% | 139,097 |
| Robert Ficano | 7.88% | 106,737 |
| Total Votes | 1,354,567 | |
| Source: Michigan Department of State, "2016 General Election Official Results," November 28, 2016 | ||
| 3rd Circuit, 4 open seats, Primary Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Wanda Evans |
9.55% | 46,406 |
| Thomas Hathaway |
9.08% | 44,086 |
| Melissa Cox |
7.89% | 38,310 |
| Brian L. Morrow |
5.65% | 27,465 |
| Kelly Ann Ramsey |
5.59% | 27,154 |
| Robert Ficano |
5.15% | 25,040 |
| Matthew Evans |
5.10% | 24,782 |
| Regina Thomas |
5.01% | 24,332 |
| Tracy Green | 4.79% | 23,284 |
| Felicia Courtright | 4.65% | 22,570 |
| Kenneth J. King | 4.64% | 22,516 |
| Suzette Samuels | 4.60% | 22,339 |
| Isaac Robinson | 4.26% | 20,689 |
| Karyn Macdonald | 3.66% | 17,758 |
| Michelle Letourneau-McAvoy | 3.52% | 17,109 |
| James Humphries | 3.29% | 15,978 |
| Esther Lynise Bryant-Weekes | 3.18% | 15,471 |
| Delicia Coleman | 3.18% | 15,443 |
| Ron Robinson | 2.57% | 12,498 |
| Rebekah Coleman | 2.51% | 12,209 |
| Michael Woodyard | 2.13% | 10,342 |
| Total Votes | 485,781 | |
| Source: Michigan Department of State, "Official Primary Results," August 23, 2016 | ||
2012
Evans advanced from the primary election on August 7th, winning 20.49 percent of the vote. She was elected in the general election on November 6, winning 34.54 percent of the vote.[4] [5][6]
Bar association ratings
The Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association rated candidates running for judicial office in 2012. Candidates were given one of five ratings: Outstanding, Well Qualified, Qualified, Not Qualified or No Rating.
Evans was rated as Not Qualified.[7]
2010
- See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2010
Evans was defeated in the race for a seat on the 3rd Circuit Court in Michigan on November 2, 2010.[8][9]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Wanda Evans did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Noteworthy events
Evans sued in small claims court by campaign organizer (2013)
Judge Evans was sued by Jean West, a Detroit native, who had helped Evans procure church speaking engagements during her campaign for the 36th District Court judgeship. According to the Detroit Free Press, West was known as the "church lady" and had spent forty years helping politicians and judges campaign in churches and senior buildings as well as at block club meetings throughout Detroit. Candidates who wished to reach the big voting blocks, made up of church-goers and senior voters reportedly often sought her services.
According to the suit, West was usually paid $350 a week for her services, but the transactions were largely conducted verbally without contracts or receipts. West claimed Evans was broke at the time of their oral agreement and promised instead to give West $3,500 later during the campaign, augmented by a $2,000 bonus if she won. West said she never received this money and instead filed suit in small claims court on August 5, 2013.[10]
Reverend Jim Holley of the Historic Little Rock Baptist Church described West as having "the respect of religious leaders in the community, and they basically give her permission to bring candidates in. She’s tenacious in terms of wearing the heck out of you in terms of getting the candidate in. [...] Sometimes we don’t know the candidate, we only know [West]." Many former candidates who went on to become judges on Michigan courts also expressed respect for West, including Judge Leonia Lloyd of the 36th District Court who described West as "a real ball of fire and a pleasure to work with."[10]
Gary Jones, an attorney and friend to both Judge Wanda Evans and Jean West, was surprised by the suit and claimed, "I’ve never heard of [Evans] not taking care of responsibilities. This is news to me. My understanding was that was the final settlement of everything. I thought Ms. West was pleased and happy."[10]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wanda Evans for Judge campaign website
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 Michigan Election Dates," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 Michigan Unofficial Candidate Listing," April 19, 2016
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "Unofficial 2012 General Election Results: 36th District Court"
- ↑ Wayne County, "2012 Judicial Primary Results"
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2012 Unofficial Michigan Primary Candidate Listing," July 31, 2012
- ↑ Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, "Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee"
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2010 Unofficial General Election Results: 36th District"
- ↑ Official campaign website of Wanda Evans
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Detroit Free Press, "Detroiter sues 36th District Judge Wanda Evans over church speeches," August 26, 2013
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
