Wayne County Judge Ready To Take on Worst State Supreme Court in the Nation

Mount Pleasant Attorney Toni Sessoms makes it clear at the Michigan Democratic Party State Convention where she stands.

Sessoms was among those who supported Judge Diane Marie Hathaway to take on Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Clifford Taylor in the alleged non-partisan race in the November election.

Taylor has presided over a state Supreme Court that a recent University of Chicago study ranked last in the nation. The study that reviewed the operation and decisions of all 50 state Supreme Courts ranked Michigan's state Supreme Court dead last.

Judge Hathaway, a Wayne County Circuit Court judge, will face an uphill battle, since the incumbent has put together a campaign war chest well over a million dollars. Many Democrats also fail to complete their entire ballot believing that voting the straight party ticket covers all Democratically endorsed candidates.

But judges run on the "non-partisan" section of the ballot, usually on the back side of most ballots. Some local offices like city commission spots are also on the non-partisan side of the ballot. One study showed that as many as 37% of voters fail to vote in the non-partisan races.

The state party is focusing special attention on ousting Judge Taylor because of his biased partisan, anti-consumer rulings. To see more about Judge Taylor see this feature story in the Michigan Messenger.