Leslie Smith
Leslie Smith is a judge of the Michigan 3rd Circuit Court.
Smith is running for re-election for judge of the Michigan 3rd Circuit Court. She is on the ballot in the primary on August 6, 2024.[source]
Biography
Smith received her B.A. in economics from Wayne State University and her law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1982. Prior to becoming a judge, Smith worked as an assistant attorney general. She was then elected to the Michigan 30th Judicial District Court in 1986. She was the chief judge of that court for over 10 years. In 2003, she was appointed to the circuit court.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Wayne County, Michigan (2024)
General election
The primary will occur on August 6, 2024. The general election will occur on November 5, 2024. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court (18 seats)
The following candidates are running in the primary for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Annette Berry (Nonpartisan) | |
| Karen Braxton (Nonpartisan) | |
| Jerome Cavanagh (Nonpartisan) | |
| Kevin Cox (Nonpartisan) | |
| Paul Cusick (Nonpartisan) | |
| Prentis Edwards Jr. (Nonpartisan) | |
| Lawrence Elassal (Nonpartisan) | |
| Edward Ewell Jr. (Nonpartisan) | |
| Tracy Green (Nonpartisan) | |
| Adel Harb (Nonpartisan) | |
| Bridget Hathaway (Nonpartisan) | |
| Dana Margaret Hathaway (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Charles Hegarty (Nonpartisan) | |
| Catherine Heise (Nonpartisan) | |
| Qiana Lillard (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Kathleen McCarthy (Nonpartisan) | |
| Leslie Smith (Nonpartisan) | |
| Regina Thomas (Nonpartisan) | ||
| 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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Endorsements
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2018
General election
General election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court (16 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Dana Margaret Hathaway (Nonpartisan) | 7.8 | 248,761 | |
| ✔ | Deborah Thomas (Nonpartisan) | 7.6 | 240,778 | |
| ✔ | | Annette Berry (Nonpartisan) | 7.5 | 239,572 |
| ✔ | | Karen Braxton (Nonpartisan) | 7.1 | 227,278 |
| ✔ | | Jerome Cavanagh (Nonpartisan) | 7.0 | 221,566 |
| ✔ | | Kathleen McCarthy (Nonpartisan) | 6.7 | 212,946 |
| ✔ | | Kevin Cox (Nonpartisan) | 6.5 | 208,304 |
| ✔ | | Leslie Smith (Nonpartisan) | 5.9 | 188,721 |
| ✔ | | Catherine Heise (Nonpartisan) | 5.9 | 187,777 |
| ✔ | Qiana Lillard (Nonpartisan) | 5.6 | 178,880 | |
| ✔ | | Prentis Edwards Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 5.5 | 175,133 |
| ✔ | | Gregory Bill (Nonpartisan) | 5.4 | 171,153 |
| ✔ | | Adel Harb (Nonpartisan) | 5.3 | 168,962 |
| ✔ | | Edward Ewell Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 5.3 | 167,159 |
| ✔ | | Paul Cusick (Nonpartisan) | 5.2 | 165,694 |
| ✔ | | Charles Hegarty (Nonpartisan) | 4.9 | 156,625 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 21,211 | ||
| Total votes: 3,180,520 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2012
- See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2012
Smith was one of 17 candidates competing for 16 seats on the 3rd Circuit Court. Only one candidate was a non-incumbent. Smith was re-elected with 5.79 percent of the vote.[2] [3]
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.
Smith was rated as Outstanding.[4]
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The 221 judges of the Michigan Circuit Courts are selected in an identical manner, each serving six-year terms. They are chosen in nonpartisan elections and must face re-election if they wish to continue serving. Candidates are placed on the ballot via nonpartisan primaries or by nominating petitions.[5] Sitting judges who reach age 70 are allowed to serve out the remainder of their term.[6]
Selection of the chief judge
The chief judges of the circuit courts are appointed by the state supreme court to two-year terms.[5]
Qualifications
To be elected to either of these courts, a judge must:[5]
- be a qualified elector of his or her district;
- be licensed to practice law in the state;
- have at least five years of law practice experience; and
- be under the age of 70.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Michigan Department of State, "Official 2012 General Election Results: 3rd Circuit Court," January 4, 2013
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2012 Unofficial Michigan Primary Candidate Listing," July 31, 2012
- ↑ Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Michigan," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Michigan Daily, "Washtenaw County judge announces early retirement," May 1, 2014
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 District Courts • Michigan Probate Courts
State resources:
Courts in Michigan • Michigan judicial elections • Judicial selection in Michigan
