Bench Press
Probate Court, as well as numer
judges, lawyers "and, of course,
family and friends."
Diane D'Agostini
As the _primary race for 48th District Court nears an end, candidates
emphasize their qualifications — and their differences.
Diane D'Agostini
Barbara Smith
Dana Baskin
Neil Colman
Ronald Graham
Since .1991, Diane D'Agostini h
served as an Oakland County ass'
prosecutor. She's handled a spectr
cases from investigating civil and
infractions at the district court le
murder, rape, domestic violence
armed robbery cases in the circuit
Currently, she is head of the par
appeal unit, blocking the release of
criminals, unless they can prove tha
have met stringent criteria for releas
"I have learned a great deal fr
crime victims I've helped," D'Ag
said. "It's given me a unique pers
tive. When you work on a case w
child has been molested, you wa
see justice served.
"Having seen everything I have
prosecutor will benefit the comm
D'Agostini, who passed the b
1991, met her husband while wo
as a law clerk. The couple's two c
dren are aged 4'/2 and 19 month
Working with youth, she ment
risk students at West Bloomfield
School, speaks about drug prevent'
and participates in career day activi
This is an involvement she'd like to
tinue as judge, bringing courts into
schools and students into the court
In 1998, D'Agostini ran for 4
District Court Judge against Kim
Small, whom she now praises as
"doing an outstanding job." This
D'Agostini has been one of the
visible campaigners in the prima
field. Her candidacy has been
endorsed by Oakland County
Prosecutor David Gorcyca and J
McBurney, assistant principal at
Bloomfield High School; Hedy N
of HAVEN Women's Shelter; the
Police Officers Association of
Michigan; and the Oakland Cou
Deputy Sheriffs Association.
.
.
DIANA LIE B ERIvIAN
Staff Writer
Iiirl hoever receives the most
votes in the Aug. 8 pri-
mary race for Michigan's
48th District Court, dis-
trict residents can't lose.
Earlier this month, the Oakland
County Bar Association evaluated the
five candidates running for the non-
partisan judicial seat to be vacated by
retiring Judge Gus Cifelli. Attorney
Ronald Graham received the top rat-
ing of "outstanding" while the four
other candidates — Dana Baskin, Neil
Colman, Diane D'Agostini and
Barbara Smith — received the second-
highest rating: "well-qualified."
The 48th District Court serves
Birmingham, Bloomfield Township,
West Bloomfield, Keego Harbor,
Sylvan Lake and Orchard Lake.
Although the Aug. 8 primary will
result in two names to be placed on the
ballot for the November general elec-
tion, each voter may vote for only one
candidate on Aug. 8. The district court
judges serve for six years. The annual
salary for this year was $118,285; there
is a possibility of a raise for 2001.
Dana Baskin
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2000
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Dana Baskin has based her campaign on
protecting the rights of women and chil-
dren. A practicing attorney since 1985,
she works with her father, attorney Henry
Baskin, and specializes in family law.
Baskin said she is uniquely qualified
to deal with spousal abuse and domes-
tic violence cases. "I understand the
abuser; I've seen the abused," she said.
"This is not something you can recog-
nize without experience in talking
with women who have been abused."
Soft-spoken but emphatic, Baskin
decided to seek the 48th District
Court seat because "it was time to
bring my skills into the public arena,
in terms of resolving disputes quickly
and efficiently. I can do this most
effectively on the bench."
This is her first campaign for public
office.
Baskin emphasized that those who
live in affluent communities, are not
exempt from domestic violence, and
alcohol or drug abuse. "I believe it's very
important for district court judges to-be
able to administer equal justice," she .
said. "I frankly wouldn't have any prob-
lem sentencing a teen on drunk driving."
Baskin, who is married and has two
young children, said she is committed
to ensuring safe neighborhoods. "I
want to be able to say to my kids,
`You can go out and play.' I don't feel
as comfortable saying it as I'd like to."
Neil Colman
Neil Colman has put in the most
mileage of the five candidates — in
more ways than one. An attorney in
general practice for more than 28 years,
he spent 26 of those years as a partner
in the firm of Colman and Goodman,
P.C., located in Macomb County.
Colman has served as mediator, arbi-
trator and facilitator in civil and family
law cases in both Oakland and Macomb
counties. He provides free legal services
in both counties and is a member of the
attorney discipline board.
'As a judge, oftentimes you're going
to know somebody who is going to
appear before you," he said. "You have
to set that aside. These individuals have
to know you are there to serve the entire
community — not just their interests."
Colman is married and has two sons,
ages 11 and 12, who attend the
Birmingham Public Schools and Temple
Shir Shalom. He said the boys tease him
about his work hours. "My children say
to me, 'If you get to be judge, does that
mean we can have dinner together?'"
Although he has handled every-
thing from civil infractions to trials,
Colman said 60 percent of his cases
are now in family law.
"As a result of doing this kind of
work, you get a keen understanding of
human nature," he said. "I can look at
clients and tell what's bothering them,
know their scenario before they get a
chance to tell me about it themselves.
You only get that with experience."
Colman ran against Judge Cifelli in
1994. "I felt there was possibly a
change needed, to have people on the
bench who were more representative
of the demographics of the communi-
ty," Colman said. However, he added,
Cifelli was "one of the kindest, most
benevolent jurists we've had."
Colman cites as his supporters
Michigan Court of Appeals Judge
Kathleen Jansen, Judge Antonio
Viviano of the Macomb County
'
.
Ronald Graham
Listed in Who's Who in American
Ronald Graham looks at the worl
through the analytical eyes of an a
ney with 24 years' experience.
Although his practice is now la
in civil litigation, Graham's early e
rience was in the area of family la
He still lectures on legal and ethi
issues and is a columnist on famil
and general law.
Graham has been a court medi
and settlement facilitator and, sin
1981, general counsel to Detroit
Country Day School in Beverly H
.