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CHANGE OF

VENUE

Chief Judge Barry Howard begins his new life in private practice.

DAVID SACHS

N ,

Copy Editor

r

eeling that his work is done, Barry
NM*
Howard, chief judge of the Oakland
County Circuit Court, today rides out
of Dodge ... er, Pontiac — and the
court will never be the same.
In his brief 16 months as chief judge, Howard
made a big
b dent in the court's backlog b and
unleashed plans to turn the court topsy-turvy with
21st century technology.
Nov, eight months before his two-year appoint-
ment as chief judge would expire and a year and a
half before he would have to face re-election to his
circuit judgeship, he's leaving.
His trail will take him 10 miles due south on
Telegraph Road to the Bingham Farms branch
office of the downtown Detroit law firm,
Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn.
There are 17 attorneys at the Bingham Farms office,
Howard said, but there is space for 45. "I anticipate
there will be a rapid growth. In my view, Oakland
County is the epicenter of what's happening."
Barry Howard, in his courthouse office.
Howard is on the verge of a big change: On the
bench on Friday, before the bench come Monday.
"The offer to go with a firm like Honigman, which is in the
But at age 52, and with 12 years of judicial experi-
forefront of the legal profession in this state, is really a great
ence under his belt, why switch roles now?
opportunity for me," he said. "I always loved being a lawyer."
Howard said the past year has been tough. He dealt with
Also luring Howard, a lifelong Democrat, is the opportu-
accusations of improprieties, later dismissed, against one of
nity to actively campaign in the 2002 statewide elections,
his visiting judges, Meyer Warshawsky of South Haven. At
which he would not be permitted to do as a judge. Former
the same time, he implemented massive changes in the cir-
Gov. James Blanchard, who appointed Howard to the court
cuit court structure. In addition, as president of the
12 years ago, is seeking the Democratic nomination to win
Michigan Judges Association, he won a salary adjustment
back
his old job.
for judges and resolved a pension dispute.
Howard indicated he would take an active role in next
"It was a very, very difficult year," he said. "My pension
year's Senate and gubernatorial races.
vested at 12 years and I'm 52. If I wanted to go out, now is
"Sen. Carl Levin and I go back to the '70s," he said.
the time to do it."
"Blanchard and I go back to the '70s. These are old, dear friends.
The state Supreme Court appoints the chief judge, and by
It's going to be very interesting — the Super Bowl of politics."
chance, Jewish judges have filled the Oakland County post the
Howard said 2002 will probably be a Democratic year,
past seven years, including Hilda Gage for two years, followed
because the Republicans have been in power for 12 years in
by Edward Sosnick for four. Judge Joan Young, who is not
the state and there's an incumbent Republican president,
Jewish, will replace Howard, who served the past 16 months.
"which generally means that the party out of power picks
up seats in the House and the Senate. So it's an interesting
Practice And Politics
time to reacquaint and to get back into politics."
At the Honigman firm, Howard will handle civil matters, such as
commercial law, land use, government relations and family law.
West Bloomfield Roots
But he will not only be back in court as a litigator or drum-
Howard was raised in northwest Detroit, but moved with
ming up business as a "rainmaker" — he will put his judicial
his family to West Bloomfield in time for high school.
temperament to use as a "private judge," settling disputes out
In the mid-1960s, at age 16, the politically charged
of court, handling arbitrations, mediations and facilitations.

From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.

1991

The agorah, Israel's lowest denomi-
nation coin, was withdrawn from
circulation.
Laurie Nosanchuk, assistant
director of the local Jewish
National Fund, addressed a chapter
meeting of Na'amat.
Suzanne Gubow Silverstein, for-
merly of Walled Lake, was awarded
the Richmond, Va., Young
Dietician of the Year Award.

1981

One of every three Israeli homes
obtains hot water from roof-top
solar heaters.
Jacqueline Tichik of Oak Park
was named one of the finalists in
the 1981 Michigan National
Teenager Pageant.

1971

Two incumbent Jewish candidates,
Norman W. Feder of Southfield
and Robert J. Harris of Ann Arbor,
were victorious in their respective
races for mayor.
Detroit printmaker Robert
Broner has works on exhibit at J.L.
Hudson's Gallery downtown.

1961

Police were seeking vandals who
daubed swastikas on a synagogue
near Johannesburg, South Africa.
Visiting experts from four coun-
tries praised methods at the new
Sinai Clinic in Amersfoort,
Holland, the first mental hospital
built in Europe since World War II.
Poet Robert Frost visited
Hadassah-Hebrew University
Medical Center in Jerusalem.

1961

A stand of trees known as Finland
Wood was planted in the Judean
Hills to commemorate friendly rela-
tions between Finland and Israel.
Marvin Bernstein was elected
commander of the Detroit Post of
the Jewish War Veterans.
Bill Frank was elected president of
the newly formed Detroit Mumford
High School Broadcasting Club.

— Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant

4/13
2001

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