71* Week

Introducing our
newest gallery
of fine furniture

Wffle/e 0

All the style,
comfort and
luxury you
deserve.

(15

'
To

Professional Interior Designers
Fine Designer Furniture • Accessories • Gifts

stuccos

6644 Orchard Lake Road at Maple • West Bloomfield • 248 855-1600

Mon-Thur 10-9 Tue-Wed-Fri-Sat 10-6 Sun 12-5

The delicious way to say
"ThankYou" to your
Administrative Professionals
is with our unique,
hand-decorated
cookie arrangements

-1,22

Hours: M-F

94; Sat 9-3

TWO LOCATIONS CERTIFIED KOSHER TO SERVE YOU

Say It With Cookies!

Certified Kosher by Council Kashruth Supervision
Simsbury Plaza • 33250 W. 14 Mile • West Bloomfield • (248) 539-4029
In Southfield • 29211 Southfield Road N. of 12 Mile • (248) 483-9502
www.cookiesbydesign.com • www.cookiebouquet.com

Buy
Early!.
Quality • Safety • Value

KNIGHT & DEUTSCH

MATER

OW2.,

(248) 352-7030

Creating images that touch. the heart...

26571 W. 12 Mile Road — Southfield, 48034
www.knight-deutschphoto.com

David

Deu tsch

MAZY and 'NANCY

formerly co-owners of Asya's Salon

would once again like to extend our thanks and gratitude
to all of our employees and clientele. Mary is now employed
at Rea's (Connie's) Salon, 11 Mile and Evergreen.

4/13
2001

30

248-424-8989

'74 Doll qooitai &

Sddielt 540#

3947 W 12 Mile Rd.

Berkley (248)543-3119

M.-Sat 10-5:30 Fri 10-8

Howard found no Democratic Party
existing in the township. He helped
organize West Bloomfield's first
Democratic club and, working his
way up the organization, he became
a Dukakis delegate to the 1988
national convention in Atlanta.
Howard still lives in West
Bloomfield, with his wife, Cindy. He
has three sons from his first mar-
riage, with the eldest just about to
graduate law school. An owner of
four dogs, he also provides foster care
for dogs that need placement. He has
placed nine dogs over the past two
years.
At the court, Howard has been in
the forefront of improvements and
innovations. He has implemented
plans to make the county courts
paperless by 2003. Lawyers will be
able to file pleadings by e-mail, cut-
ting courthouse traffic by 70 percent.
"Many attorneys like it," Howard
said. "Many are afraid, but like
everybody else, they're going to have
to gradually be brought on line."
In addition, by using videoconfer-
encing, prisoners will not have to
leave the jail for preliminary criminal
matters and, in civil cases, expert
witnesses could testify from their
offices.
Discussions about the technical
innovations were going on before he
became chief judge, Howard said,
"but when I became chief judge is
when it started. That was my first
priority."
As a backlog of 409 hard-to-settle
civil cases built up, Howard brought in
Wayne County circuit judges to imple-
ment a settlement program. Some 331
cases were settled — 80 percent.
On the bench, Howard was involved
in two controversial decisions. He -
awarded a land developer a $36 mil-
lion judgment against the city of Novi,
which ultimately the city taxpayers,
and voters, will have to pay.
"It was clearly the right thing, but
it was very difficult," he said.
Howard also ordered a new trial for a
man who had been sentenced to life in
prison for selling cocaine. "What hap-
pened was, in my view, a person didn't
get a fair trial," he said. Although the
man was accused of being a big drug
offender, Howard- said, "it wasn't right
and it wasn't the law."
Howard said the toughest cases for
a circuit judge are not the criminal
matters or high-stakes business dis-
putes, but those involving child cus-
tody. "Not when you have two bad
parents," he said, "but when you
have two good parents." ❑