Circuit Court

18th Circuit Court, Michigan

The 18th Circuit Court is the circuit court in Michigan that encompasses Bay County.^[1]

Judges

• Harry Gill
• Joseph Sheeran^[2]

Former judges

• Kenneth W. Schmidt

Judgeship cut in legislation

In 2012, Governor Snyder signed HB 5104, which eliminated one of the three judgeships on this court. The seat will only be eliminated through attrition, as a judge retires from the court.^[3]

See also

• Bay County, Michigan
• Michigan Circuit Court

External links

• Michigan Courts, "Trial Court Directory"
• MLive, "Gov. Rick Snyder signs bill calling for elimination of Bay County circuit judge spot," March 2012

Elections

See also: Michigan judicial elections

Michigan is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Michigan, click here.

• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2024
• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2023
• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2022
• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2021
• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2020
• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2019
• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2018
• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2017
• Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2016
• Michigan judicial elections, 2014
• Michigan judicial elections, 2012
• Michigan judicial elections, 2010

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.^[4] Sitting judges who reach age 70 are allowed to serve out the remainder of their term.^[5]

Selection of the chief judge

The chief judges of the circuit courts are appointed by the state supreme court to two-year terms.^[4]

Qualifications
To be elected to either of these courts, a judge must:^[4]

• 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.

Election rules

Primary election

If there are more than twice the number of candidates than there are judgeships up for election, the race will appear on the primary election ballot. In the nonpartisan primary, the two candidates who receive the greatest number of votes advance to the general election.

General election

If there are not more than twice the amount of candidates than there are persons to be elected, the race will not appear on the primary election ballot, but only on the general election ballot.^[6]

Ties

If two or more candidates in a race receive the same number of votes, the election is to be decided by lot. In a process run by a county clerk, the candidates choose slips of paper from a box that say either "elected" or "not elected".^[7]

Footnotes