Digital Press Kit

Statement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, U.S. Supreme Court, retired

Q&A about the Judicial Selection Task Force

Photos for download
Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor
Hon. Marilyn Kelly
Hon. James L. Ryan

Members of the Judicial Selection Task Force (pdf available)

Honorary Chair

Sandra Day O’Connor was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan and served as Associate Justice until her retirement in 2006. Before being appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice O’Connor served in all three branches of Arizona state government, including tenure as Assistant Attorney General, Majority Leader of the Arizona Senate and Judge of the Arizona Court of Appeals. In her retirement, Justice O’Connor has been a champion for civic education and an outspoken critic of political attacks against independent courts.

Co-Chairs

Marilyn Kelly is Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. She was first elected to the Supreme Court in 1996 and has served as Chief Justice since 2009. Before being elected to the Supreme Court, she served eight years on the Michigan Court of Appeals, having first been elected to that court in 1988. Before her career on the bench, Chief Justice Kelly was a courtroom attorney for 17 years. Her previous public service included 12 years as an elected member of the Michigan Board of Education, during the last two years of which she was its President.

James L. Ryan is Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Judge Ryan was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1985 by President Ronald Reagan. Before being appointed to the federal bench, Judge Ryan served on the Michigan Supreme Court, having first been appointed in 1975 by Gov. William Milliken. He was elected and reelected to the Court in 1976 and 1978. Before his tenure on the Michigan Supreme Court, he was elected judge of the 3rd Michigan Circuit Court. Judge Ryan began his legal career with the Judge Advocate General Corps in the United States Navy. He has extensive teaching experience.

Members

Loretta M. Ames is a partner at Plunkett Cooney's Detroit office. Her law practice focuses on representing defendants in complex litigation, toxic torts and general liability matters. She currently serves as President of the Michigan Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and is Past President of the Association of Defense Trial Counsel.

Kathleen L. Bogas is an attorney in private practice inBingham Farms. Ms. Bogas specializes in employment litigation. She is Past President of the National Employment Lawyers Association and the Michigan Association for Justice. Ms. Bogas also has served as co-chair of the State Bar of Michigan Judicial Qualifications Committee.

Patricia L. Donath is a Past President of the League of Women Voters of Michigan and currently serves on the Board of the League of Women Voters of the United States. Ms. Donath previously served as staff attorney for the Michigan House Judiciary Committee and staff attorney for both the Senate and Assembly Judiciary Committees in New Jersey.

Peter L. Dunlap is an attorney in private practice in Lansing. Mr. Dunlap is Past President of the Michigan Defense Trial counsel. His current practice is in the area of mediation and arbitration.

J. Kay Felt is a retired member of Dykema Gossett PLLC where she practiced health care law for 39 years. She is past president of the American Health Lawyers Association and the Michigan Society of Hospital Attorneys and served on the Upper Great Lakes Study of the International Joint Commission. She teaches health care law, values and ethics at Oakland University.

Robert F. Garvey is an attorney in private practice in St. Clair Shores. He is Past President of the Michigan Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and a fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers.

W. Anthony Jenkins is member and Chief Diversity Officer with Dickinson Wright in Detroit. He is President of the State Bar of Michigan and a member of the American Bar Association’s Board of Governors and House of Delegates.

H. Lynn Jondahl is chairman of the Michigan State Ethics Board. He was a Michigan State Representative for 22 years. After his legislative career, he served as co-director of the Michigan Political Leadership Program at Michigan State University and executive director of the Michigan Prospect for Renewed Citizenship. Mr. Jondahl was transition director for the administration of Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm.

John H. Logie founded the Health Practice Law Group at Warner Norcross & Judd and managed it until becoming Mayor of Grand Rapids. He served as Mayor from 1991-2003. He is of-counsel to Warner Norcross & Judd.

Justin Long is assistant professor of law at Wayne State University Law School. Previously Professor Long was an assistant solicitor general in the Office of the Attorney General of New York. He will serve as reporter for the Task Force.

Olivia P. Maynard is a Regent of the University of Michigan. She served as the Director of the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging and is a Trustee of the C.S. Mott Foundation.

Terrence E. Nagle is President of M&N Plastics, a supply company in the automotive industry.

Edward M. Parks is a former Managing Partner of the accounting firm Plante & Moran.

Bruce D. Peterson is Senior Vice President and General Counsel for DTE Energy. Before joining DTE, Mr. Peterson was a partner with Hunton & Williams in Washington, D.C. Earlier in his career, he was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. He is a lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School.

Wallace D. Riley is an attorney in private practice in Grosse Pointe. He has served as President of the State Bar of Michigan and the American Bar Association, as well as holding many other offices in legal associations. He is also President of the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society.

Paul A. Rosen is an attorney in private practice in Southfield who specializes in personal injury. Mr. Rosen is a Past President of the Michigan Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA),Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers and Past President of the Michigan Association of Justice.

Iris K. Salters is President of the 160,000-member Michigan Education Association. Ms. Salters was a classroom special education teacher, consultant and speech pathologist for 25 years with the Kalamazoo Public Schools before becoming President of the Kalamazoo Education Association, then Vice President and President of the MEA.

Michael G. Sarafa is President and CEO of the Bank of Michigan. Before joining the Bank of Michigan, he was President of the Associated Food Dealers of Michigan, a trade association. He is an attorney who has worked in the private sector in government affairs and in state and city government.

John J.H. Schwarz, M.D. is an otolaryngologist in practice in Battle Creek for 36 years. He has served as Mayor of Battle Creek, Michigan State Senator, and U.S. Congressman. In addition to his medical practice, he is a lecturer at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

Charles R. Toy is Associate Dean for Career and Professional Development at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He is immediate Past President of the State Bar of Michigan. Before his career in academia, he was an attorney in private practice for 27 years focusing on environmental law.

Janet Welch is the executive director of the State Bar of Michigan, a 40,000-member statewide organization. Before that, she was the State Bar’s general counsel. Her government service included four years as counsel for the Supreme Court and five years as founding director of a nonpartisan legislative analysis office for the Michigan Senate.

William C. Whitbeck has been a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals since 1997 and served as Chief Judge of the Court for six years of his tenure. He was an attorney in private practice for 20 years and has served in the administrations of three Michigan governors: George Romney, William Milliken and John Engler.

Members’ professional affiliations are given for identification purposes only. The members represent only themselves on the Task Force on Judicial Selection.