Brian Zahra

Brian Zahra
Current Court Information:
Michigan Supreme Court
Title:	Justice
Service:
Appointed by:	Gov. Rick Snyder
Active:	2011-2015
Preceded by:	Maura Corrigan
Past post:	First District Court of Appeals Judge
Past term:	1998-2011
Personal History
Party:	Republican
Bachelors:	Wayne State University, 1984
Law School:	University of Detroit Law School, 1987
Candidate 2012:
Candidate for:	Supreme Court
State:	Michigan
Election information 2012:
Incumbent:	Yes
Election date:	11/6/2012
Election vote:	49.54%A

Brian K. Zahra is a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court. He was appointed by Governor Rick Snyder to succeed Justice Maura Corrigan in 2011. Zahra was elected to a partial term on November 6, 2012. His current term expires on January 1, 2015.

2012 election

Zahra ran for election to the seat he was appointed to by Gov. Snyder. Though the high court race in officially non-partisan, Zahra was nominated as a candidate at the Republican convention. He defeated Mindy Barry and Shelia Johnson in the general election on November 6, winning 49.54% of the vote.

See also: Michigan judicial elections, 2012

Endorsements

• Detroit Free Press. To read the endorsement, see: Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Free Press Endorsement: Zahra, Kelley, McCormack for Michigan Supreme Court," October 7, 2012.
• Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

Judicial philosophy

In a referendum with the Eastside Republican Club for the November 7, 2006 General Election, Judge Zahra predicted, “This November we may well hear the question, 'Are you better off today than you were four years ago?'” Answering the question, Zahra said, “I know that, economically, we are not better off today.” He said, “One area in which I can emphatically state we are better off today than eight years ago relates to the court system.” Explaining that he shares the philosophy of Justice Maura Corrigan and the majority of the Michigan Supreme Court, Zahra said he aims to search for the rule of law and respects the separation of powers, “Leaving to the legislature the significant policy questions of the day.” With an eye to the November 7, 2006 election, he observed, “There are many special interest groups that oppose that concept.” He said, “Special interest groups have spent millions to defeat our Supreme Court, and those special interest groups are targeting me and targeting Judge Kelly for defeat.” Zahra said these groups believe they can easily influence Michigan's judiciary, because they feel people don't understand or care about those races.

Education

Judge Zahra graduated from Wayne State University in 1984 with a bachelor's degree and from the University of Detroit Law School in 1987.

Legal career

• 2011-present: Justice, Michigan Supreme Court
• 1998-2011: Judge, Michigan Court of Appeals
• 1994-1998: Judge, 3rd Circuit Court
• 1989-1994: Attorney, then partner with Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman
• 1987-1989: Clerk, Judge Zatkoff of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Awards and Associations

Zahra has served on the Domestic Violence Legislation Implementation Task Force and the advisory committee for the Michigan Judicial Institute Domestic Violence Benchbook. He is a member of the Federalist Society and the Board of Directors of the Catholic Lawyers Society.

Court rules state program violates water act

In a 2-1 ruling, the Michigan Court of Appeals determined that the state's program for regulating large livestock and poultry farms violates the federal Clean Water Act. According to the Toledo Blade, the concentrated animal feeding operations generate manure that is spread on farm fields, and runoff can pollute nearby streams with potentially harmful bacteria found in animal waste. Judges William Whitbeck and Michael Talbot said that the state is allowing too much leniency with the farms to "determine and adopt their own rates for spreading manure."

Court rejects same-sex benefits

The Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Michigan Constitution in regards to health benefits to partners of same-sex couples. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, public sector employees were eligible for those benefits. According to the Detroit News, the unanimous ruling by Judges Kurtis Wilder, Joel Hoekstra and Brian Zahra struck down an earlier ruling by an Ingham County court judge in a case brought by National Pride at Work Inc. against the city of Kalamazoo. The court ruled "such arrangements violate a constitutional amendment that state voters approved in 2004 that bars public employers from recognizing same-sex unions for any purpose." Matt Coles, Director of the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project in New York City, said if the ruling is upheld by the Michigan Supreme Court, "Michigan will be the first state to remove health-care benefits from same-sex spouses as a result of such an amendment."

See also

• Judges appointed by Rick Snyder

External links

• LSJ.com, Voter Guide: Brian Zahra
• The Saginaw News, "A line in the sand: Michigan Supreme Court Justice defines 'activist' judges from 'rule of law' judges in appearance before Tea Party," June 17, 2011
• Detroit Free Press, "Appeals court: Judge OK to remove tether," August 20, 2008
• Michigan Lawyer Blog, "MSC: Justice Kelly fires cannon at majority's disapproval of canon," December 17, 2007
• Eastside Republican Club, "Judicial Incumbents Seek Support On November Non-Partisan Ballot," June 20, 2006
• Office of the Michigan Governor, Press Release:"Governor Engler Appoints Zahra to Court of Appeals," December 31, 1998

References