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Elect Teresa Patton for 34th District Court Judge
Dear Friends,
Thank you for visiting my website. Informed voting is important in preserving our democracy, and researching candidates is an important first step in the process. My name is Teresa Patton and I am running for judge of the 34th District Court in Romulus, MI which serves the communities of Romulus, Van Buren Township, Belleville, Sumpter Township, Huron Township and the Detroit Metro Airport.
The work of a district court judge is important because it is the court of communities they serve. District courts are known as the “people’s court”. More people come into contact with the district court and its judges than any other court because community cases are heard there such as traffic tickets, landlord-tenant matters, small claims cases, general civil matters, and criminal matters. It is imperative for a district court judge to understand this close connection to the communities they serve and the impact their decisions have on people’s lives. Therefore, they must serve with judicial virtue. Judicial virtues include knowing, understanding and applying the law, and delivering justice with fairness, impartiality, and integrity. Proper judicial temperament is displayed by serving with patience, dignity, respect for others, and courtesy to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers and all others with whom the judge comes into contact with. I am committed to serving with judicial virtue. I am committed to delivering justice in line with the Constitution of the United Sates, Michigan laws and local laws with fairness, integrity and impartiality. I support due process of law and equal access to justice for all regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, or religious or personal beliefs.
Service to others and the value of hard work were deeply rooted in me from childhood. I am the second child of Minister Terrance and Mary McClain. I watched my dad tirelessly serve our church family and surrounding communities as a preacher and my mom working right by his side. Their service was and is extended to people from all different walks of life. It is through their example that the seed was planted in me to serve others, seek justice, and treat all people with fairness, respect and kindness. My career has followed this path of public service. I have been honored to serve 34th District Court and its communities for over 20 years of my career. My service at 34th DC started as the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney assigned to the court, then as one ot the court’s appointed defense attorneys. In addition to my private practice, in 2019 I began serving as the administrator of the indigent defense program for 34th District Court. I work collaboratively with the 34th District Court, the city of Romulus, as well as all the communities served by the court, and other stakeholders to serve the needs of the diverse indigent defense community. This role has expanded and I am currently the director of a regional office which provides appointed attorneys for indigent defense programs at 20 of Wayne County’s 24 district/municipal courts, still including 34th District Court. As an administrator and a public servant, I understand that collaboration and focus on the community are necessary to meet the needs of those we serve. I am responsible for making decisions that affect my staff, 20 district courts and their communities, approximately 150 attorneys and countless indigent defendants. Each decision is approached with thoughtful deliberation, fairness, and open mindedness.
If I am privileged to serve as judge of the 34th District Court, I commit to delivering justice with legal wisdom, fairness, integrity, equality and impartiality with a judicial temperament of patience, attentiveness, dignity and courtesy for all.
I request your vote for me on November 5, 2024 for judge of 34th District Court.
Sincerely,
Teresa Patton
