GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Grand Rapids Bar Association (GRBA) has completed its review process concerning judicial races, across Kent County, that will appear on the November general election ballot. In Kent County, voters in the November election will select judges from a slate of the following six candidates - Tamara Lopez, (Candidate for Kent County Probate Judge), Matt DeLange (Candidate for Kent County Probate Judge), Charissa Huang (Candidate for 17th Circuit Court Judge), Jennifer Johnsen (Candidate for 17th Circuit Court Judge), Daniel O’Hara (Candidate for 63rd District Court Judge) and Jonathan Paasch (Candidate for 63rd District Court Judge). The GRBA’s evaluation of these candidates was announced today by the GRBA President, Michael David Adams.
The Judicial Candidate Review Committee undertook the task of evaluating each of the candidates who chose to participate in the process. The Bylaws of the Grand Rapids Bar Association define the responsibilities of the committee and the scope of its inquiry - and dictate how the committee should carry out those delegated responsibilities. As part of its review process, the committee evaluated each of the candidates’ legal ability, including scholarship, analysis, judgment and clarity of expression; trial experience; integrity; judicial temperament, including being open-minded, even-tempered, fair and impartial; and health, as affects the candidate’s ability to perform the judicial office.
As to each candidate, the committee (i) submitted an extensive questionnaire seeking relevant information, (ii) reviewed each candidate’s answers; (iii) checked listed references, (iv) conducted interviews, (v) performed background checks, (vi) conducted a personal interview of each of the participating candidates and, on the basis of all of the information disclosed, (vii) assessed each of the candidate’s overall qualifications for the judicial office they seek. There are six potential ratings - (i) exceptionally well qualified, (ii) well qualified, (iii) qualified, (iv) not qualified, (v) no rating by failure to participate in the process and (vi) not qualified by lack of experience. The ratings are defined in the Bylaws of the Grand Rapids Bar Association. Please click here for the full press release.
