Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has appointed Richard L. Hillman to the 55th District Court of Ingham County, Jessica J. Hammon to the 67th District Court of Genesee County and Nicholas J. Daavettila to the 97th District Court of Houghton County.
“Richard, Jessica, and Nicholas have strong backgrounds and a wide range of professional experiences, making them exceptional choices to serve Michigan residents,” Whitmer said in announcing the appointments last week. “These appointees will be sure to uphold a model of justice and integrity while performing their new duties on the bench.”
Richard L. Hillman is currently an attorney and shareholder with Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C., where he has spent over 20 years specializing in municipal law, criminal defense, driver’s license appeals, and landlord-tenant law.
He also serves as the city prosecutor for the Cities of Fenton and DeWitt.
Prior to his current firm, he was a shareholder with McGinty, Jakubiak, Frankland & Hitch, P.C.
Hillman also has served as a judicial clerk for the 30th Circuit Court and a law clerk for Dan Doneth Attorney at Law and Mueller Law Office.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctor degree from Marquette University.
The appointment was made to fill a partial term, which expires Jan. 1, 2021, after Judge Thomas P. Boyd stepped down.
If Hillman wishes to seek a full six-year term, he would be required to run for reelection in November.
Jessica J. Hammon is a private practice attorney in Flint where she practices family, child welfare, and juvenile criminal law.
She is also a managing partner with Attorneys for Indigent Defense, PLLC, a firm that provides defense for indigent mothers involved in the child welfare system.
Hammon is the immediate past president of the Genesee County Bar Association and a member of the Board of Directors.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint and a Juris Doctor degree from the Ave Maria School of Law.
The appointment was made to fill a partial term, which expires Jan. 1, 2021, after Judge Mark W. Latchana was appointed to the 7th Circuit Court.
If Hammon wishes to serve the remainder of Latchana’s term, expiring Jan. 1, 2023, she would be required to run for reelection this coming November.
Nicholas J. Daavettila is a private practice attorney in Houghton where he handles a variety of cases including criminal law, child protective proceedings, family law, and probate estates.
He is also the director and secretary of Tri-County Public Defenders, a non-profit corporation for Houghton, Baraga and Keweenaw Counties.
Daavettila previously worked as an attorney with Tercha & Daavettila, PLLC and as a law clerk for Tercha & Daavettila, P.C. while attending law school.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from Michigan Technological University and a Juris Doctor degree from Marquette University Law School.
The appointment was made to fill a partial term, which expires Jan. 1, 2021, after Judge Mark A. Wisti stepped down.
If Daavettila wishes to seek a full six-year term, he would be required to run for reelection in November .
Judicial appointments are not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
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