By Tom Kirvan
Legal News
It was not a pleasant time to be chief judge.
During the six-year stretch from 2003-09, the boom went bust across Michigan, sending property values plummeting and tax revenues spiraling downward in a corresponding free-fall for state and local governmental units.
As courts throughout the state were mired in fiscal misery, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Wendy Potts had a special set of problems to address in regard to jail overcrowding issues and funding support for the adult and juvenile drug court programs.
“When she sees problems, Judge Potts isn’t one to wring her hands,” said Judge James Alexander, her colleague on the Oakland Circuit Court. “She is a problem-solver and has been throughout her legal career, especially during her tenure as chief judge. She has a history of finding innovative ways to address difficult problems.”
For such efforts, Judge Potts will be honored by the State Bar of Michigan next month with the Champion of Justice Award for 2010. The award will be presented on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at the State Bar’s Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. Other award recipients that evening will include John Nussbaumer, dean of the Auburn Hills Campus of Cooley Law School; James Olson; and Charles Borgsdorf, John Conway, and Gerald Mantese.
A member of the Circuit Court bench since 1998, Judge Potts was instrumental two years ago in helping spearhead changes in the state’s jail overcrowding statutes while serving as chair of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. The overcrowding problem was particularly acute in Oakland County where the jail population mushroomed in the wake of area’s economic downturn.
“It was not a problem that could be ignored,” Judge Potts said. “It was a daily dilemma about how best to manage the jail population. The new legislation gives us better ways to control overcrowding without needlessly sacrificing the safety of our citizens.”
The Oakland County jurist likewise stepped to the forefront when grant funding cutbacks threatened the future of drug court programs administered by the Circuit Court. Under her leadership, the RESTORE Foundation was created in the fall of 2008, providing a private funding component to supply financial support for the juvenile and adult treatment programs. Her efforts in that regard have earned the gratitude of Circuit Court Judge Joan Young, who volunteers her time in the drug court programs along with Judge Colleen O’Brien and Judge Edward Sosnick.
“Judge Potts served as chief judge of the Circuit Court for six years, longer than any other chief judge,” Judge Young said. “During her tenure she supported the Adult Treatment Courts by her presence at every graduation ceremony, referral of candidates to the program, and, most importantly, by taking charge and initiating the development of the RESTORE program. Judge Potts recognized the need for private funding for this critical program due to the uncertainty of federal and state grant funding. She lent her considerable skills to the formation of the RESTORE Foundation. This highly successful effort will provide needed support for the program and participants. The judges and staff involved are most appreciative of her interest in helping reform the behavior of drug and alcohol addicted offenders. In this way, the citizens of Oakland County benefit from reduced recidivism.”
For Judge Potts, a past president of the Oakland County Bar Association, the success of the RESTORE Foundation can be attributed to widespread community support for a “very worthy” cause.
“We have been fortunate to attract a number of very dedicated people to serve on our board and they have done an outstanding job over the last two years convincing donors of the value of the drug court programs in Oakland County,” Judge Potts said. “The response we have received from the legal community and beyond has been tremendous, and has allowed us to help fill the funding shortfalls in the program.”
This year, for the first time, the Foundation will award three $1,000 scholarships to graduates of the drug court programs. The money is being supplied through the Joshua Charles Short Scholarship Fund for the RESTORE Foundation. The scholarships are for educational or vocational use, according to Judge Potts, who noted that the recipients will be honored at a special ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. in her Oakland County courtroom.
A native of Detroit and a graduate of Mumford High School, Judge Potts received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. She taught ninth grade math and English in Detroit for seven years, a time when she also began her law school studies in the night program at Wayne State University. Her pursuit of a law degree was put on hold for seven years while she and her husband, David, began raising their two daughters, Kelly and Stephanie. Upon graduation from Wayne State, she landed a clerkship with the Michigan Court of Appeals, a job that served as a stepping-stone to a position with the Detroit law firm of Hill Lewis, now Clark Hill. In 1997, she was appointed to the Oakland County Probate Court bench. Ten months later, she accepted an appointment to the Circuit Court, a judgeship she has held for the past 12 years.
During her years in private practice, she served on the board of the State Bar of Michigan, including a role as secretary from 1996-97. She also has served as a trustee for the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society and was a magistrate for the 48th District Court from 1984-95, a time when she was part of the Governor’s Task Force on Domestic Violence. Her involvement with the panel led to legislation creating personal protection orders to help safeguard those threatened by violence in domestic situations.
“I’m truly humbled and honored to be chosen for this award,” Judge Potts said of the Champion of Justice recognition she will receive next month. “I have a very strong kinship with the State Bar and to receive an honor of this nature is truly special to me.”
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