Harry Gill First to Declare for Circuit Judge Race; Other Candidates Seen
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Longtime local attorney Harry P. Gill is the first to announce his candidacy for Bay County circuit judge.
Meanwhile former county executive and Delta College trustee Kim Higgs said he is weighing a run and other candidates are rumored to be interested.
If a field of more than two files, the top two vote-getters in the August primary election would qualify for the finals in November.
Mr. Gill announced today he is a candidate for Judge on the 18th Circuit Court of Bay County, in the Nov. 2 election for the seat to be vacated by Judge William J. Caprathe, who is retiring after having served since 1981.
Mr. Higgs confirmed he is considering the race, commenting: "I have run before and obviously it is a longtime desire of mine to be a judge." His uncle, Arthur E. Higgs, was a longtime municipal judge here. Mr. Higgs is currently a trustee at Delta College and has been active in urging more openness in meetings of the board.
Pay for circuit and probate judges, set by the state, is $139,919 per year. A constitutional amendment, proposed by a Republican activist group in 2008, would have lowered judges' pay to $118,931, but the amendment never reached the ballot.
Mr. Gill has practiced law in Bay City for over 33 years and is a partner in the law firm of Kennedy Gill & Ball. Gill grew up in Bay City and attended Bay City All Saints Central High School, where he was elected President of All Saints first Student Council.
Mr. Gill received an Associates Degree from Delta College and a Bachelor of Arts degree, Cum Laude, from Western Michigan University. He was graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law in 1976 with a Juris Doctorate degree, ranking 7th in his class. Gill practiced with the firm of Smith and Brooker from 1976 until 1988, when he joined Patterson Gruber Kennedy Gill & Milster.
"I've had the honor of representing the citizens of Bay County and protecting their rights and interests through the legal system for over 33 years," Mr. Gill said.
"I have a great deal of first hand experience with our Court system and, most particularly, with the Circuit Court, where I have handled a wide variety of matters, with much of my practice focused on complex litigation and trials," Gill added.
"Over my career, I have come to realize that the ability, experience and temperament of the Judge is essential to effectively and fairly decide cases. I believe that my experience in the Circuit Court and my temperament makes me uniquely qualified to be a fair and effective Circuit Judge."
Gill has served as President of the Bay County Bar Association, as a member of the Michigan State Bar Committee on Professional Ethics, and as a representative from Bay County in the State Bar General Assembly. He was awarded an "AV" rating, the highest possible rating given by Martindale-Hubble, one of the leading organizations that rates lawyers on a nationwide basis.
In 1982, Mr. Gill was elected to a four-year term as a Trustee of the Bay City Public Schools. He has also served as a member and President of the Parish Council of St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church.
Mr. Gill has already secured endorsements for his judicial candidacy from Bay County Circuit Judge Joseph K. Sheeran, Bay County Probate Judge Karen Tighe and from Brian Kennedy, Mr. Gill's former partner and one of Bay County's most respected attorneys.
"Harry exemplifies the highest professional and ethical standards of the legal profession," Sheeran said. "He understands that the highest priorities of a judge are to protect the integrity of our justice system and ensure that our Bay County communities remain safe for working families and senior citizens."
Judge Tighe said: "Harry Gill embodies the qualities that are most important in a trial judge: broad experience with a variety of cases, a sharp legal mind, and the capacity to listen before he speaks. He would provide stability and continuity to the circuit bench."
Added Kennedy: "Honesty, fairness, diligence, intelligence and strength of character: these are the qualities to look for in a Judge. I think that all would agree that Harry P. Gill has been abundantly blessed with each of them. He is uniquely qualified for service as a Circuit Judge." Mr. Gill has three children, Luke (student at Alma College); Ben, (student at Delta College) and Maria (student at All Saints). For 25 years, he was married to Victoria Desmarais Gill, also a lawyer, until her death in October of 2009.
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