ADOPTED - DECEMBER 14, 2004

Agenda Item No. 25

Introduced by the Judiciary Committee of the:

 

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

 

RESOLUTION HONORING JUDGE THOMAS E. BRENNAN, JR.

 

RESOLUTION #04-380

 

WHEREAS, Judge Thomas E. Brennan, Jr. has served as a Judge for the 55th District Court in Ingham County since January 1, 1981, serving as Chief Judge from 1987 through 1990 and from 1995 to 2004; and

 

WHEREAS, prior to his judicial duties, he served as a member of  the Ingham County Board of Commissioners and simultaneously practiced law as a partner in the firm of Klug & Brennan, P.C.; and

 

WHEREAS, Judge Brennan served on the Board of Directors of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School and as secretary for ten years from 1979 to 1989, he resumed membership on the Board in January of 1999 and continues to serve to this day; and

 

WHEREAS, he taught as an adjunct professor at both Cooley Law School, teaching District Court Practice, and at Michigan State University, teaching Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law, and Evidence in the School of Criminal Justice, he lectured for the Institute for Continuing Legal Education on the laws of drunk driving in Michigan and served as faculty member for programs conducted by the Michigan Judicial Institute; and

 

WHEREAS, Judge Brennan has been an active member of the Ingham County Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, American Bar Association, Ingham County Trial Judges Association, Michigan District Judges Association, American Judges Association and since 1997, he has been a fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation and was recently elected to serve on the Ingham County Bar Association Board of Directors; and

 

WHEREAS, he served on the Board of Directors of the Michigan District Judges Association and served on the Council of the Judicial Administration Division of the American Bar Association and  the State Bar Subcommittee on Judicial Ethics for six years; and

 

WHEREAS, in  May of 1993, he was appointed to a four-year term on the State Community Corrections Board by Governor Engler and was re-appointed by the Governor in 1997, he currently serves on the Public Defense Task Force for the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency; and

 

WHEREAS, Judge Brennan commenced Ingham County's only Drug Court in 2004 and is involved with the Michigan Association of Drug Court Professionals, he also obtained certification as a trained mediator under MCR 2.411 and assists the Dispute Resolution Center of Mid Michigan; and

 

WHEREAS, after 24 years on the bench, Judge Brennan is retiring from the 55th District Court.

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners hereby honors Judge Thomas E. Brennan, Jr. for his years of service with Ingham County and for his dedication and commitment to the citizens of Ingham County.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board wishes him continued success in all of his future endeavors.

 

JUDICIARY:   Yeas: Weatherwax-Grant, Holman, Lynch, Grebner, Stid

      Nays:  None          Absent:  Schafer       Approved 12/2/04