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SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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AGE
3
July 26, 2012
I
NKSTER
- W
AYNE
Supreme Court hears arguments in judge’s case
‘Friends’ seek a neighbor to help
While suspended Chief Judge Sylvia
James continues her campaign for re-elec-
tion to the 22nd District Court in Inkster, she
still does not know if she will be allowed to
serve.
Final arguments in James' case were
heard by the Michigan Supreme Court jus-
tices last week. She has been found guilty of
misconduct by the Michigan Judicial Tenure
Commission, although no criminal charges
have been filed against her. She remains on
suspension while awaiting a decision from
theSupremeCourt as toher future.
Judicial Tenure Commission examiner
Paul Fischer argued that James should be
removed from the bench for the remainder
of her term, which ends Dec. 31 and from
another term, which is usually six years.
Fischer told the justices that James' was "not
fit to be a judge" and also argued that she
shouldhave to pay $81,188.88 in costs.
James' attorney, Mayer Morganroth, how-
ever, countered that James had never used
any court funds for personal gain and that
she deserved to remain on the bench where
she had served Inkster for 20 years. He told
the justices that James had done nothing
wrong in using the 22nd District Court
Community Service Program fund to make
donation to various community groups,
including the Inkster Goodfellows, Inkster
Police Auxiliary, the high school cheerlead-
ers, local sororities and many other civic
groups.
Morganroth said that James continued to
use the funds exactly as they had been used
for 17 years and that her disbursements
were no different than those of her prede-
cessors.
Fischer maintained that James used the
funding for personal gain and that she had
lied about it under oath. "A judge who lies
under oath is not fit to be a judge," he told the
court.
A complaint, which James has previously
attributed to Mayor Hilliard Hampton, went
to the Judicial Tenure Commission last
spring. Hampton denies that he was respon-
sible for the complaint which followed a
long-standing feud between the two. The
pair had disagreed about control of the court
checking accounts which James refused to
relinquish to the city administration and her
refusal to support a city charter change to a
strong mayor form of government, which
Hamptonproposed.
James was placed on paid administrative
leave in April 2011 following an audit of the
court finances. Following nearly two weeks
of hearings before a special master appoint-
ed by the court to hear her case, she was
found guilty of misconduct, misappropria-
tion and violating the anti-nepotismpolicy at
the court by hiring her niece.
She was also found guilty of improper
banking and revenue practices and inten-
tional misrepresentations in the course of
her judicial duties. She was also criticized
for hiring a court magistrate knowing he was
unqualified for the job. An official complaint
was filed in October. She was suspended
withpay by theSupremeCourt inDecember.
No timeline on a decision by the Supreme
Court as to whether James' will or will not be
punished was revealed. Arguments regard-
ing judicial misconduct usually take place
only once or twice a year at the Supreme
Court.
James' is facing seven opponents on the
Aug. 7 ballot in Inkster.
The Friends project in Wayne is
ready to begin the 14th year of neigh-
bors helping neighbors.
This year, the home makeover
will take place Sept. 8 with a rain
date of Sept. 15, according to Ed
McMurray, chairman of the People
HelpingPeople project.
Each year, the group selects one
Wayne home for renovation, repair
and someTLC.
Nominations for this year are
now being accepted, McMurray said,
and should be referred to Pete
McInerney at (734) 722-2002 or himat
(734) 765-4965.
The only real qualification,
McMurray said, is that the home
must be owner occupied. “Money, or
lack of it is not always a considera-
tion. Inability of the owner to paint
the home is always considered,” he
said. If a home is nominated but not
selected this year, it will get automat-
ic considerationnext year, he added.
“The project is publicly funded so
donations are gratefully accepted. As
a token of our appreciation, a dona-
tion of $50 or more will get the
donors name on the t-shirt we give
away to all participants,” McMurray
said.
Previous donors and past partici-
pants will be sent a letter concerning
this year's project. If anyone wishes
to help they can register at the num-
bers above or just show up, he
added.
“We will meet at the Wayne
Banquet Center at 8:30 a.m. for a
continental breakfast and leave for
the site at 9:15. A pizza lunch will be
served at 11:30,” he added.
For more information, McMurray
can be reached at the number listed
above.
Tradition
54th Sidewalk Sale begins
It's a 54-year-old tradition in
the city of Wayne highlighted by
the 25 cent hot dog days at
NorthsideHardware.
For 54 years, Wayne residents
and those in surrounding com-
munities have been attending
the annual summer Sidewalk
Sales in the city.
This year, the sales event will
take place today, tomorrow and
Saturday during regular busi-
ness hours at local merchants.
In addition to Northside
Hardware, participating busi-
nesses include: Jus' Shooz,
Tried & True Thrift Store,
Designer WearHouse, Kicks Tae
Kwon Do, Scooters & More,
Finishing Touch Hats &
Clothing, G.I. Surplus, Leo's
Jewelry & Gifts and Wayne
Exchange.
“The Sidewalk Sale is a
great way to promote and sup-
port local Wayne business while
also bringing the community
together,” Executive Director of
Wayne Chamber of Commerce
Sherrie Brindley said. “The
community always looks for-
ward to the 25 cent hot dogs at
Northside Hardware. We are
looking forward to a weekend
filled with great sales, activities
for all, and fun!”
Volunteers spent a day painting
and doing outside repairs at this
Wayne home last year.