Michael J. Talbot recently retired as Chief Judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals and Court of Claims. He was first appointed to the Detroit Common Pleas Court by Governor William Milliken in 1978 and served the people of Michigan on the bench for 40 years.
In 1998, he was appointed to Judge, Michigan First District Court of Appeals, then in 2014 appointed to Chief Judge, Michigan Court of Appeals.
Before then, he served as a judge in Wayne County Circuit Court and Detroit Common Pleas Court, the predecessor to the 36th District Court in Detroit. He also served on the Judicial Tenure Commission.
During his tenure, Judge Talbot presided in nearly all levels of Michigan courts and also served on the Judicial Tenure Commission. Most notably, from the bench, Talbot has been recognized for his commitment to guarantee victims a place in court and a voice at sentencing. As an administrator, Judge Talbot has been widely praised for his dedicated efforts to transform the 36th District Court into a more efficient, customer-focused high volume urban court while at the same time balancing their budget. He also created a trial court – the Court of Claims – within the Court of Appeals to hear claims against the state and to decide them consistently and fairly.
Off the bench, among many other volunteer commitments, Judge Talbot has chaired the Detroit Archdiocese Board of Review dealing with abusive and errant Roman Catholic priests, was past chair of the Archdiocese Board of Education, and serves as a trustee of Madonna University, Sacred Heart Seminary, and the Archdiocese Endowment Fund. In May 2018 Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Judge Talbot to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Catholic Conference.
Civic, Cultural and Community Activities
- Archdiocese of Detroit Board of Review, Chair
- Archdiocese of Detroit Endowment Fund, Trustee
- Archdiocese of Detroit Board of Education, past Chair
- Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, Member
- Madonna University, Trustee
- Michigan Catholic Conference, Director
- Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Trustee
Professional Affiliations
- State Bar of Michigan
- Former Chairperson, Criminal Law Section
- State Bar Representative Assembly
- Special Committee on Victims of Crimes
- Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
- Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission, Member (2004-2010)
Related News
- 08/07/2018Michigan Court of Appeals Chief Judge Michael J. Talbot (Ret.) Joins Bodman PLC as of Counsel
- University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D.
Georgetown University, B.A.