senate concurrent resolution no. 18
Senator Shirkey offered the following concurrent resolution:
Whereas, It was with great sorrow that the members of the Michigan Legislature learned of the passing of Karen Fort Hood. Judge Hood will be remembered as a trailblazer, committed public servant, and renowned legal mind who served the people of Wayne County and the entire state with distinction during her career, which included nearly three decades as a judge; and
Whereas, Judge Hood was born in Detroit and received her undergraduate degree from Regents College of the University of the State of New York at Albany in 1980. Nine years later, she earned her law degree from the Detroit College of Law. Prior to her election as a judge, she worked as a teacher in the Detroit Public Schools, a probation officer, and special assistant prosecutor and assistant prosecuting attorney at the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office; and
Whereas, Karen Fort Hood was first elected to serve as a judge in 1992 on the Detroit Recorder's Court. She was later elected to the Wayne County Circuit Court, where she would ultimately serve as the presiding judge in the Criminal Division; and
Whereas, In 2002, Judge Hood made history when she was the first Black woman in state history to be elected to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Her work on the Court of Appeals earned her the trust of the voters in the First District, as they re-elected her in 2008, 2014, and 2020; and
Whereas, Judge Hood was known for her commitment to fairness and justice, making her a model jurist and community leader. In addition to her sterling work ethic and legal mind, she treated everyone with respect and ensured that the citizens of Michigan were heard in the courtroom. Judge Hood's personal warmth made her a model colleague, as did her commitment to professional service. She took an active role in the Association of Black Judges of Michigan, the Wolverine Bar Association, and the National Bar Association, and served on the Judicial Tenure Commission, including as the first Black woman to be chosen as the commission's chair; and
Whereas, Judge Hood had an enormous impact on the legal community and the people of Michigan during her years as a prosecutor and judge. Upon her passing, we offer condolences to her family and friends. We hope that they may find comfort in the knowledge that the community shares in their bereavement and the legacy of Karen Fort Hood will long continue to enrich our state; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we offer this expression of our highest tribute to honor the memory of Karen Fort Hood, judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals from 2003 to 2021; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Hood family as evidence of our lasting esteem for her memory.