Governor Gretchen Whitmer announce on Tuesday, Nov. 22, that she is appointing Kyra Harris Bolden to the Michigan Supreme Court in January 2023 to succeed Justice Bridget Mary McCormack.
“I am incredibly honored to be chosen by Governor Whitmer for this appointment to the Michigan Supreme Court,” Bolden said. “I will ensure equal access to justice, apply the law without fear or favor, and treat all who come before our state’s highest court with dignity and respect.”
Bolden finished in third place behind incumbents Richard Bernstein and Brian Zahra in the November election. She will be the first Black woman to serve on the high court and is Whitmer’s first appointment to the supreme court.
“I also know that this moment – becoming the first Black woman to serve on the Michigan Supreme Court – would not be possible without leaders like Judges Shelia Johnson, Debra Nance, Deborah Thomas, Cynthia Stephens, and Denise Langford Morris. These are the Black women who blazed the path that I seek to follow. I hope that my voice on the Court will inspire future generations to pursue their dreams. I am humbled by this honor, and I am ready to get to work on behalf of all Michiganders,” she said.
Bolden currently serves as a State Representative for Michigan’s 35th House District. First elected in November 2018, Bolden began her service to the State of Michigan in January 2019 and was re-elected to a second term in 2020. As a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, she serves as the Assistant Democratic Leader and as a member of the House Judiciary and Insurance Committees. She has focused her work on criminal justice reform, crafting and passing bipartisan legislation to protect survivors of sexual violence. Bolden has successfully passed pieces of critical bipartisan legislation into law, including the “Medically Frail” prison reform package, the revision of the Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act, and the “Address Confidentiality for Survivors of Domestic Violence” package. She is also co-chair of the Legislative Attorney’s Caucus and chair of the House Democratic Caucus Diversity, Equity, and Including Committee.
Bolden earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and she holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Grand Valley State University. She is a member of the Wolverine Bar Association, D. Augustus Straker Bar Association, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and Black Women Lawyers Association of Michigan.
“I am honored to announce that I will be appointing Kyra Harris Bolden to the Michigan Supreme Court,” said Whitmer. “A state representative from Southfield, former law clerk and litigator, Kyra is passionate about the law and will be the first Black woman ever to serve on the Michigan Supreme Court. She will bring a unique perspective to our high court as a Black woman—and as a new, working mom—that has too long been left out. Kyra is committed to fighting for justice for generations, and I know she will serve Michigan admirably, building a brighter future for her newborn daughter and all our kids.”
