Reader endorses Swartzle, Kelly for Supreme Court.

Reader endorses Swartzle, Kelly for Supreme Court.

A letter to the editor is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Media Group 31, LLC, owner of Mason County Press. See MCP/OCP’s op/ed/letter to the editor policy for more details. 

Two of the seven seats on the Michigan Supreme Court are up for election in November. Although these seats are on the non-partisan portion of the ballot, the candidates are nominated by political parties. The Republican Party has nominated Judge Brock Swartzle and Mary Kelly (not to be confused with former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Mary Beth Kelly).

Judge Swartzle currently serves as a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals and is an adjunct law professor at Michigan State University College of Law. He has been endorsed by 13 judges from various Michigan District Court of Appeals.

He has promised to vigorously uphold our Constitutions, impartially interpret and apply our laws as written, approach each and every case with an open mind and treat all parties with respect and dignity. He has stated that  the First Amendment is a bedrock of our constitutional form of government and deserves the upmost respect and protection. 

Mary Kelly has served over 30 years as a prosecutor in St. Clair County. She has also served in private practice where she argued cases before the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals.

In 2015, she was awarded the James T. Corden Civility Award which “honors attorneys who place a premium on integrity, honesty, ethics and fairness.”

Mary Kelly has stated that, judges should interpret the laws according to how they are written by the legislature, not according to how judges wish they were written. Judges are supposed to interpret the laws; they are not supposed to write the law.

Laura Krentz

199 West Wilke Road

Rothbury