Judge Patrick William "Bill" O'Grady, first elected to serve as a 15th Circuit Court Judge in 2008, has presided over nearly 14,000 cases since then in Branch County. In those 15 years, he has a earned a reputation as a “rule-of-law” judge.
O’Grady said he intends to bring that same philosophy to the highest court as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, which earned him a “Friend of Agriculture” endorsement from Michigan Farm Bureau’s AgriPac committee for the November general election.
“As a Rule of Law Justice, I will prioritize governance rooted in the letter of our laws, not the whims of our leaders,” O’Grady said. “As a Rule of Law Justice, I will protect the rights of all and make Michigan safe for our families."
O’Grady is seeking the seat currently held by Supreme Court Justice Kyra Harris Bolden who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2022 to replace Bridget Mary McCormack following her retirement.
Throughout his tenure, O’Grady has demonstrated his judicial acumen in navigating diverse legal landscapes, from criminal jury trials to adjudicating matters in civil law encompassing labor disputes, contractual intricacies, property rights, family law issues, auto negligence, and medical malpractice.
According to O’Grady, a judge is to apply the law to the facts and to provide a reasoned decision based on the law as it applies to the question before the court, noting the decisions should never focus on which party brings a case or which party defends a case.
“Putting aside bias and putting forth a well-reasoned transparent decision is key to establishing trust of the judiciary,” O’Grady said. “The Judiciary is the most transparent branch of government for all of the decisions are in writing or authored into the court record from the bench.”
A lifelong resident of Michigan, O’Grady graduated high school in a small Michigan town north of Detroit. He received his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and his Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Afterwards, he was stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia, where he graduated from the U.S. Army Signal Corps Basic Course. He earned his Airborne wings the year before at Ft. Benning, Georgia.
After completing training, he began law school. While in law school he was notified that he had been selected to attend the 112th Michigan State Police Trooper Recruit School, beginning in the spring of 1995.
Being a Michigan State Trooper was a long-life goal of O’Grady, so he paused law school and attended the Trooper Recruit School. After graduation from trooper school, he reentered law school during the day while working afternoon and midnight shifts as a state trooper for six years patrolling the streets and freeways of Michigan.
In January 1999, he graduated from Thomas M. Cooley Law School and became a member of the State Bar of Michigan. While a lawyer, he became a member of the Legal Training Division of MSP.
When O’Grady graduated from law school, he was working full time for the Michigan State Police patrolling southeast Michigan and began working in the Legal Training Division of the Michigan State Police at the Training Academy.
He later joined the Branch County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney where he handled thousands of cases in the Circuit, District and Probate Court for eight years, before being elected to the 15th Circuit Court Judge position in a highly contested race.
With 25 years in the field of law and 15 years on the trial court bench, O’Grady said his background and experience make him uniquely qualified in a way that is very different from the pathways of other legal professionals.
“To have the insight of beginning on the street as a State Trooper, into the courtroom as an Assistant Prosecutor and then my journey to the bench is unique and it provides for a prospective and insight that others may not have,” he said.
A father of three, the 53-year-old judge and his wife of 30 years, Wendy, live in Coldwater.
Support Friends of Agriculture
AgriPac needs your contributions to support candidates who have the wisdom to listen, an eagerness to learn, and the dependability to advocate for our communities.
Help AgriPac elect candidates who can craft bipartisan, common-sense, and science-based policy, and recognize the importance of asking for input and feedback from farmers instead of making assumptions about farms, families, and businesses.
Contributions in any amount are accepted and can be made securely through PayPal or mailed to: AgriPac, 7373 W. Saginaw Hwy, Lansing, MI 48917. Personal checks can be made out to MFB AgriPac and farm or business checks can be made out to MFB FarmPac. Thank you for supporting Friends of Agriculture.
Share Story
Article Tags
