Oakland Co. Judge Removed From Bench After Racist, Gay Slurs: Reports

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — An Oakland County Probate Court judge was removed from the bench last week after making multiple racist and homophobic slurs, according to news reports that published the recordings.

Judge Kathleen Ryan was removed from her docket on Aug. 27 for "unprofessional conduct" after the court's administrator shared the comments that he secretly recorded during their phones calls, according to a WXYZ report.

It is legal to record phone calls in Michigan as long as one party consents. The administrator told the news station that Ryan had called him at work and after-hours for years.

The comments include graphic statements about Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, who is gay, and refer to Black people in the United States as "lazy," according to the published recordings.

"I can honestly say that. Ok. I'm not systemically racist. I'm a new racist," said Ryan.

Lawyers for Ryan told the news station they look forward to clearing Ryan's name in the appropriate forum.

"There is absolutely no place for harassment of any kind or for racist or homophobic language by anyone at Oakland County, especially by someone the public must be confident will act fairly and impartially," Coulter said in a statement.

A Michigan probate judge handles cases dealing with wills and estates, guardianships and cases that involve the state's mental health laws.

Ryan will remain away from the bench pending the outcome of a Judicial Tenure Commission investigation. She was first elected to the in 2010 and ran unopposed in 2022. She is next up for election in 2028.