Judge Sima Patel Launches Campaign to Retain Dist 2 Appellate Seat

TROY, Mich. 6.1.22 – Judge Sima Patel, named earlier this year to the Michigan 2nd District Court of Appeals by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, has suddenly found herself in an election race to keep her job.

Judge Patel, who Whitmer chose due to her impressive background in appellate law, is running to retain her non-partisan post after her opponent suddenly, within a two-week period, turned away from his announced candidacy for the Michigan Supreme Court to run for the 2nd District Court of Appeals post. The move caught many by surprise as her opponent has no appellate experience.

Judge Patel has 17 years of experience in appellate law, beginning with her work as a clerk for Michigan Supreme court justices, Republican Colleen O’Brien and Democrat Elizabeth Clement. She has since written hundreds of appellate briefs and was instrumental in building attorney Jeffrey Fieger’s appellate practice, where she helped achieve many civil rights victories for clients.

“It was a real honor to be chosen by Governor Whitmer for this position. I am working to retain this position because I know that because of my experience, I’m the best candidate for this role,” Judge Patel said. “Judges on this court need to be free of political pressure and resist any urge to promote their personally conservative or progressive. I am a true believer in the rule of law, and this is not a position that anyone’s personal or party politics should sway.”

Judge Patel, named to the 2021 Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the Law list, sees her position as the culmination of a long-term goal. “I have felt a calling to be a steward of the law and amplify the reasoning, rationale, and perspective in the courts today,” she added. Being named to the bench by Governor Whitmer was also groundbreaking for Michigan as Judge Patel is only one of five minority members on the appeals court statewide and the only East-Indian American on the bench.

The Michigan 2nd Court of Appeals oversees appellate cases in Oakland, Macomb and Genesee Counties and reviews matters across the state.

For more information on Judge Sima Patel, visit www.keepjudgesimapatel.com.