Ekdahl talks about process of becoming new judge
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ROGERS CITY-- Newly appointed 89th District Court Judge Michael Ekdahl is eager to serve the people of Northern Michigan as he prepares to take the bench.
"I'm really excited about being able to serve in this capacity in Cheboygan and Presque Isle," Ekdahl said.
Ekdahl was appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Feb. 13 to fill a partial term following the resignation of Judge Maria Barton. His term will commence on March 18 and expires at noon on Jan. 1.
Ekdahl has already voiced that he will be looking to run again once his term is up.
According to Ekdahl, gaining that appointment was a long and arduous process that consisted of a lengthy application, meetings with the State Bar of Michigan as well as many other local judges and lawyers, and culminated with an interview with the governor's office.
"The first step is that you will appear before the State Bar of Michigan Judicial Qualifications Committee," Ekdahl said. "You're assigned a rating by the committee, the committee assigns attorneys to talk to area judges and other lawyers, and then you're interviewed by the committee. If you receive a certain rating, then the governor's office can elect to interview you. And then ultimately, the governor appoints the replacement."
Ekdahl stated that he was drawn to the position out of a love and appreciation of not just his native community of Cheboygan, but Northern Michigan as a whole.
"When I graduated from Cheboygan High School in 1993 I couldn't wait to get out of Cheboygan," he said. "When I went to college and law school, I realized what a great place Northern Michigan is to live and work and raise a family, so when I started practicing law I came back to Cheboygan. I thought that I could utilize my skills and experience and that would be the best way I could help my community, through the legal system in Cheboygan and in the surrounding communities."
Now that he has been selected to serve as the new judge of the 89th district, Ekdahl vows to perform his role fairly and responsibly for anyone who enters his courtroom.
"I'll apply the laws fairly, without passion or prejudice," Ekdahl said. "I'm gonna strive to treat everyone that appears in the court attorneys win against defendants fairly with courtesy and respect."