LATE ADOPTED - NOVEMBER 9, 1999

Agenda Item No. 24

Introduced by the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION HONORING THE HONORABLE JUDGE DONALD S. OWENS

RESOLUTION #99-297

WHEREAS, the Honorable Judge Donald S. Owens has served as an Ingham County Probate Judge since February 1974, Chief Judge from 1984 through 1992 and 1996 to present, and by permanent assignment has served as an Ingham County Circuit Court Judge since January of 1998; and

WHEREAS, upon becoming Chief Judge in 1984, Judge Owens sought from the court's employees as well as public and private agencies that dealt with the court, input as to how the court could be improved; and

WHEREAS, he reorganized and simplified the management structure of the court, began a computerization of its clerical functions, successfully opened a new and larger juvenile detention facility, instituted a number of new juvenile programs, such as the In-Home Detention program, the Intensive Neglect Services program, the Community Work Service program, the Restitution program, the Status Diversion program, the Summer Enrichment program, the Crossroads program and Court Appointed Special Advocate program; and

WHEREAS, in 1999 Judge Owens was selected as the Michigan Judge of the Year by the Michigan Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates and is the recipient of the 1989 Ambassador Award from Peckham Vocational Industries; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure as an Ingham County Probate Judge, he has served as Chairperson of the Ingham County Election Commission, Chairperson of the Juvenile Court Rules Committee, Chairperson of the Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee of the Ingham County Bar Association, and as a member of the Michigan Court Forms Committee, Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice and Big Brothers/Big Sisters Advisory Board; and

WHEREAS, Governor John Engler recently appointed Judge Donald S. Owens to the Michigan Court of Appeals.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners hereby honors the Honorable Judge Donald S. Owens for his dedication and commitment to the citizens as the longest serving Probate Judge in the history of Ingham County.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners extends its sincere appreciation to Judge Owens and best wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors.