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Letter of Thanks
Dear Fellow Residents of the Plymouth-Canton-Northville Community:
Thank you for the overwhelming support you showed me during the August 5th Primary Election. I worked very hard to earn your 7,380 votes, not only during the campaign, but also during my past 13 years while working as a District Court Prosecutor (having prosecuted over 15,000 cases), Assistant City Attorney, Civil Litigator and Criminal Defense Attorney.
Thank you also to the thousands of people who patiently gave me their time while I knocked on your doors to introduce myself to you. I look forward to continuing to earn your trust and support during the days leading up to the November 4th General Election.
Sincerely, Jim Plakas
The People Who Know Our Courts First Hand, and Who Have a
Genuine Interest in Seeing That They Properly Serve The Community
Endorse Jim Plakas for 35th District Court Judge.
At the end of this year, 35th District Court Judge John E. MacDonald will be concluding his distinguished 24-year career serving the Plymouth, Canton and Northville communities. I am honored to announce that my 13 years of balanced experience as a Prosecutor, Assistant City Attorney, Criminal Defense Attorney and Civil Litigator, has earned me the endorsements of Judge MacDonald, over 60 other Judges, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Attorney General Mike Cox, the Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM), the Canton and Northville Township Professional Fire Fighters, the Observer Newspapers, the Northville Record and the Detroit Free Press, among many other highly regarded leaders in our community who we trust.
I have a proven record as a prosecutor, having prosecuted over 15,000 cases during the past 13 years which have included charges of child abuse, domestic violence, drunk driving, child neglect, cruelty to animals, identity theft, stalking, theft crimes, resisting arrest, fraud, assault & battery, ethnic intimidation, reckless driving, possession of cocaine & marijuana, public indecency, and malicious destruction of property, among others.
As an Assistant City Attorney, during the past 13 years I have additionally dedicated my legal career to representing over 85,000 citizens of a municipality, drafting their laws, advising their elected officials, consulting with their police and fire departments, and making calculated decisions to protect the communitys interests, safety and welfare each and every day.
In conjunction with my prosecutorial and municipal background, throughout my legal career I have represented private clients as plaintiffs and defendants in civil lawsuits and as their criminal defense attorney in District and Circuit Courts throughout the State, in Federal Courts and in the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
I was taught from a young age to be a good listener, to be fair, honest, patient and respectful to all. I fully understand that decisions in the courtroom impact not only the lives of the participants, but that they also directly impact our community. I strongly believe that judicial decisions must be made in a temperate and measured fashion, and that a judge must have respect and courtesy for all participants in the judicial process. A judge must be able to call upon his or her professional experiences, in combination with knowing the law, in order to assist him or her in making the right decisions.
I consider it a tremendous honor to have this opportunity to earn your vote as I take on the greatest challenge of my life and seek to follow in the footsteps of Judge MacDonald. I will run my campaign with the utmost respect for the judicial system, and promise not to politicize what is a non-partisan position. All campaigns directly impact the lives of those who participate in the process (including their families), and thus I will not involve myself in negativity or political gamesmanship.
I GIVE TO YOU MY WORD that if I am fortunate enough to be elected your next Judge I will serve you and our community effectively and respectfully. I will make well considered decisions without allowing outside influences to cloud my judgment, and will take a hands-on approach in attempting to better the lives of all who come before me. I further PROMISE TO YOU that I will leave you and our community with no reason to feel anything other than confidence and pride in your newly elected Judge.
