In a courtroom where every decision carries weight, Judge David Guinn has long been a steady, thoughtful presence – respected for both his legal expertise and his deep commitment to justice. In February, that dedication was recognized with the C. Frederick Robinson Legends Award, a prestigious honor that celebrates not only years of service, but the character of a man who has helped to shape Flint’s legal landscape with wisdom, compassion and an unwavering sense of duty.
Since its inception in 1897, the Genesee County Bar Association (GCBA) has been a cornerstone of the Flint legal community. Founded by George H. Durand, the Association aimed to foster camaraderie among legal professionals and enhance the administration of justice – a mission that continues to guide its endeavors today.
Judge G. David Guinn is usually reluctant to talk about himself, so allow me to do it.
Resolving conflicts outside of a courtroom may seem like an impossible task, so much so that it is often better to get a third-party mediator involved to assist individuals and families with negotiating successful solutions.
As he reached the midpoint of a 14-year sentence for kidnapping – the result of a domestic dispute gone horribly wrong – John Johnson was languishing in a prison cell, mulling the mistakes, missteps and regrets of his life.
Judge Jessica Hammon grew up in Burton and is a graduate of Atherton High School, UM-Flint and Ave Maria Law School. After law school and an internship in the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office, Hammon went to work for Justice Marylin Kelly of the Michigan Supreme Court.
In 2016, Johnell Allen-Bey had an epiphany. While incarcerated serving out a multi-year prison sentence, a former cellmate and friend who did his time and was released had returned to the correctional facility to give a presentation to the inmates. At first, Allen-Bey hadn’t planned to attend but his friend, Ronald Simpson-Bey, specifically requested that he be there. “He asked for me, so I went – and it was a life-changing moment,” he recalls. “To see someone I knew who was making a difference in the world and changing things for the better made me really think of possibly being free again and what I could do.” Simpson-Bey was fighting for equality for formerly incarcerated persons with Nation Outside, and Allen-Bey felt it was a cause he could believe in.
This ballot initiative for the 2024 election will create a registry of convicted animal abusers and change property laws to spare animals from being incarcerated for months or years while their abusers await trial.
Lady Bird Deeds, also known as Enhanced Life Estate Deeds, were first created and used in the state of Texas by attorneys in the late 1980s. They were named after Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson, the wife of former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, who passed away in 2007.
