Interview with former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about his family history, his father and mother, attending Catholic school, and the University of Detroit Law School, opening his own law practice, being elected to the Common Pleas Court, being appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Romney in 1963, being elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1966, and becoming Chief Justice in 1969. Brennan says that practicing law prepared him well for the rigors of being a judge. Justice Brennan also discusses what he calls "the myth of non-partisanship, the nature of democracy, the political nature of the selection of Chief Justice, the notion of representation in a democracy, the nature of leadership, the establishment of the State Appellate Defenders Office, the creation of the State Bar Grievance Board in 1969, the election process for judges in the Detroit area, the establishment of a Criminal division of the Detroit District Court, economic stability, civil disorder, and the 1967 race riots in Detroit. Recording ends abruptly. First of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

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Date Created: 1991-01-03

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
State Bar of Michigan
Discipline
Employees
Judges
Judges--Election
Judges--Selection and appointment
Political questions and judicial power
Michigan

Extent: 00:47:16

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5z895p2s

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about his family history, his father and mother, attending Catholic school, and the University of Detroit Law School, opening his own law practice, being elected to the Common Pleas Court, being appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Romney in 1963, being elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1966, and becoming Chief Justice in 1969. Brennan says that practicing law prepared him well for the rigors of being a judge. Justice Brennan also discusses what he calls "the myth of non-partisanship, the nature of democracy, the political nature of the selection of Chief Justice, the notion of representation in a democracy, the nature of leadership, the establishment of the State Appellate Defenders Office, the creation of the State Bar Grievance Board in 1969, the election process for judges in the Detroit area, the establishment of a Criminal division of the Detroit District Court, economic stability, civil disorder, and the 1967 race riots in Detroit. Recording ends abruptly. First of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-03

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
State Bar of Michigan
Discipline
Employees
Judges
Judges--Election
Judges--Selection and appointment
Political questions and judicial power
Michigan

Extent: 00:47:08

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5qf8ns5j

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about his family history, his father and mother, attending Catholic school, and the University of Detroit Law School, opening his own law practice, being elected to the Common Pleas Court, being appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Romney in 1963, being elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1966, and becoming Chief Justice in 1969. Brennan says that practicing law prepared him well for the rigors of being a judge. Justice Brennan also discusses what he calls "the myth of non-partisanship, the nature of democracy, the political nature of the selection of Chief Justice, the notion of representation in a democracy, the nature of leadership, the establishment of the State Appellate Defenders Office, the creation of the State Bar Grievance Board in 1969, the election process for judges in the Detroit area, the establishment of a Criminal division of the Detroit District Court, economic stability, civil disorder, and the 1967 race riots in Detroit. Recording ends abruptly. First of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-03

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
State Bar of Michigan
Discipline
Employees
Judges
Judges--Election
Judges--Selection and appointment
Political questions and judicial power
Michigan

Extent: 00:47:08

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5x34r07b

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about his family history, his father and mother, attending Catholic school, and the University of Detroit Law School, opening his own law practice, being elected to the Common Pleas Court, being appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Romney in 1963, being elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1966, and becoming Chief Justice in 1969. Brennan says that practicing law prepared him well for the rigors of being a judge. Justice Brennan also discusses what he calls "the myth of non-partisanship, the nature of democracy, the political nature of the selection of Chief Justice, the notion of representation in a democracy, the nature of leadership, the establishment of the State Appellate Defenders Office, the creation of the State Bar Grievance Board in 1969, the election process for judges in the Detroit area, the establishment of a Criminal division of the Detroit District Court, economic stability, civil disorder, and the 1967 race riots in Detroit. Recording ends abruptly. First of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-03

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
State Bar of Michigan
Discipline
Employees
Judges
Judges--Election
Judges--Selection and appointment
Political questions and judicial power
Michigan

Extent: 00:47:11

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5h992m9b

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about his family history, his father and mother, attending Catholic school, and the University of Detroit Law School, opening his own law practice, being elected to the Common Pleas Court, being appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Romney in 1963, being elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1966, and becoming Chief Justice in 1969. Brennan says that practicing law prepared him well for the rigors of being a judge. Justice Brennan also discusses what he calls "the myth of non-partisanship, the nature of democracy, the political nature of the selection of Chief Justice, the notion of representation in a democracy, the nature of leadership, the establishment of the State Appellate Defenders Office, the creation of the State Bar Grievance Board in 1969, the election process for judges in the Detroit area, the establishment of a Criminal division of the Detroit District Court, economic stability, civil disorder, and the 1967 race riots in Detroit. Recording ends abruptly. First of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-03

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
State Bar of Michigan
Discipline
Employees
Judges
Judges--Election
Judges--Selection and appointment
Political questions and judicial power
Michigan

Extent: 00:47:07

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5xs5nr1b

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about his family history, his father and mother, attending Catholic school, and the University of Detroit Law School, opening his own law practice, being elected to the Common Pleas Court, being appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Romney in 1963, being elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1966, and becoming Chief Justice in 1969. Brennan says that practicing law prepared him well for the rigors of being a judge. Justice Brennan also discusses what he calls "the myth of non-partisanship, the nature of democracy, the political nature of the selection of Chief Justice, the notion of representation in a democracy, the nature of leadership, the establishment of the State Appellate Defenders Office, the creation of the State Bar Grievance Board in 1969, the election process for judges in the Detroit area, the establishment of a Criminal division of the Detroit District Court, economic stability, civil disorder, and the 1967 race riots in Detroit. Recording ends abruptly. First of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-03

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
State Bar of Michigan
Discipline
Employees
Judges
Judges--Election
Judges--Selection and appointment
Political questions and judicial power
Michigan

Extent: 00:47:15

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5q52jm6h

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about his family history, his father and mother, attending Catholic school, and the University of Detroit Law School, opening his own law practice, being elected to the Common Pleas Court, being appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Romney in 1963, being elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1966, and becoming Chief Justice in 1969. Brennan says that practicing law prepared him well for the rigors of being a judge. Justice Brennan also discusses what he calls "the myth of non-partisanship, the nature of democracy, the political nature of the selection of Chief Justice, the notion of representation in a democracy, the nature of leadership, the establishment of the State Appellate Defenders Office, the creation of the State Bar Grievance Board in 1969, the election process for judges in the Detroit area, the establishment of a Criminal division of the Detroit District Court, economic stability, civil disorder, and the 1967 race riots in Detroit. Recording ends abruptly. First of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-03

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
State Bar of Michigan
Discipline
Employees
Judges
Judges--Election
Judges--Selection and appointment
Political questions and judicial power
Michigan

Extent: 00:47:42

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5611009v

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about his family history, his father and mother, attending Catholic school, and the University of Detroit Law School, opening his own law practice, being elected to the Common Pleas Court, being appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Romney in 1963, being elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1966, and becoming Chief Justice in 1969. Brennan says that practicing law prepared him well for the rigors of being a judge. Justice Brennan also discusses what he calls "the myth of non-partisanship, the nature of democracy, the political nature of the selection of Chief Justice, the notion of representation in a democracy, the nature of leadership, the establishment of the State Appellate Defenders Office, the creation of the State Bar Grievance Board in 1969, the election process for judges in the Detroit area, the establishment of a Criminal division of the Detroit District Court, economic stability, civil disorder, and the 1967 race riots in Detroit. Recording ends abruptly. First of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-03

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
State Bar of Michigan
Discipline
Employees
Judges
Judges--Election
Judges--Selection and appointment
Political questions and judicial power
Michigan

Extent: 00:47:17

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5sj1f01t

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Brennan talks about judicial activism and the prospective vs. retrospective changing of Common Law, using humor in writing court opinions, and making decisions by law or by conscience in a judicial context and whether his Catholicism is an issue in performing his public duties. Brennan also discusses the controversy surrounding his founding of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing and the school's mission of offering practical scholarship to a broad and diverse study body. Second of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

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Date Created: 1991-01-29

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Employees
Judges
Judicial process
Law--Study and teaching
Political questions and judicial power
Religion
Michigan
Michigan--Lansing

Extent: 00:47:37

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m54t6jb19

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Brennan talks about judicial activism and the prospective vs. retrospective changing of Common Law, using humor in writing court opinions, and making decisions by law or by conscience in a judicial context and whether his Catholicism is an issue in performing his public duties. Brennan also discusses the controversy surrounding his founding of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing and the school's mission of offering practical scholarship to a broad and diverse study body. Second of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-29

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Employees
Judges
Judicial process
Law--Study and teaching
Political questions and judicial power
Religion
Michigan
Michigan--Lansing

Extent: 00:47:32

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5vd6sc7x

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Brennan talks about judicial activism and the prospective vs. retrospective changing of Common Law, using humor in writing court opinions, and making decisions by law or by conscience in a judicial context and whether his Catholicism is an issue in performing his public duties. Brennan also discusses the controversy surrounding his founding of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing and the school's mission of offering practical scholarship to a broad and diverse study body. Second of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-29

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Employees
Judges
Judicial process
Law--Study and teaching
Political questions and judicial power
Religion
Michigan
Michigan--Lansing

Extent: 00:47:19

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5sn04c06

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Brennan talks about judicial activism and the prospective vs. retrospective changing of Common Law, using humor in writing court opinions, and making decisions by law or by conscience in a judicial context and whether his Catholicism is an issue in performing his public duties. Brennan also discusses the controversy surrounding his founding of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing and the school's mission of offering practical scholarship to a broad and diverse study body. Second of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

Read

Date Created: 1991-01-29

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Employees
Judges
Judicial process
Law--Study and teaching
Political questions and judicial power
Religion
Michigan
Michigan--Lansing

Extent: 00:46:53

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m56q1wq8f

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan talks about a case concerning the apportionment of the Michigan Legislature in the 1970s, having his portrait presented to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1980, and his activities since leaving the court in 1973. Third of three interviews of Justice Brennan.

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Date Created: 1991-02-14

Subjects: Brennan, Thomas E., 1929-2018
Michigan. Supreme Court
Apportionment (Election law)
Employees
Judges
Michigan

Extent: 00:40:45

Permalink: https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m54x57q72

Interview with former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Brennan

Transcript