(WWJ) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointment of Judge Noah Hood to the Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday, bringing the liberal leaning of the court to a 6-1 majority.
“I am honored to appoint Judge Hood to the Michigan Supreme Court,” Whitmer said in a news release. “He has served the people of Michigan on the bench since 2019, when I was honored to appoint him first to the Circuit Court and later, to the Court of Appeals. A proud Detroiter, graduate of Harvard Law, and active member of the legal community with both trial and appellate court experience, he will bring important perspectives to the highest court in our state. I want to thank him for his many years of public service and look forward to many more on the Supreme Court.”
Hood currently serves as a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals, First District. Hood was first appointed to the Third Circuit Court by Whitmer in 2019 and again to the Court of Appeals in 2022. Hood has been a member of the Detroit Bar Association since 2011 and has served as a fellow of the association since 2023. Hood is also a member of the Wolverine Bar Association and of the Association of Black Judges of Michigan.
Hood earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Yale.
The appointment fills the spot opened up by the recent resignation of Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement earlier this month. Her eight-year term was set to expire at the end of 2026, meaning Hood will most likely face an election next year to keep the seat.