Pubdate: Mon, 23 Feb 2004
Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle (MI)
Copyright: 2004 The Traverse City Record-Eagle
Contact:  http://www.record-eagle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1336
Author: Patrick Sullivan, Record-Eagle staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Thomas+Gilbert

GILBERT NOT RUNNING AGAIN

Judge Will Return in March to Finish Term

TRAVERSE CITY - This August's primary ballot for a spot on the 86th
District Court will be missing one controversial name - District Judge
Thomas Gilbert.

Gilbert said Sunday he decided not to seek re-election to the court
that serves Antrim, Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties. But he said
he would return to the bench next month to serve out his term through
the end of the year.

Gilbert was suspended for six months without pay last year by the
Michigan Supreme Court after he admitted he smoked marijuana at a rock
concert in Detroit in October 2002.

District Court Judge Michael Haley, the court's chief judge, said he
approved of Gilbert's decision.

"Tom's decision is considerate, I think, of the district court, in
that now the focus of media can reasonably be expected to shift to the
candidates for this position," Haley said.

Gilbert's withdrawal from the race was good news for three attorneys
who have announced they plan to run for his seat, although not because
any of them expected serious competition from Gilbert.

"It's good news in that I think it was the right thing for him to do,
I don't think it's going to have much impact on the election," said
candidate Barbara Budros, a staff attorney for the 13th Circuit Court.

"It might change the focus a little bit, but I don't think it will
change the outcome," Budros said.

Candidate Paul Jarboe, a trial attorney and former assistant
prosecutor, said since he's begun his campaign, questions about
Gilbert are often the first ones out of the mouths of potential voters.

"The community certainly has been put through the ringer over the last
year with the uncertainty as to what would happen with his position,"
Jarboe said. "Until he announced whether he was going to run or not,
he was the issue."

John Foresman, a former probate judge for Grand Traverse County who
announced his candidacy for Gilbert's seat last year, said he believes
Gilbert needed to get out of the race for his own good.

"I think he's got to move on, he's not a bad person, he's just made
some mistakes and it's just not going to go away until he gets out of
that arena and finds another avenue," Foresman said.

Until Sunday, Gilbert had refused to publicly comment about his
political fate. Gilbert filed an affidavit for candidacy with the
Michigan Secretary of State in September and has until March 25 to
officially withdraw from the race so that his name will not appear on
the ballot.

In a press release announcing his decision, Gilbert focused on his
short-term return to the bench on March 29.

"I will return to the bench with new knowledge and experiences that
will help me deal with problems of addiction that influence the
majority of our cases in the district court," Gilbert said. "I hope my
struggles and recovery journey can help other people in the community
who suffer from alcoholism and addiction." 
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