Judge Gerou

Judge Gerou – 35th District Court, Plymouth, Michigan

Thanks to an incredible grass roots effort by family and friends and personally knocking on nearly 10,000 doors, I was elected from a field of 11 candidates in 2003.

Core Beliefs

  • As a Judge I understand that we live in a free society which means we get to make choices. We all make some bad choices, and all have the ability to make better choices.
  • One person who cares, is determined, focused and brave can make a tremendous difference. 
  • Work hard, persevere, and treat people the way you would want to be treated. 
  • Pay forward the invaluable mentorship that has been given to me. Throughout my career, I have benefitted immensely from mentors and owe it to others to assist them.
  • The law applies to everyone.
Judge Michael J. Gerou

Skills

I am result oriented, am good at seeing the big picture, analyzing problems and crafting win-win solutions.  My strengths include relating well with people, having the ability to see other’s perspectives, being able to draw fine distinctions and not being afraid to make tough or unpopular decisions. I thrive on setting goals and putting a plan into place to achieve them. I get things done.

Professional

Judicial

  • Chief Judge 35th District Court (3 terms)
  • Sobriety Court Judge (21+ years)
  • Board of Irish Lawyers Organization (10+ years)
  • Past President Wayne County District Court Judges Association
  • Bar Association Membership: American, Michigan, and Irish Lawyers
  • Judicial Bar Association Membership: American, Michigan, and Wayne County District Court Judge Associations
  • Field Supervisor/mentor to dozens of law students from UDM-Windsor law school, Ave Maria Law School and Thomas Cooley Law School
  • Instructor legal seminars for ICLE and Plymouth-Canton Schools
  • Admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court

Practicing Attorney

  • Self-employed Attorney (16+ years): I built a thriving Main Street law practice from scratch, where I represented businesses and individuals in both civil and criminal cases throughout MI and in Federal Court
  • Staff attorney Legal Aid & Defenders (1 year)

Education

Formal

  • National Judicial College and American Institute for Justice (cont. legal education)
  • University of Detroit School of Law JD
  • Eastern Michigan University BS

Informal

“I’ve never let my schooling interfere with my education.” – Mark Twain

At age 19, I took a year off from college, worked all summer in a factory and saved enough money to backpack throughout Europe and North Africa for six months. While there I had the opportunity to work at a ski resort hotel in Switzerland.  My travels took me from Norway and Sweden in the North to Morocco in the South and Turkey in the East.  This education was priceless.  This adventure helped me develop tremendous confidence and independence.  It taught me the value of setting goals, saving money, discipline, sacrifice and greatly broadened my perspective of the world.  I met and interacted with people from all walks of life, from all over the world.  This motivated me to learn when I returned to school.

Travel has consistently been a major educational staple in my life. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting all 50 states, 8 Canadian provinces, 34 other countries, and 30+ US and International national parks to date.

My favorite trips are outdoors challenges. I’ve summited Mt. Kilimanjaro and done a camera safari in the Ngorogoro Crater in Tanzania, and whitewater rafted for 5 days down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon plus other rafting trips including: the New River in West Virginia, the Arkansas River in Colorado, and Columbia River in British Columbia. My son, Nolan and I plan to trek Patagonia this December.

History of Hard Work and Achievement

I have been steadily employed since age 12 except during high school sport seasons and have held more than 40 jobs. My parents taught me the value of hard work and that all work is honorable. It took me 13 years to earn my BS and JD degrees as I worked to pay my way through school. My non-legal work experience includes:

  • Bought and operated multiple newspaper delivery routes
  • Sold newspapers on a corner
  • Delivered handbills
  • Washed dishes
  • Janitorial work
  • Meter reader
  • Door to door salesman
  • Pumped gas
  • Owned and operated my own landscaping business
  • Valet parker
  • Delivery driver
  • Stock boy
  • Stamping plant and other factory work
  • Hilo driver
  • Operated a shipping & receiving department
  • Operated overhead cranes and high-speed stamping presses
  • Food Server
  • Bartender
  • Wine Salesman

Community Involvement

All Saints Catholic School

  • Founding member of the parent group which initiated the drive to build All Saints. It was the first new Catholic School in the Archdiocese of Detroit in more than 30 years.
  • Presented plan (with Mike Mitchell) to Cardinal Maida that sold him on the concept of building All Saints Catholic School, which serves 4 parishes in Plymouth and Canton, the first new catholic school in the Diocese in 30+ years
  • Served on the Building, Steering and Liaison Committees
  • President of CYO
  • Coach: Basketball, Baseball & Softball for many years
  • Intramural Basketball Director

Greater Canton Youth Baseball and Softball Association (GCYBSA)

  • Founder of GCYBSA
  • 1st president
  • Board member for 6 years

Sports Coach (25 years):

  • Plymouth YMCA – soccer, T-ball, baseball and basketball 
  • Our Lady of Good Counsel – football (Plymouth 2 yrs.)
  • CCJBSA and GCYBSA – baseball (many years)
  • PC Pride Stars, softball nationally ranked teams (several yrs.)
  • All Saints Catholic School – basketball, baseball and softball                                                         (many years, several divisional titles and a District title)
  • 14U & 16U Livonia Storm – softball, nationally ranked teams one of which was ranked #2 in nation 14U Class B
  • 16U Vengeance – softball asst. Coach
  • 18U Queens of Diamonds – softball finished ranked 5th in nation, Class A. Every player went on to play softball in college
  • 16U Michigan Strategy – softball 2015, World Series semi-finalist
  • Our Lady of Good Counsel – JV softball 2015, Varsity 2017
  • Livonia Storm – 14U 2017-2018       
  • Private Softball Instructor – individual lessons, many years to date

Canton Chamber of Commerce

  • President
  • Director 6 year
  • Chair of Golf Outing, Annual Auction, By-law Revision Committee, and Building Committee, which purchased land for new building
  • Government Relations Committee
  • Group Leader for New member drive

St. Kenneth Catholic Church

  • Parishioner from 1973 to 2013
  • Parish Council 3 years
  • Fish Fry crew
  • Crop Walk
  • Volunteer, St. Christine’s Soup Kitchen
  • Hospitality host
  • Red Cross blood drive volunteer

Eastern Michigan University

  • Co-founder of Western Wayne Alumni Chapter
  • President -Western Wayne Alumni Chapter 2000-2001
  • Campaign for Scholars
  • Strategic Planning Committee for Athletic Department
  • Marketing Committee for 100th basketball season    
  • Former Athletic Club member and season ticket holder

Miscellaneous Community Involvement and Affliations

  • Leadership Canton graduate
  • Leadership Plymouth graduate                     
  • Chair Leadership Plymouth Steering Committee
  • Plymouth Chamber of Commerce
  • Steering Committee, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Interactive Health Care Center 
  • Adopt-A-Highway Program in Plymouth, Canton and Northville (Co-Sponsor > 8 years)
  • Sponsor/Participant – Men’s softball team in Canton (many years)
  • Cherry Hill Village Task Force member
  • Plymouth YMCA Board member
  • Canton Community Foundation Board member
  • ITT Criminal Law Advisory Board member/commencement speaker
  • Community Literacy Council-Spelling Bee participant
  • Focus Hope volunteer
  • Supporter/Donor: Plymouth Veteran’s Memorial Park, Cherry Hill Village Theater, Friends of the Penn, Canton Chamber of Commerce, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Interactive Health Care Center, Canton Relay for Life, EMU Foundation, Stewards for Tomorrow and many other charitable causes.
  • Red Cross – longtime blood donor 10+ gallons to date
  • Canton Township resident since 2003, previously a resident of Plymouth Township almost 30 years, grew up in Detroit 

Awards

  • Canton Hall of Fame Inductee
  • Business Person of the Year (Canton) 
  • Business Person of the Year runner-up (4 times)
  • CYO (Lois Matyn Nichols Award) for 10 years of outstanding volunteer service (for coaching)
  • MI USSSA Softball Hall of Fame Award for Distinguished Service 
  • Chris Angel Volunteer of Year Award, GCYBSA               
  • Distinguished Citizenship Award – BPOE
  • Volunteer of the Year – Plymouth YMCA,
  • Canton Community Achiever Award, (twice)                      
  • Runner-up Class Comedian 8th grade Mother of Our Savior Grade School

Family

My parents passed on a legacy of hard work, sacrifice, treating others with respect and keeping a sense of humor. This is a success formula that has worked well for me and I am diligently working to pass it on to my kids.

I am proud of our 3 children who are now young adults making a difference. My eldest son, Miles, is an outstanding attorney, accomplished musician and hiker. My daughter, Elaine, is a Registered Nurse in a hospital cancer ward and a softball instructor. She played college softball and was the Chief Editor of her college newspaper. My son Nolan is an up and coming sports photographer/videographer, world traveler/adventurer, softball coach and an incredibly hard-working college student.