Chief Hunt to Step Down from Chief Judge Role

Hon. Gene Hunt was appointed to three terms by Michigan Supreme Court

DEARBORN, MI – 19^th District Court Judge Gene Hunt will relinquish his role as Chief Judge, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

Hunt has served in the chief role for three terms since 2018 when he was first appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court. Chief judges are responsible for caseload management and delegate judicial workload, among other critical duties.

Judge Hunt’s tenure as Chief Judge is notable for his consistent efforts to move the Court forward during a time of great change in the state judicial system.

In his tenure, Judge Hunt has been instrumental in modernizing the Court and incorporating technology to enhance and aid the Court’s functions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes implementing online dispute resolution that allows court users to negotiate traffic violations and address outstanding bench warrants remotely.

These modernized processes benefit prosecutors, law enforcement, and the public at large.

He has also presided over class-leading treatment court programming, the Veterans Treatment Court, and the Hybrid DWI/Drug Treatment Court, and recently secured federal grant funding for those programs to expand capacity.

His decision to step down from the Chief Judge role is motivated by his desire to dedicate more time to developing and overseeing the treatment court programs.

Judge Hunt stated, “Our recent success in securing additional grant funding for both programs provides a key opportunity for growth, and I want to make sure we’re maximizing that opportunity.”

Photo Caption: Judge Gene Hunt, 19th District Court