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and neglect, as well as juvenile delinquency cases. In 2015, McDonald presided over the first same-sex adoption in the history of the State of
Michigan, stating that the case was a great honor. McDonald was unopposed in her 2018 re-election bid, and on November 6, 2018, she was elected for a second six-year term on the 6th Circuit Court, ranking as the top vote-earner of incumbent circuit court judges.
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Committee, Oakland County Youth
Suicide Prevention Task Force, National Counsel of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Michigan Judges Association, the Women’s Lawyer Association of Michigan, and the Oakland County Bar Association. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Oakland County Domestic Violence Prevention Award and the Joan E. Young Champion of Children Award.
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Prosecutors, established the
Trafficking Unit and the Hate Crimes Unit, re-engaged the Prosecutor’s Office as an active participant in over a dozen diversion programs and treatment courts, formed a team dedicated to establishing a Conviction Integrity Unit, and re-established critical relationships with community and law enforcement partners.
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prosecuting and convicting cases. Notably, in
September 2023, Richard Coleman was found guilty by an Oakland County jury on all eleven charges brought against him by the Prosecutor’s Office, including Human Trafficking. The investigation revealed that over 20 women were identified as having been abused and trafficked by Coleman.
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each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter for the gross negligence that led to the horrific shooting. The shooter pled guilty to all 24 counts against him as charged on
October 4, 2022 After a Miller hearing in fall 2023, the shooter was sentenced to Life Without Parole on December 8, 2023, by Judge Kwamé Rowe
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Immediately after taking office, Prosecutor McDonald formed an internal team dedicated to establishing
Oakland County’s first-ever Conviction Integrity Unit. After receiving the necessary funding from the Board of Commissioners, the CIU was officially launched in February 2022. The CIU is tasked with
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In April 2019, McDonald stepped down from her judgeship, announcing her intention to run for the
Democratic nomination for Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney in the 2020 election. McDonald campaigned on a progressive, reformist platform focused on limiting incarceration for non-violent crimes, and
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In 2012, McDonald ran for an open seat on the
Oakland County Circuit Court, winning the non-partisan judicial election with nearly 60% of the vote. Taking office in January 2013, McDonald presided for over six years as a family court judge, taking a docket focused on divorce and custody, child abuse
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Karen McDonald took office on
January 1, 2021. On her first day in office, Karen announced several key priorities for her administration, including a robust focus on juvenile justice, restoring prosecutorial fairness/fair and just prosecution, and reducing mass incarceration/dedicating resources to
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On
November 30, 2021, a school shooter at Oxford High School took the lives of Madisyn Baldwin, Justin Shilling, Tate Myre, and Hana St. Juliana, injured several others, and terrorized an entire community. Prosecutor McDonald led the prosecution against the shooter, along with his parents who were
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In her career, McDonald has carved out significant legal expertise in matters relating to children. Notably, she has been a member of the Foster Care Review Board Program Advisory Committee, Department of Health & Human Services Human Trafficking Protocol Revision Committee, Child Death Review
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Following the school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the first school shooting since Oxford, along with increased gun violence throughout the community, Prosecutor McDonald formed the Commission to Address Gun Violence in September 2022. Composed of over 25 stakeholders from
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Michigan consistently ranks in the top states for human trafficking. To combat this, Prosecutor McDonald transformed the Narcotics Unit into a Trafficking Unit, shifting the focus from the use and possession of drugs to the trafficking of drugs and people. The Trafficking Unit has had success in
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elected officials, party leaders, organizations and associations. On August 4, 2020, McDonald defeated incumbent prosecutor Jessica Cooper, claiming the Democratic nomination for Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney and advancing to the general election. On November 3, 2020, McDonald was elected
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in 1998, McDonald joined the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office as an assistant prosecuting attorney, where she prosecuted child sexual assault cases as well as general misdemeanors and felonies and maintained a 100 percent conviction rate. In 2004, McDonald joined the Oakland County-based firm
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Within her first 100 days in office, Prosecutor McDonald shared the status of several important initiatives she undertook upon taking office. Within this time, her administration issued resentencing memos for nearly two dozen juvenile lifers, rolled out prosecutorial discretion to Assistant
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Jennifer Crumbley was convicted on February 6, 2024 James Crumbley was convicted on March 14, 2024 Both James and Jennifer were sentenced on April 9, 2024, by Judge Cheryl Matthews and each received a term of 10-15 years imprisonment, above the guidelines
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various disciplines across the nation, the Commission was tasked with creating and publishing a comprehensive, evidence-based model that can be offered as a protocol to schools, employers, municipalities, and community members to reduce gun violence
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ensuring prosecutorial decisions are informed by racial justice considerations. McDonald’s campaign was endorsed by 87 individuals and organizations, including the
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Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss P.C., where she specialized in civil and family law, and was named partner and shareholder in 2010.
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1226:"Ethan Crumbley sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing 4 students in Michigan school shooting"
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210:(born July 11, 1970) is an American lawyer and politician currently serving as the prosecuting attorney of
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reviewing claims of wrongful convictions and making recommendations to remedy them where appropriate.
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Oakland County Prosecutor, and was the top vote-getter among all county-wide candidates.
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1110:"Karen McDonald begins first week as Oakland County prosecutor, eyeing policy reforms"
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in 1992. She became a public school English teacher and was a member of her local
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Judge Karen McDonald presides over first same-sex adoption in State of Michigan
1083:"Oakland County Official Election Results - November 3, 2020 General Election"
1005:"MCDONALD MAKES THE CASE FOR CHANGE IN THE OAKLAND COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE"
950:"Oakland County Official Election Results - November 6, 2018 General Election"
898:"Oakland County Official Election Results - November 6, 2012 General Election"
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1335:"Oakland County Prosecutor's Office launches commission on gun violence"
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1200:"Michigan school shooter, 16, pleads guilty to killing four classmates"
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1176:"Man facing 100 years in prison for human trafficking in Oakland Co"
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Judge of the Oakland County Circuit Court, 2012 General Election
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Judge of the Oakland County Circuit Court, 2018 General Election
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1135:"Oakland County's new prosecutor highlights 'smarter solutions'"
979:"Oakland County judge stepping down in bid for prosecutor's job"
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872:"Birmingham Attorney to Run for Oakland County Judge Position"
1224:
Sanchez, Ray; Brown, Nicki; Sangal, Aditi; CNN (2023-12-08).
1057:"Challenger defeats Cooper in Oakland County prosecutor race"
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Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney, 2020 Democratic Primary
1270:"Michigan school shooter's mother convicted of manslaughter"
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Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney, 2020 General Election
924:"Same-sex marriage pioneers, kids cheer joint adoption"
846:"Former Judge Launches Campaign for County Prosecutor"
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1108:Press, Mark Cavitt | The Oakland (2021-01-05).
234:Karen McDonald was born on July 11, 1970, in
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1291:"James Crumbley Found Guilty New York Times"
287:2020 election and Oakland County Prosecutor
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222:in Oakland County. She is a member of the
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369:Prosecutor of Oxford High School Shooting
90:January 1, 2013 – April 19, 2019
1412:Wayne State University Law School alumni
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338:First Term as Oakland County Prosecutor
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270:2012 election and Circuit Court judge
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1467:20th-century American women lawyers
608:Denise Langford Morris (incumbent)
1457:21st-century American women judges
1367:Oakland County Prosecutor's Office
784:"Obituary: Kathryn Anita McDonald"
382:Commission to Address Gun Violence
196:Oakland County Prosecutor's Office
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259:Wayne State University Law School
230:Early life, education, and career
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257:After graduating cum laude from
1362:Karen McDonald campaign website
1289:Fortin, Jacey (14 March 2024).
351:Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU)
1422:People from Portland, Michigan
252:Michigan Education Association
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1472:21st-century American lawyers
1462:20th-century American lawyers
1417:People from Lansing, Michigan
644:Phyllis McMillen (incumbent)
183:Attorney, politician, teacher
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78:Oakland County Circuit Court
1397:Michigan state court judges
662:Michael Warren (incumbent)
585:Karen McDonald (incumbent)
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1035:McDonald for Prosecutor
1009:McDonald for Prosecutor
821:McDonald for Prosecutor
626:Leo Bowman (incumbent)
817:"About Karen McDonald"
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240:Kristen McDonald Rivet
173:Wayne State University
329:, and numerous local
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1087:Oakland County Clerk
954:Oakland County Clerk
902:Oakland County Clerk
208:Karen Diane McDonald
156:Birmingham, Michigan
37:Prosecuting Attorney
1407:Alma College alumni
1333:Nichols, Anna Liz.
1162:"Policy Priorities"
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309:Lieutenant Governor
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1382:Michigan Democrats
1295:The New York Times
1254:has generic name (
1133:Martindale, Mike.
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1089:. 3 November 2020
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930:. 5 November 2015
904:. 6 November 2012
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116:(age 54)
114:July 11, 1970
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76:Judge of the
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1342:. Retrieved
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1315:. 2024-04-09
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168:Alma College
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1437:1970 births
738:Nonpartisan
713:Nonpartisan
658:Nonpartisan
640:Nonpartisan
622:Nonpartisan
604:Nonpartisan
579:Nonpartisan
325:Prosecutor
319:Dana Nessel
67:Preceded by
1376:Categories
1344:2024-04-19
1319:2024-04-19
1235:2024-04-19
1210:2024-04-19
1185:2024-04-19
1144:2024-04-19
1119:2024-04-19
1093:8 February
1067:8 February
1041:8 February
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989:8 February
960:8 February
934:8 February
908:8 February
882:8 February
856:8 February
827:8 February
794:8 February
770:References
742:Dan Crist
698:Candidate
677:1,301,143
564:Candidate
524:Democratic
499:Democratic
484:Candidate
448:Lin Goetz
444:Republican
419:Democratic
404:Candidate
327:Kym Worthy
180:Profession
163:Alma mater
130:Democratic
110:1970-07-11
152:Residence
86:In office
46:Incumbent
1244:cite web
1204:NBC News
757:424,334
745:171,125
724:250,228
665:240,013
647:256,287
629:261,649
611:263,504
590:279,690
543:199,870
510:131,545
463:723,335
451:311,360
430:411,975
302:Governor
244:Portland
216:Michigan
144:Children
1313:AP News
1275:Reuters
531:68,325
254:union.
236:Lansing
188:Website
139:Jeffrey
1037:. 2020
878:. 2012
823:. 2020
790:. 2021
748:40.33
729:58.97
701:Votes
695:Party
668:18.45
650:19.70
632:20.11
614:20.25
595:21.50
567:Votes
561:Party
487:Votes
481:Party
407:Votes
401:Party
136:Spouse
876:Patch
534:34.2
515:65.8
454:43.0
435:56.9
59:
1256:help
1095:2021
1069:2021
1043:2021
1017:2021
991:2021
962:2021
936:2021
910:2021
884:2021
858:2021
829:2021
796:2021
762:100
682:100
548:100
175:(JD)
170:(BA)
104:Born
1230:CNN
468:98
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