2008 Champion of Justice Award

State Bar of Michigan
Champion of Justice Award - 2008 Recipient

During his tenure on the bench, 8th Circuit Court Judge David A. Hoort has forged a well-deserved reputation as an innovator. As a district judge, his creations include court sessions on Saturday mornings, regularly scheduled night sessions for the circuit’s small claims court, and trials in high schools with students serving as jurors in real criminal cases. Most recently, Hoort implemented the 8th Circuit’s Mental Health Court, the first of its kind in the state. Similar to drug and alcohol courts, its goal is to assess the mental health status of felony offenders and help for those who need it.