Geibel and Langton Vie for Circuit Court Seat in County-Wide Race (video)
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 4, 2014)
Oakland County has budgeted to reinstate a Judge position in the Sixth Circuit Court that had been vacant for several years. This opening, created in the Family Court Division, means that on November 4 voters of Oakland County will get to decide between Karen Geibel and Lisa Langton for the position.
The position is a non-partisan one, and the winner will serve families that come before them with cases such as child custody, adoption and divorce.
The League of Women Voters Oakland Area held a candidate forum on September 9 so the public could learn more.
Geibel has worked at the Circuit Court for 14 years, currently as a staff attorney and research assistant for Judge Rudy Nichols. “I’m lucky to work for Judge Rudy Nichols who’s mentored me and give me every opportunity as much as I want to get involved in the Court. Whether it’s meeting with the attorneys on conference or trying to resolve conflict between parties to managing the entire docket and being efficient in courtroom procedures,” Geibel said.
Lisa Langton worked for ten years in private practice before coming to the Circuit Court, where she has been for 16 years. “In 1998 when the Family Division was created, I was on the team that wrote that plan that has now become a state model. At that time I became, and I remain, a Family Division administrator. Currently my title is Deputy Court Administrator,” Langton said. She oversees 400 employees and a $68 million budget for the Court. She also helps train new Judges that come into that division.
When asked about the difference between her and her opponent, Geibel stated that because she’s never been in private practice she has the “unique opportunity of practicing law from the Court’s perspective… I’ve only ever that the view of you need to be impartial, there’s always two sides to the story.”
Langton says that the difference is in the experience, both in years and in perspectives. “The best Judges I know are the ones who know what it is like to be on the other side of the bench as well as making decisions for the general public,” she said.
The hour-long forum gave candidates the opportunity to speak on many topics related to the Judicial process, but mainly it highlighted the differences between them. Geibel was asked if seeking the endorsement of Right to Life Michigan would hinder her ability to fairly judge a case if a minor petitioned the court for access to abortion. Geibel said that she is pro-life but that she would be obligated to look at the facts of the case and make the decision in the best interest of the child. Langton said that she did not seek out a Right to Life endorsement because she did not feel it was appropriate. When asked to speak on a hypothetical case between a same-sex couple that was legally married in another state, but wanted a divorce, Geibel said she would need to learn more about the topic, while Langton was able to speak on the topic and on same-sex couples in terms of adoption law.
Another question was if the candidates were interested in Family Law or if they would consider leaving the position for other areas of Judicial practice. Geibel said that she would work in any kind of court, while Langton said her interest is in Family Court.
The hour-long forum gave the candidates an opportunity to speak about why the position is important and what qualities they bring to the table. Watch the entire forum in the video below.
There are other Circuit Court positions on the ballot, but they are all uncontested. Martha D. Anderson, Mary Ellan Brennan, Lisa Gorcyca, Nancy Grant, Shalina Deborah Kumar, and Rudy J. Nichols are running unopposed.
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