Adrienne was appointed!

On January 25, 2024, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Adrienne to the Court of Appeals bench, recognizing her years of experience fighting for justice. Adrienne is the right choice for the bench because she is fair, fearless, and experienced.

Adrienne believes people deserve a judicial system that is both accessible and fair. Adrienne spent more than eight years arguing in Michigan's highest courts on behalf of people who cannot afford counsel. She did not choose her clients and her clients did not pay her. Being fair, no matter someone's financial circumstances or the choices they have made was her job as a public defender. She carries that ethic with her to the bench.

 As a former member of UAW local 2200 and former special education teacher, Adrienne knows what means to fight for fair treatment and equal access. She served six years on the Birmingham Public Schools Board of Education during the pandemic and honed her thoughtful and transparent leadership. Adrienne was recognized as one of Oakland County's top 40 under 40 in 2022. She is steeled by always remembering the human beings affected by each decision she makes. 

Adrienne loves the law and is a life-long learner.  Her entire career is in appellate work. Because of that, Adrienne is a sought-after trainer, dedicating hundreds of volunteer hours over her career to training her peers. She has well-rounded knowledge and experienced in areas outside criminal law, too. She and her husband co-edited the first-ever Michigan Bar Journal on Education Law. She served as a judicial law clerk on the Michigan Supreme Court, and spent her time in law school at a Chicago legal aid and with Detroit Public Schools Office of General Counsel. At SADO, she co-led a task force on Race-Justice litigation and supervised new attorneys.  She hopes to mentor aspiring judges and public servants as a member of the bench.