Kyra Harris Bolden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kyra Harris Bolden
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Bolden, photographed in 2023
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| Associate Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2023 |
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| Appointed by | Gretchen Whitmer |
| Preceded by | Bridget Mary McCormack |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 35th district |
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| In office January 1, 2019 – January 1, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Jeremy Moss |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Fink |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 31, 1988 Southfield, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Greg Bolden |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Grand Valley State University (BA) University of Detroit (JD) |
Kyra Harris Bolden, born on July 31, 1988, is an American judge and politician. She is also a civil litigation attorney, which means she helps people solve legal problems outside of criminal cases. Since January 1, 2023, she has been an associate justice on the Michigan Supreme Court. Before this, she was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives for the 35th district from 2019 to 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
In 2020, Kyra Harris Bolden was re-elected to the Michigan House of Representatives. She won against her opponent, Daniela Davis. In 2022, she ran for the Michigan Supreme Court. Even though she didn't win the election, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed her to the court on November 22, 2022. She took the place of Justice Bridget Mary McCormack.
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Early Life and Education
Kyra Harris Bolden grew up in Southfield, Michigan, and went to public schools there. She decided to stay in Michigan for her college studies. She earned her first degree, a bachelor's degree, from Grand Valley State University. Later, she went to the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law to earn her Juris Doctor degree. This degree is needed to become a lawyer.
Career Highlights
While working in the Michigan House of Representatives, Kyra Harris Bolden focused on helping the people of Michigan. She was part of the Judiciary Committee, which deals with laws about courts and justice. She worked on making changes to the justice system, especially for people who have been through difficult situations.
She helped create and pass laws that protect survivors of violence. She also worked on laws to help people who were wrongly imprisoned. Another important law she helped pass was about keeping the addresses of domestic violence survivors private for their safety.
Serving on the Michigan Supreme Court
On November 22, 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer chose Kyra Harris Bolden to join the Michigan Supreme Court. She officially started her role on January 1, 2023. This was a very important moment because Justice Bolden is the first Black woman to ever serve on the Michigan Supreme Court.
Before joining the Supreme Court, she had served in the state legislature for four years. She also handled some smaller court cases in the 46th District Court between 2014 and 2018.
Working Together on the Court
In 2023, there was a discussion among the Michigan Supreme Court justices. Justice Bolden hired a law clerk named Pete Martel. Another justice, Richard H. Bernstein, publicly disagreed with this decision. He felt that hiring someone with a past record was not fair to police and prosecutors.
Justice Bolden explained that Mr. Martel decided to leave his job because he did not want to cause problems for the court. Later, Justice Bernstein apologized to Justice Bolden in person, and she accepted his apology. This showed that even when people disagree, they can still work together.
Awards and Groups
Kyra Harris Bolden has received several awards for her work and leadership. These include the "Young Women Lifting As We Climb Image Award" and the "Emerging Leader Award." She was also recognized as one of Michigan Chronicle's "40 Under 40" honorees. She received awards for her work in economic development and for supporting credit unions.
She is also a member of several legal groups, like the Oakland County Bar Association and the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. She is also part of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and works with the Total Living Commission for the City of Southfield.
Personal Life
Kyra Harris Bolden lives in her hometown of Southfield. She lives there with her husband, Dr. Greg Bolden, and their daughter, Emerson Portia Bolden.
See also
