Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce Announces its 2nd Annual 'Salute to Justice'

An event honoring Michigan’s Distinguished Judges of Lebanese descent

(BIRMINGHAM, MI) – The Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce announced today its second annual Salute to Justice event honoring distinguished Michigan judges of Lebanese & Middle Eastern descent. The banquet will feature a number of judges confirmed to attend and is set to take place on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 6:30 pm at the Farmington Hills Manor in the northwest Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills.

“From Los Angeles to New York, judges serve a fundamental role in communities across America, and I don’t know of anywhere else where this many judges of Lebanese-descent currently serve on the bench,” said John Akouri, Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce Chairman & CEO. “Michigan proudly leads the nation in Judges of Middle Eastern ancestry. In fact, just last year, Michigan witnessed the investiture of two new Lebanese American judges. And today, we applaud the announcement of the appointment of the Honorable Henry W. Saad to the position of Chief Judge of the Michigan Appellate Court. With the Metro Detroit area’s rich cultural heritage and ethnic diversity, the Chamber is pleased to recognize their work and celebrate their achievements.

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Officially welcomed by the Chamber's general counsel, the premiere event in 2007 featured remarks from Attorney General Mike Cox with a special guest appearance by former Detroit Mayor and Supreme Court Justice Dennis W. Archer. The Judges were introduced by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 TV personality Chuck Stokes and the audience was treated to a performance of musical selections by The Northern Lights High School Choir. The highlight of the evening was a special tribute recognition for a lifetime of achievements presented to the Honorable George Caram Steeh, Sr. to celebrate a generation of accomplishments and life-long contributions to society - including service in the Unites States Navy, as a District Court Judge, and in the Michigan House of Representatives and State Senate. For more information or to reserve your tickets for the 2008 Dinner, please visit: http://www.salutetojustice.org/.

The current roster of Michigan Judges of Lebanese origin serving on the bench includes:

HON. GEORGE CARAM STEEH, JR.
US District Court Judge
HON. MONA MAJZOUB
US District Court Magistrate
HON. ALFRED MORAD
US Administrative Law Judge (ret)
HON. HENRY WILLIAM SAAD
Michigan Appellate Court Chief Judge
HON. DAVID J. ALLEN
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge
HON. CHARLENE MAKLED ELDER
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge
HON. JAMES J. RASHID
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge (ret)
HON. LINDA SAOUD HALLMARK
Oakland County Probate Courty Judge
HON. DAVID VIVIANO
Macomb County Circuit Court Judge
HON. TRACEY YOKICH
Macomb County Circuit Court Judge
HON. KAREN KHALIL BOUZAS
Redford District Court Chief Judge
HON. DAVID TURFE
Dearborn Heights District Court Judge
HON. GEORGE CARAM STEEH, SR. (ret)
Mt. Clemens District Court Judge