Detroit, MI - The Department of Attorney General wishes to acknowledge the career of one of the most capable trial judges in the State of Michigan, Judge Timothy M. Kenny, on the occasion of his retirement after more than 25 years as a circuit court judge in Wayne County, serving as the chief judge of the court since 2019.
Before his career as a trial court judge, Judge Kenny distinguished himself as one of the top trial prosecutors for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for more than 20 years in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. He notably served as one of the directors of the office’s Career Criminal Prosecution Unit, known for its effectiveness in prosecuting serious felons, and he also served as a special assistant U.S. Attorney. He received the Leonard Gilman Award from the Federal Bar Association for the outstanding practice of criminal law.
As a jurist, Judge Kenny was widely respected throughout the legal community, known for his reputation in being prepared for his cases, his knowledge of the law, his decisive and consistent rulings, and his fairness to all parties. Judge Kenny served as a reporter for the State Bar Committee on Standard Criminal Jury Instructions. He also served as a judge for the Mental Health Court and the Adult Drug Court program. He presided over the Wayne circuit court during the difficult time of the Coronavirus epidemic these last few years and issued important rulings throughout his career, most recently in dismissing a legal challenge to the absent ballot program against the City of Detroit before the 2022 general election.
As an attorney, Judge Kenny represented the best of public service through his commitment to the rule of law and excellence in the roles he performed. Moreover, his consistent decency, respect, and consideration of all parties and residents whom he encountered as a judge and prosecutor form a central place in his lasting legacy as a servant of the people.