Charles Leonard Levin (April 28, 1926 – November 19, 2020) was an American judge.[1] He served as a Michigan Court of Appeals judge from 1966 to 1972 and as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from 1973 to 1996.

Charles Levin
Associate Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
In office
January 1, 1973 – December 31, 1996
Judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals
In office
1966–1973
Personal details
Born(1926-04-28)April 28, 1926
Detroit, Michigan
DiedNovember 19, 2020(2020-11-19) (aged 94)
Detroit, Michigan
EducationUniversity of Michigan (B.A., LL.B.)

Early life and career

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He was born in Detroit, Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 1946 and his Bachelor of Laws in 1947 from the University of Michigan Law School.[2] He is a member of the Levin political and legal family of Michigan.

When he decided to run for the Michigan Supreme Court, Levin did not feel comfortable running as either a Democratic or Republican nominee. He then formed his own party and nominated himself. He was elected to two additional terms as an independent candidate. During his tenure on the bench, he gained the respect of many colleagues, prompting U.S. District Court Judge Avern Cohn to note, "Justice Levin has displayed scholarship, pragmatism, insight, honesty, courage, and humanity."[3]

Levin's father, Theodore Levin, was a federal district court judge. His brother, Joseph Levin, ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 1974. His cousin Carl Levin was a U.S. senator for Michigan from 1979 to 2015. His cousin Sander Levin was the U.S. congressman for Michigan's 9th congressional district from 1983 to 2019. Since 2019, his cousin Andy Levin serves as the U.S. congressman for Michigan's 9th congressional district.

In 1999, Levin was remarried to a former law clerk, Helene White, who has been a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 2008. The couple divorced in November 2006.

Levin died on November 19, 2020, in Detroit at the age of 94.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Charles Levin dies at 94". Detroit News. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Student Profile: The Honorable Charles L. Levin". University of Michigan Law School. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
  3. ^ Elisha Fink (September 2000). "Michigan Lawyers in History--Justice Charles Levin: A Scholarly Independent". Michigan Bar Journal. State Bar of Michigan. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2010.