Guerriero.

DEARBORN — “I care about the city of Dearborn-our community as a whole-and I believe I have the legal experience, temperament and compassion to serve the community properly as a district court judge,” 19th District Court Judge candidate Tony Guerriero told The Arab American News. 

Guerriero, a former Dearborn magistrate, is gunning for a seat on the bench of the 19th District Court against incumbent Mark Somers in next Tuesday’s election. 

The first generation Italian American has had a long history as a resident, student and employee with the city of Dearborn. Raised in the Southend as a child, Guerriero has spent almost 60 years living in nearly all ends of town, from the east side to the west, except for a brief period when he moved to Allen Park for the position of city attorney.

“We have a very unique and diverse community and it’s very important for the district judge to understand the cultural differences that are prevalent in our community,” Guerriero said. “Especially a community like us where English is a second language.”

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the School of Management at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and attended Wayne State University to attain his juris doctor degree from its law school in 1979.

Guerriero has an impressive resume which reflects his involvement in the courtroom from all ends of the spectrum. From defense attorney, to prosecutor, civil litigator, mediator, arbitrator, magistrate and former district judge in Allen Park, he has consistently been involved with the courts throughout his career. He said his time in the courtroom has helped him develop a high level of patience that he’s going to take with him to the bench.

“As a magistrate and as a district judge, I learned about patience,” Guerriero said. “The ability to be patient with the people before you is really important. People want to be heard. The virtue of patience is the most important, because, unfortunately, too many judges will rush through the docket and try to move the cases along for expediency sake.”

Guerriero said that as a Dearborn judge, it’s important to recognize the various ethnic communities that make up the city. He said he’s seen too many people get caught up in a system that they might not be too familiar with. 

He added that a judge should open lines of communication with residents in the courtroom so that there’s a mutual understanding from both sides of the bench. 

“A judge should spend the time with the person who might not be familiar with our laws and our systems in order to make them feel comfortable with the process and what their rights are,” Guerriero said. “We have people from all walks of life and many residents who are from different backgrounds who come from court systems that are radically different than ours.”

Guerriero also set the record straight regarding his stint as the city attorney in Allen Park. Around that time, the city faced financial set-backs after a $12 million movie studio project had buckled. He said he was not involved in the decision-making process in regards to that project. He decided to resign from his position in Allen Park because he was unhappy with the direction the city was taking.

“I resigned from the city of Allen Park over the studio project,” he said. “It’s important for your readers to understand that as the city attorney I never had any decisions with regards to that project. All decisions in regards to purchasing were made by the mayor and city council. I didn’t close that deal, I didn’t draft any of the documents for that deal and I resigned over that deal.”

In his run-up to the election, Guerriero has received support from various local organizations and leaders, including the Police Officers Association of Dearborn, the Michigan Maritime Trades Port Council and the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council.

He appears to be in good standing with several city officials as well. He and 19th District Chief Judge Sam Salamey have had a lengthy professional relationship and Guerriero said he would look forward to collaborating with Salamey if he wins the judge’s seat. 

Last Month, Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly distributed a letter to local residents throwing his support behind Guerriero. O’Reilly has been vocal about the race, encouraging residents to support Guerriero over Somers.

“The mayor and I have always had a good personal and professional relationship,” Guerriero said. “We may not always agree on every issue, but we always had an open dialogue and have been able to respect our views and positions.  I think he does an excellent job as our mayor and he’s just one of the people who endorsed me. I have a great respect for him and he’s very committed to doing what’s right for Dearborn.”

Despite the heavy backing from the mayor’s office, Guerriero said Dearborn’s residents come first and foremost. He has been door-to-door, knocking across town and attending Neighborhood Association meetings, to listen to residential concerns. 

Sometimes he even finds himself walking the streets in  neighborhoods where he grew up. 

“There’s an old saying, you can take the boy out of the Southend, but you can never take the Southend out of the boy,” Guerriero said. “I keep coming back here because this is the greatest place on earth to live. People need to realize what a jewel Dearborn is. My family and friends are all here and all the institutions I support are here. I love Dearborn; it’s that simple.”