Cori E. Barkman Appointed to 29th Circuit Court of Clinton and Gratiot Counties

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 19, 2021
Contact: press@michigan.gov  

Governor Whitmer Makes Appointments to the Bench 

 LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointments of Cori E. Barkman to the 29th Circuit Court of Clinton and Gratiot Counties and Jennifer E. Deegan to the 57th Circuit Court of Emmet County.   

“I am honored to appoint Cori Barkman and Jennifer Deegan, two extraordinary women, to the bench here in Michigan,” said Governor Whitmer. “Their extensive experience and records of service will strengthen our judicial system and I know they will faithfully uphold the rule of law and ensure justice for all.”  

29th Circuit Court of Clinton and Gratiot Counties   

Cori E. Barkman currently serves as First Assistant Attorney General in the Michigan Department of Corrections Division of the Attorney General's Office. In her role, Ms. Barkman oversees a team of lawyers and support staff who practice in the federal and state courts across Michigan and handle a wide variety of cases. She previously served as an administrative law judge at the St. Louis Correctional Facility and as a senior litigation attorney in the Attorney General’s Office.    

Ms. Barkman holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and earned her Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School. She is the Michigan co-chair of the National Association of Women Judges, a life member of the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference, and a member of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, the Western District of Michigan Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and the Ingham County Bar Association. She lives in DeWitt with her husband Russell and their two middle school aged children.  

"I am thrilled to receive this appointment so that I may serve the citizens of Clinton and Gratiot Counties,” said Barkman. “I know that when a litigant appears in court, it is because they have experienced a difficulty that needs resolution. I pledge that I will put in the work to deeply understand the issues and circumstances surrounding each case so that I may make sound decisions that serve justice and bring closure and resolution to the parties.”  

This appointment was made to fill a partial term, which expires at twelve o’clock noon on January 1, 2023, after Judge Michelle Rick was elected to the Michigan Court of Appeals. If Ms. Barkman wishes to seek a full six-year term, she would be required to run for reelection in November of 2022.