Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America’s Student Ambassadors, Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman, chat with Constitutional experts on hot-topic issues via Zoom!
Part 8 of our “Bill of Rights” series – Sixth, Seventh & Eighth Amendments
Special Guest: Judge Michael Warren
Hon. Michael Warren was appointed to Michigan’s Oakland County Circuit Court in December 2002, and retained the position in unopposed elections in 2004 and 2006. He serves as the Presiding Judge of the General Civil/Criminal Division of the Court.
With his then 10 year old daughter Leah, he co-created Patriot Week in 2009 (www.PatriotWeek.org). Patriot Week renews America’s spirit by celebrating the First Principles, Founding Fathers and other Patriots, vital documents and speeches, and flags that make America the greatest nation in world history. Patriot Week has been recognized by state and local resolutions, and has been celebrated in a dozen states. Scores of K-12 schools (public, charter, private and home), universities, law schools, student groups, community organizations (Rotaries, Kiwanis, senior centers, religious, and others), cities, counties, courts, law firms, businesses, senior living communities, libraries, hospitals, historical groups, private homes, public officials, and others engage in a wide range of grassroots activities (including parades, festivals, panel discussions, speakers, lesson plans, picnics, commemorations, etc.). The grassroots effort is renewing the spirit of America, one person at a time, and is spreading throughout the nation. Judge Warren blogs about Patriot Week at http://patriotweek.blogspot.com.
He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cornerstone Schools, and a Trustee for the Michigan Council on Economics Education. He received The Great Influence Award from the Michigan Council for the Social Studies, and a Special Tribute from the Michigan Legislature.
He is the creator of the Court’s Constitution Day and Patriot Week activities. He has received the Distinguished Public Servant Award from the Oakland County Bar Association and the Distinguished Jurist Award from the Women’s Bar Association/Oakland Region. He teaches Constitutional Law as a Visiting Professor at Cooley Law School.
Judge Warren is a former member of the Michigan State Board of Education. He held the positions of Secretary and Chair of the State Board’s Task Force on Embracing the Information Age. He previously served as the State Board’s legal and policy advisor. Judge Warren’s efforts helped lead to fundamental revisions of The Revised School Code and the adoption of significant education policies. His policy achievements include, among others, the approval of Learning Expectations for Michigan’s Students and the incorporation of civics and social studies in the state accreditation system. After leaving the State Board of Education, he served on the State Board’s Task Force on Social Studies. He is also is a former executive member of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Center for Civic Education. He also served on the Advisory Boards of the Michigan Civics Institute and Michigan School Board Leaders Association. He formerly served as the Chair of the Parish Council and on the administration commission at St. Ives Parish.
Judge Warren has published a large number of guest commentaries regarding the law, education, and civics in The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Oakland Press, and other newspapers. He has also participated as a member of the faculty for various Institute for Continuing Legal Education conferences. He has published extensively regarding contempt of court.
Judge Warren is a former partner of the Detroit based law firm Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLLP, where he concentrated on business transactions, corporations, and securities work. He also served as the Executive Director (and in other capacities) for The New Common School Foundation (a Detroit based foundation working to build models of excellence in urban education).
Judge Warren is a 1992 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School (Juris Doctor Degree, Cum Laude) and a 1989 graduate of Wayne State University (Bachelor of Arts Honors History, Magna Cum Laude). Following graduation from law school, Judge Warren was a clerk to Michigan Supreme Court Justice Dorothy Comstock Riley.
Sign Up For Our Series: The Bill Of Rights & You!
All 2pm Eastern – Signup Links Hyperlinked on Dates
Tuesday, December 1 – 6th, 7th, 8th Amendments
Tuesday, December 8 – 9th & 10th Amendments
Tuesday, December 15 – Passing the Bill Of Rights, James Madison, Influences & Inspirations
‘Constitutional Chats’ Hosts
Janine Turner
Actress Janine Turner is famous for her role as Maggie O’Connell in televisions’ Northern Exposure. She is the Founder and Co-President of Constituting America which launched in 2010. She is still acting but she is also actively teaching kids about the U.S. Constitution given over 540 speeches to classrooms across the country.
Cathy Gillespie
Cathy Gillespie is the co-president of Constituting America and one of 16 private citizens serving on the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, helping organize the celebration of our country’s 250th birthday in 2026! She is a former Congressional Chief of Staff and former Commissioner of the White House Fellows Commission.
Tova Love Kaplan
Tova Love Kaplan is sixteen years old and lives in Chicago, Illinois. She currently serves as the National Youth Director for Constituting America, and runs the National Youth Advisory Council. She is a three-time winner of the “We the Future” contest in the Entrepreneurial (where she created a marketing plan), PSA (entitled “Know Your Rights. Read The Constitution”) and STEM (where she created an app). She is passionate about educating and empowering young people to use their constitutional rights!
Dakare Chatman
Constituting America Student Ambassador Dakare Chatman is 18 years old, and is currently a junior, full-time college student in South Carolina. He has won Constituting America’s We The Future Contest twice, once for best PSA where he reminded viewers the Constitution is “An American Thing, So Know It” and twice for his short film “Man On The Street.” He is also actively involved in our National Youth Advisory Board. He’s a working actor seen most recently in HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones and on April 15 in Netflix’s: Outer Banks. Dakare wishes to be an actor, but also a politician. But says you must be an actor to be a politician.