61st District Court

Judge Benjamin H. Logan, II

Judge Logan

Occupation

  • Elected - November 6, 1988
  • Effective service January 1, 1989
  • Re-Elected November 5, 1994 (w/o opposition)
  • Re-Elected November 2000 (w/o opposition)

Previous Occupation

  • Attorney at Law for 16 years
  • Legal Aid of Grand Rapids, 2 years
  • Senior partner at Logan & Beason
  • Specializing in personal injury, civil rights and criminal law

Education

  • Chaminade High School, Dayton, Ohio, 1961
  • Ohio Northern University, B.A. in accounting and history; graduated 1968
  • Ohio Northern University Law School, graduated - Juris Doctorate, 1972 – Concentration: Poverty Law, Criminal Law, Real Estate Law and Tax Law
  • Admitted to practice, Michigan, February of 1973, Washington, D.C., 1975
  • Admitted to United State Supreme Court, April 19, 1976
  • Admitted to 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, December 5, 1977
  • Life member, 6th Circuit Conference, 2000

Professional Career

  • Dayton Tire & Rubber Cost Accountant, 1968 – 69
  • Dayton Public Schools Substitute Teacher, 1969
  • Michigan Civil Rights Referee, 1984 to 1988
  • Davenport College Instructor, evening, 1973 to 1975
  • Grand Valley State University Instructor, 1975 to 1977
  • NAACP Grand Rapids Branch, Member, 1972 to Present
  • NAACP, Life Member, 1985
  • Established Floyd Skinner Bar Association
  • Sigma Pi Phi, Executive National Board Member
  • American Bar Association
    • Judicial Division, 1990-Present
    • Minorities in Judiciary, 1996-2001 – Chair.
  • Judicial Council of NBA Chair, 1994-1996
  • Wolverine Bar Association, 1980-Present
  • Grand Rapids Bar Association Committee Diversity, Membership, Mock Trial, Clerkship.
    • Committee Diversity, Membership, Mock Trial, Clerkship.
  • Michigan State Bar Association-Supreme Court Task Force on Race, Ethnic Bias in the Court, 1982 to 1989
    • Task Force on Race, Ethnic Bias in the Court, 1982 to 1989
  • National Bar Association, Executive National Board Member, 1988 to 1992
  • Recipient of the Donald R. Black Civic Award, presented by Grand Rapids Junior College, May 10, 1989
  • Received Honorary Doctorate of Law Degree, Ohio Northern University, 1992
  • Received Giant of Giants Award, Grand Rapids, January 26, 1996, presented by Grand Rapids Junior College
  • Ohio Northern University Trustee-member finance committee, 1992-Present
  • Law Alumni Association Ohio Northern University- Ada, Ohio-Board Member 1990 to Present

Awards

  • United Supreme Council 33, 1990 & Emeritus 2005, Prince Hall Affiliated.
  • Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Black America, Black Judges in America
  • Who’s Who in Politics, Who’s Who in American Law Enforcement Leaders
  • Distinguished Alumni Award Chaminade, Dayton Ohio, September 27, 1997
  • Meritorious Service Award presented by Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, January 17, 1994
  • Recipient of Key to Cities of: Dayton, Ohio; Kansas City, MO; Las Vegas, NE; Milwaukee, WI; Alliance, OH; Huntington, WV; Bay City, MI; Niles, MI; Pontiac, MI; Muskegon Height, MI
  • Whitney A. Young Award from Boy Scouts, May 27, 1993
  • Augustus D. Straker Trailblazer Award, June 24, 1994
  • NAACP of Grand Rapids Role Model Award, October 10, 1989
  • William Ming Advocacy Award, National N.A.A.C.P., July 14, 1997, Pittsburgh, PA

Other Activities

  • Breakfast Club of Grand Rapids, 1991 to Present
  • Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Beta Omicron Chapter, Founding Member, 1982 to Present
  • Floyd Skinner Bar Association Founder, President, 1982 to 1988
  • Floyd Skinner Bar Association, Board Member, 1988 to Present
  • Association of Black Judges of Michigan, Member, 1989 to Present
  • Lion’s Club of Grand Rapids, Member, 1990 to Present
  • Economic Club of Grand Rapids, Board Member, 1991 to Present
  • United Negro College Fund Chair 2000-2003, West Michigan

Hobbies

  • Former basketball player and racquetball player; presently, due to age and other infirmities: fishing golf, and other sundry activities

Religious Background

  • Baptized and early training - Tabernacle Baptist Church, Dayton, Ohio
  • Presently – Messiah Missionary Baptist Church-Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. Clifton Rhodes, Jr., Grand Rapids, Michigan - Advisor/Consultant for the church

Family

  • Married to Dr. Denise Marie Logan, Occupational Medical Spectrum Health Services; graduate of Michigan State Medical School, Central Michigan University undergraduate with B.S. in biology
  • Parents of five children: Bradford Jesse (BJ), 18; Benjamin William, 16; Barry Louis, 32, Benjamin Matthew, 34, Fonda Jean, 36

Goals and Objectives

To make a path for others to follow. To assist black brothers and sisters and children and families to move to a higher plateau in their lives; to use my position as a role model for youngsters to emulate and to follow; to encourage and increase the number of young black Americans to proceed and progress through education so as to assist others to achieve their higher roles as individuals and as a community; and to use my personal creed so that we will pull others up and put them on our shoulders so that we all can reach higher.