-Schiavone Studio, Kalamazoo
After he retired from trust work at the First National Bank and Trust Company in 1976, C.H. was practicing law with the firm of Martell and Allen.
A group of close friends and community leaders urged C.H. to apply to the State of Michigan to fill a vacancy on the bench of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Kalamazoo County, due to the death of Judge Raymond W. Fox, in 1977.
C.H. thought carefully about this momentous undertaking, and rose to the challenge. He applied to fill the vacancy, and was duly appointed Circuit Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit by Michigan Governor William G. Milliken in September, 1977.
The document bearing the seal of the State of Michigan reads:
State of Michigan
Executive Department
William G. Milliken
Governor of the State of Michigan
"To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting:
Know Ye, That reposing special trust and confidence in the integrity and ability of
Charles H. Mullen, Jr.
In the Name and by the Authority of the People of the State of Michigan,
I do appoint
him
Circuit Court Judge
Ninth Judicial Circuit
Term expires January 1, 1979
Document dated: October 3, 1977
Judge C.H. Mullen with Judge Glenn S. Allen, Jr.
-Photo by Jerry Campbell, Kalamazoo Gazette
The formal swearing-in ceremony took place on September 30, 1977 at the Kalamazoo County
Courthouse with C.H.'s former law partner Glenn S. Allen, Jr., Michigan Court of Appeals Judge,
administering the oath of office. Glenn Allen and Joe Crum gave C.H. his first job in Kalamazoo
when they invited him to join their law firm in 1947, which became Crum, Allen and Mullen.
when they invited him to join their law firm in 1947, which became Crum, Allen and Mullen.
A large contingency of family members, colleagues and friends were present to see C.H. don his
judge's robes, take the oath of office, and begin a new chapter in his life.
C.H. waiting to be sworn in
A warm welcome from distinguished colleagues
-Photo by Jerry Campbell, Kalamazoo Gazette
-Photo by Schiavone Studio, Kalamazoo
Swearing-in ceremony montage of photos by Schiavone Studio, Kalamazoo.
(click on to enlarge)
Good friend Caroline Ham and colleague Judge Robert Borsos at a yard party at C.H. and Alice's.
Ta da! A perfect fit!
Waite Avenue neighbors got into the spirit of things and surprised C.H. with this yard sign.
Neighbor Richard Gerstner, one of the organizers of the display, waits for C.H.'s reaction.
They provided C.H. with a robe and judicial wig for the occasion!
~ ELECTION YEAR 1978
-Kalamazoo Gazette,
May 22, 1978
A year after his appointment to the bench, Judge Mullen ran for a six-year term in the 1978 election,
and won. He embarked on what was to be one of the most rewarding decades in his life.
Scroll down this page to the August 7th blog posting entitled:
"Making Headlines" The Kalamazoo Gazette Gets the Story.
It is a compendium of highlights from Judge Mullen's tenure
on the bench as they appeared in Gazette headlines, articles,
and editorials.
Judge Mullen with court staff members and lawyers, c.1978.
Power couples, left to right: Governor William G. Milliken and Hon. Glenn S. Allen, Jr.,
and their wives, Alice and Hon. C.H. Mullen, in Lansing, c.1980.
-Photo by Betty Jane Owen, East Lansing, Michigan.
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