7/10/02

The legal community is mourning the loss of Court of Appeals Judge Martin M. Doctoroff who passed away at home in Troy on July 9, 2002. He was 69.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday at the Ira Kaufman Chapel, 18325 W. Nine Mile, Southfield (248)-569-0020. Memorial contributions may be sent to ALS of Michigan, 21311 Civic Center Drive, Ste. 200, Southfield 48067 or to Project ALS, 511 Avenue of Americas, New York, NY 10011.

"Marty Doctoroff was a wonderful man, a dedicated father and a credit to the profession which he loved so much. He will be sincerely missed by all of us who knew him and we express our deepest sympathy to his family," said Bruce W. Neckers, President of the State Bar of Michigan."

Judge Doctoroff served on the State Bar of Michigan Board of Commissioners from 1990-1999, and on the State Bar Representative Assembly from 1993-1996. He was elected Secretary of the State Bar of Michigan from 1993-1996. In 2001, he was awarded the State Bar of Michigan Champion of Justice Award for his devotion to the improvement of the administration of justice. While serving as chief judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals, he was tireless in his efforts to reduce the decade long backlog that plagued the Michigan Court of Appeals. .He was a member of the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association, the Southfield Bar Association, and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He served on the State Bar Committees on Lawyers and Judges Assistance, Grievance, and Judicial Qualifications. He was a member of the Attorney Discipline Board from 1984-1990. He also served as a member of the ABA House of Delegates.

John T. Berry, the Executive Director of the State Bar of Michigan, said "I have known Marty for more than 15 years through my work with the American Bar Association and the National Organization of Bar Counsel and his work with the American Bar Association House of Delegates. His leadership in the areas of ethics and professionalism is greatly respected throughout our Bar, our State and our Country, and he will be greatly missed."

Judge Doctoroff earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and law degree from the University of Michigan in 1957. After serving three years as a U.S. Government Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation, he went into private practice. He was appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals by then-Governor James Blanchard in April 1987, and was elected to the court in 1988, 1992, and 1998. Judge Doctoroff served as chief judge of the Court of Appeals from 1992-1997. In June, he resigned from the court effective September 1, citing his battle with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Judge Doctoroff is survived by four sons, Daniel, Thomas, Mark, and Andrew.

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