Oakland jurist made a smooth transition from legislative life

A former state legislator, Oakland Circuit Court Judge Rudy Nichols is fond of a cartoon poking fun at the “political swings” of the legislative process. Photo to Tom Kirvan

By Tom Kirvan

Legal News

He spent 8 years in the state legislature, serving in both houses, and he even held the coveted position of chairman of the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee.

And yet, Rudy Nichols was viewed as an “unknown quantity” by attorneys in Oakland County when he was elected to the Circuit Court bench in 1990.

For the former Republican state legislator, who took pride in his role in helping pass a bipartisan bill that put teeth into attempts to secure delinquent child support payments, it was an “odd feeling” to say the least. Almost as uneasy as the situation he would have faced if his judicial bid had been unsuccessful.

“ I had really put all of my eggs in one basket when I decided to run for judge,” Nichols said. “My time was up in the state Senate and I was solely focused on winning the race for Circuit Court judge. I did not have anything else lined up in the event I would have lost. There was no job waiting for me with a major firm or a lobbying position in Lansing. Looking back on it, the decision was a bit risky, but I was confident that I was going to win.”

His track record at the polls certainly provided reason for optimism. He was elected state representative in his home district of Waterford in 1981, defeating the son of the township supervisor by a 49-46 percent margin. A year later, he decided to run for a state senate seat that had become vacant following a recall election, receiving the nod from voters again. The state senator was re-elected to a final 4-year term in 1986.

Still, members of the Oakland County bar weren’t quite sure “what to make of me” when he was sworn in to office, the 63-year-old Nichols admitted.

“ I had practiced law before I was first elected to the state legislature, but I was a bit removed from the legal community in Oakland County,” Judge Nichols said. “My body of work, so to speak, was in the legislature and in politics, and there was a fair amount of uncertainty among local lawyers about what type of judge I would be.”

Dedicated and determined were traits that soon came to mind, as Nichols immersed himself in the rules of evidence and court procedure, assembling his own manuals for ready reference.

“ I spent a lot of Saturdays and Sundays in the office, going over those rules and making sure that I could master them,” Judge Nichols recalled. “It was a time-consuming process, but it really helped me gain my footing as a judge.”

A 1963 graduate of Flint Northern, Nichols was a standout swimmer in high school, setting the standard in the 400-yard freestyle, establishing a city record that stood for 10 years.

“ I began swimming at the local YMCA as a 10-year-old and I’ve always liked the sport,” he said, noting that he has been “fascinated” by the Olympic accomplishments of Michael Phelps. “My coach, Fred Crawford, was a tremendous influence on my life, helping instill the discipline and work ethic it took to succeed in swimming. The training was long and tough, but it was great when you saw the fruits of all the hard work. We used to compete in the Flint Olympic Games with Hamilton, Ontario and it was great fun to be involved in such an event.”

During his senior year at Flint Northern, a school that has produced such basketball stars as Mateen Cleaves and Terry Furlow, Nichols considered attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but opted to cast his academic lot elsewhere as American involvement in Vietnam began to escalate.

“ My parents really encouraged me to go to Michigan State in light of what was going on in Vietnam, so I took their advice and enrolled there, majoring in history with minors in economics and physical education,” Judge Nichols said. “I graduated in 1967 and was a substitute teacher for two years when I heeded the advice of my brother, a doctor, who was encouraging me to apply to law school. He was in the medical corps in Vietnam and we would correspond by tape. He just kept after me to go to law school.”

He enrolled in the former Detroit College of Law in 1970, clerking for Oakland County judges Robert Anderson and Ken Hempstead during his stay at DCL.

“ I really got an inkling about being a judge while clerking for them,” said Judge Nichols, noting that he now works out of the chambers that the late Judge Anderson once occupied. “The challenge of the job and my desire to be involved in public service really made a judgeship appealing to me.”

After graduating from DCL in 1974, Nichols landed his first job in private practice with a Waterford firm, spending 3 years there handling personal injury and divorce cases. He then was appointed deputy city attorney in Pontiac, a post he held for 5 years.

“ I was involved mostly with handling municipal ordinance violations and various aspects of employment law,” Judge Nichols said of his job with the City of Pontiac. “I gained a lot of valuable experience in the area of municipal law.”

In 1980, Nichols was among three finalists for a district court opening in Waterford, a judgeship position that then-Governor William Milliken filled with someone else. While losing out on the appointment was a “disappointment,” Nichols acknowledged that it offered an “opportunity” to pursue his public service aspirations in another branch of government.

“ My time in the legislature, especially when I served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was a tremendous learning experience in how our political system operates. I worked with some very talented and dedicated people,” said Judge Nichols, mentioning the likes of John Engler and Debbie Stabenow. “You really get an education in Lansing.”

The political schooling served him well in his race for Oakland County judge, as did his voracious appetite for books related to campaigns for office.

“ Over the years, I probably have read more than 20 books on running for elective office. I have read practically anything I could get my hands on that dealt with political campaigns and how to effectively run them,” he acknowledged, noting that he particularly enjoyed Theodore White’s series of books on the “Making of a President,” chronicling the 1960-72 presidential campaigns. “Still, running for Circuit Court judge was different, especially because there were eight candidates on the primary ballot. I thought the bar exam was tough, but running for Circuit Court was really a challenge.”

His win in the general election was a “nail-biter” and wasn’t secured until 2 p.m. the day after the election when his opponent, District Court Judge Jim Sheehy, called to concede.

“ We knew around 4 in the morning that we had won, but we couldn’t be sure that there wouldn’t be a recount until he called,” Judge Nichols said. “I heaved a sigh of relief after that call. It was a nerve-wracking night.”

At his side on election night was his wife, Gail, whom he had met while a student at MSU. The couple has two children, Jason and Jodie. Their son, a Hope College alum, is an assistant professor of optometry at Ohio State University. Their daughter, who earned a degree in Constitutional Democracy and Political Theory from James Madison at MSU, works for a Chrysler subsidiary.

Watching the election results from afar that night was his brother, Kirt, a thoracic surgeon at the University of Missouri Medical School. Twin sister, Trudy, a former director of a YWCA, also took delight in her brother’s campaign victory. His parents, Hazel and Walt Nichols, were likewise pleased with the outcome. His father, who is deceased, retired from the Buick Division of General Motors in Flint, working in its data processing department. His mother, now 92, was a nurse’s aide at Hurley Hospital in Flint.

“ My father was awed by Bill Gates and the wonders of the personal computer,” Judge Nichols smiled. “He was just amazed at what could be done on a laptop. He loved technology and all of its advances.”

During his first 7 years on the Circuit Court, Judge Nichols heard hundreds of divorce cases and admitted that the marital break-ups took a judicial toll on him.

“ A steady diet of those cases can be very draining,” Judge Nichols said. “It’s painful to watch the parties battle it out in court, especially when children are involved. I wish there was a much more civil way to bring an end to a marriage. When I was deciding those cases, I was always mindful of a saying in ‘A Judge’s Creeds,’ which says, ‘To have power over the lives of others is a dreadful duty.’ I think of it often in cases that I consider.”

Several years ago he became painfully aware of another of his favorite sayings, “When you get older, there are two places you don’t to be—in the hospital or in court.” Ironically, his presence in one led to his absence from another.

“ I had a foot of my intestine removed in 2003 and then I developed a staph infection, which sidelined me for more than a month,” Judge Nichols related. “It was a painful experience. It gave me a greater appreciation for the value of good health.”

And the opportunity to enjoy such leisure time pursuits as golf, travel, and his Harley.

“ I absolutely love riding my motorcycle,” said Judge Nichols of his Dyna Wide model. “It’s very relaxing to be out on country roads, just watching the miles go by. I can get lost in my thoughts.”

But not too lost. After all, he is a judge, with a built-in legal GPS when it comes to the rules of the road.

“ I haven’t driven it to work yet,” he said. “I asked (Chief) Judge (Wendy) Potts about whether it would be all right, and she was all for it. One of these days, I’ll probably do it, definitely before I hit retirement age.”