In a Spring 2024 photo, Judge Timothy Connors is pictured with his wife Margaret.
The Honorable Timothy P. Connors retired on Dec. 31, after 34 years on the bench; he remains active as a mediator/facilitator.
At a Special Session of the Washtenaw County Trial Court on April 24, the State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section honored Judge Connors for his lifetime of public service and presented him with a lifetime achievement award – the first time the Negligence Law Section has bestowed such a lifetime honor.
Among the persons making remarks at the ceremony were Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh; Chief Judge Michael Petoskey of the Pokagon Bank of Potawatomi; and State Bar of Michigan President and Honorary Consul to the Republic of Ireland, Hon. Joseph Patrick McGill.
The celebration was held in the courtroom of Chief Judge Patrick Conlin.
Judge Connors also received lifetime judicial excellence awards from the Washtenaw County Bar Association, the Washtenaw Association for Justice and students from the University of Michigan Law School where Judge Connors taught Civil Trial Advocacy and/or Peacemaking and Restorative Justice. A student from Wayne Law, where Judge Connors has taught, also attended the event.
Judge Connors also will be honored with a judicial excellence award by the Michigan Association for Justice at a May 10 banquet in Detroit.
Judge Connors served as a State Court Judge since 1991. For 11 of those years he was a Chief Judge. He was Presiding Judge for the Peacemaking Court, Presiding Judge for the Business Court and handled civil and ICWA cases. He is a past co-chair, and current member of the Michigan Tribal-State-Federal Forum. He also served by appointment as Judge Pro Tem for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
His many awards over the years include the Hilda Gage Judicial Excellence Award from the Michigan Judges Association; the Reverend Thomas H. Smith Humanitarian Service Award from the Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church; the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Innovator of the Year Award for Implementing Tribal Peacemaking Practices in a State Court System – The Washtenaw County Peacemaking Court; to name just a few.
At the April 24 event, State Bar President Joseph McGill was among those who extolled the virtues of Judge Connors. The speech by McGill, who recently was appointed Honorary Consul of Ireland, is reprinted with his permission below.
At a Special Session of the Washtenaw County Trial Court on April 24, the State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section honored Judge Connors for his lifetime of public service and presented him with a lifetime achievement award – the first time the Negligence Law Section has bestowed such a lifetime honor.
Among the persons making remarks at the ceremony were Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh; Chief Judge Michael Petoskey of the Pokagon Bank of Potawatomi; and State Bar of Michigan President and Honorary Consul to the Republic of Ireland, Hon. Joseph Patrick McGill.
The celebration was held in the courtroom of Chief Judge Patrick Conlin.
Judge Connors also received lifetime judicial excellence awards from the Washtenaw County Bar Association, the Washtenaw Association for Justice and students from the University of Michigan Law School where Judge Connors taught Civil Trial Advocacy and/or Peacemaking and Restorative Justice. A student from Wayne Law, where Judge Connors has taught, also attended the event.
Judge Connors also will be honored with a judicial excellence award by the Michigan Association for Justice at a May 10 banquet in Detroit.
Judge Connors served as a State Court Judge since 1991. For 11 of those years he was a Chief Judge. He was Presiding Judge for the Peacemaking Court, Presiding Judge for the Business Court and handled civil and ICWA cases. He is a past co-chair, and current member of the Michigan Tribal-State-Federal Forum. He also served by appointment as Judge Pro Tem for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
His many awards over the years include the Hilda Gage Judicial Excellence Award from the Michigan Judges Association; the Reverend Thomas H. Smith Humanitarian Service Award from the Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church; the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Innovator of the Year Award for Implementing Tribal Peacemaking Practices in a State Court System – The Washtenaw County Peacemaking Court; to name just a few.
At the April 24 event, State Bar President Joseph McGill was among those who extolled the virtues of Judge Connors. The speech by McGill, who recently was appointed Honorary Consul of Ireland, is reprinted with his permission below.
A celebration of Judge Timothy P. Connors
Good afternoon to you all:
My name is Joseph McGill, and I am proud to serve as the 90th President of the State Bar of Michigan and Ireland’s Honorary Consul to the state of Michigan.
It is my great honor to speak with you today on behalf of the State Bar of Michigan as we celebrate the extraordinary career of Judge Timothy P. Connors, a jurist whose impact on the Washtenaw County bench, and on our legal community, is both profound and enduring.
Today, we celebrate a legacy — one built on decades of service, integrity, and an unwavering belief in the power and responsibility of the law.
Judge Connors has served the people of Washtenaw County with distinction, wisdom, and humility. From his first day on the bench, to this new chapter of service to the community. He has embodied what we all hope for in a judge: a deep knowledge of the law, a steady and principled hand, and a true understanding of the members of the public he has served.
Whether presiding over complex civil matters, high-stakes criminal trials, or sensitive family law matters, Judge Connors brought not just intellect, but empathy — not just authority, but fairness. His courtroom was a place where all voices could be heard, where due process was sacred, and where justice was not just a concept, but a daily practice.
Attorneys and colleagues alike speak of Judge Connors as a mentor, a model of professionalism, and a trusted presence on the bench. His leadership and collegiality have strengthened the judiciary; his thoughtful, grounded rulings have earned the respect of both sides of the bar.
His impact has extended well beyond the walls of this courtroom. Judge Connors has been a true bridge-builder — particularly through his extensive work in collaboration with Michigan’s tribal courts. His commitment to strengthening relationships between state and tribal justice systems has helped advance mutual understanding, respect for tribal sovereignty, and more culturally appropriate justice for Native communities. That work has required more than just a knowledge of the law — it has required humility, listening, and trust. Judge Connors brought all three in abundance.
His visionary work as the presiding judge of the Washtenaw County Peacemaking Court stands as one of his most enduring contributions. Drawing inspiration from various Native justice systems and their restorative practices, Judge Connors reimagined what a courtroom could be — not just a venue for resolution, but a place for healing. In the Peacemaking Court, parties are invited not only to settle disputes, but to truly be heard, to understand one another, and to restore relationships, fractured by conflict.
And through it all, Judge Connors brought with him a distinctly Irish pragmatism. The kind that values common sense over theatrics. That understands people are complicated, life is messy, and justice isn’t always a straight line. It’s a trait that shaped his decisions and his demeanor — a steady, grounded wisdom rooted in the belief that while the law must be principled, its application must be practical. His Irish pragmatism helps him cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters – workable and lasting solutions.
This is not the kind of pragmatism that compromises principle — but one that balances idealism with the actual human consequences of his judicial decisions. It is no accident that under his guidance, courts became places where dignity was preserved, where difficult truths could be aired, and where people were treated not only lawfully -- but fairly.
And beyond the courtroom, many of us have also come to admire Judge Connors for his deep pride in his Irish heritage. That heritage is not just a matter of ancestry — it is a lens through which he has lived and served: one that values tradition, storytelling, resilience, and community. You can hear it in his wit, feel it in his sense of justice, and see it in the quiet, thoughtful way he carries out his duties.
Judge Connors’ career has strengthened the very foundation of our legal system. He has mentored young attorneys, served the public with integrity, worked to build bridges across jurisdictions and cultures, and shown us what it means to lead with both your head and your heart.
So, as you move on to this new chapter of service, I’d like to close with a traditional Irish blessing — one that feels especially fitting for a judge who has spent his career weighing the past, the present, and the future with great care:
“May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been,
the foresight to know where you are going,
and the insight to know when you have gone too far.”
Judge Connors has always known just how far to go — and no further.
So, on behalf of the State Bar of Michigan and the people of Ireland, thank you for your service. Thank you for your legacy. And thank you for reminding us, every day, what justice can and should be.
Sláinte — and congratulations.
My name is Joseph McGill, and I am proud to serve as the 90th President of the State Bar of Michigan and Ireland’s Honorary Consul to the state of Michigan.
It is my great honor to speak with you today on behalf of the State Bar of Michigan as we celebrate the extraordinary career of Judge Timothy P. Connors, a jurist whose impact on the Washtenaw County bench, and on our legal community, is both profound and enduring.
Today, we celebrate a legacy — one built on decades of service, integrity, and an unwavering belief in the power and responsibility of the law.
Judge Connors has served the people of Washtenaw County with distinction, wisdom, and humility. From his first day on the bench, to this new chapter of service to the community. He has embodied what we all hope for in a judge: a deep knowledge of the law, a steady and principled hand, and a true understanding of the members of the public he has served.
Whether presiding over complex civil matters, high-stakes criminal trials, or sensitive family law matters, Judge Connors brought not just intellect, but empathy — not just authority, but fairness. His courtroom was a place where all voices could be heard, where due process was sacred, and where justice was not just a concept, but a daily practice.
Attorneys and colleagues alike speak of Judge Connors as a mentor, a model of professionalism, and a trusted presence on the bench. His leadership and collegiality have strengthened the judiciary; his thoughtful, grounded rulings have earned the respect of both sides of the bar.
His impact has extended well beyond the walls of this courtroom. Judge Connors has been a true bridge-builder — particularly through his extensive work in collaboration with Michigan’s tribal courts. His commitment to strengthening relationships between state and tribal justice systems has helped advance mutual understanding, respect for tribal sovereignty, and more culturally appropriate justice for Native communities. That work has required more than just a knowledge of the law — it has required humility, listening, and trust. Judge Connors brought all three in abundance.
His visionary work as the presiding judge of the Washtenaw County Peacemaking Court stands as one of his most enduring contributions. Drawing inspiration from various Native justice systems and their restorative practices, Judge Connors reimagined what a courtroom could be — not just a venue for resolution, but a place for healing. In the Peacemaking Court, parties are invited not only to settle disputes, but to truly be heard, to understand one another, and to restore relationships, fractured by conflict.
And through it all, Judge Connors brought with him a distinctly Irish pragmatism. The kind that values common sense over theatrics. That understands people are complicated, life is messy, and justice isn’t always a straight line. It’s a trait that shaped his decisions and his demeanor — a steady, grounded wisdom rooted in the belief that while the law must be principled, its application must be practical. His Irish pragmatism helps him cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters – workable and lasting solutions.
This is not the kind of pragmatism that compromises principle — but one that balances idealism with the actual human consequences of his judicial decisions. It is no accident that under his guidance, courts became places where dignity was preserved, where difficult truths could be aired, and where people were treated not only lawfully -- but fairly.
And beyond the courtroom, many of us have also come to admire Judge Connors for his deep pride in his Irish heritage. That heritage is not just a matter of ancestry — it is a lens through which he has lived and served: one that values tradition, storytelling, resilience, and community. You can hear it in his wit, feel it in his sense of justice, and see it in the quiet, thoughtful way he carries out his duties.
Judge Connors’ career has strengthened the very foundation of our legal system. He has mentored young attorneys, served the public with integrity, worked to build bridges across jurisdictions and cultures, and shown us what it means to lead with both your head and your heart.
So, as you move on to this new chapter of service, I’d like to close with a traditional Irish blessing — one that feels especially fitting for a judge who has spent his career weighing the past, the present, and the future with great care:
“May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been,
the foresight to know where you are going,
and the insight to know when you have gone too far.”
Judge Connors has always known just how far to go — and no further.
So, on behalf of the State Bar of Michigan and the people of Ireland, thank you for your service. Thank you for your legacy. And thank you for reminding us, every day, what justice can and should be.
Sláinte — and congratulations.
Judge Timothy Connors holds his Lifetime Achievement Award from the State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section, one of several awards he was honored with at an April 24 celebration. Judge Connors retired at the end of 2024, but remains active as a mediator/facilitator.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://www.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
