Zimmer named Michigan Court of Appeals chief clerk

Attorney Jerome W. Zimmer, Jr., District Clerk of the Court of Appeals’ Detroit office, has been named the court’s chief clerk, Chief Judge William B. Murphy announced Tuesday. Zimmer’s appointment is effective today.

Zimmer, who has also served as district clerk of the Court of Appeals’ Troy office, “brings to this challenging job not only impressive legal credentials, but also outstanding administrative skills,” Murphy said. “Just to give one example: As district clerk of the Detroit office, Jerry used statistical analysis to see where workflow in the Detroit and Troy offices could be improved.
With the Troy district clerk, he then streamlined processes in both offices to ensure timely docketing of all filings. The changes he instituted has helped those offices to operate more efficiently and with fewer employees.”

Zimmer, who earned an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Michigan, is a magna cum laude graduate of the Michigan State University College of Law. He joined the Court of Appeals in 1995 as a prehearing attorney; from 1997-2000, he served as regulatory counsel for First Mercury Financial Corporation, where his responsibilities included advising corporate offices on regulatory compliance issues in all 50 states.

In 2000, Zimmer returned to the Court of Appeals, first as assistant to the chief clerk, and then as assistant clerk. In January 2011, he was named district clerk to the Court of Appeals’ Troy office, becoming district clerk of the Detroit office in October 2011.

Zimmer represented the Court of Appeals in communications with legislative offices regarding the Crime Victim’s Rights Act in 2000 and the Court of Appeals redistricting legislation in 2001, Murphy noted.

“In all his service to this court, Jerry has addressed critical issues, including delay reduction and use of new technologies, with innovative thinking and sound leadership,” he said.

The Michigan Court of Appeals is the state’s intermediate appellate court, with offices in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Troy. For more information about the Court of Appeals, visit www.courts.mi.gov/courts/coa/pages/default.aspx.