[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 22576-22577]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              RETIREMENT OF THE HONORABLE ROMAN S. GRIBBS

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
Honorable Roman S. Gribbs, who will retire this year after a long and 
successful career of service to the State of Michigan. As Sheriff of 
Wayne County, Mayor of Detroit, and, for the last 18 years, a judge on 
the State of Michigan Court of Appeals, Judge Gribbs has been a 
statewide leader for over 30 years, and he has led with a strong and 
fair hand.
  Judge Gribbs was born on December 29, 1925. After graduating from 
Capac High School in the Michigan Thumb area, he enlisted in the United 
States Army, from which he received an honorable discharge in 1948, 
having attained the rank of Sergeant. In 1952, he graduated Magna Cum 
Laude from the University of Detroit with a degree in Economics and 
Accounting, and in 1954 he graduated from the University of Detroit Law 
School with a Juris Doctor degree.
  Following graduation, Judge Gribbs remained at the University of 
Detroit

[[Page 22577]]

Law School for two years as an instructor. He then spent two years as 
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor before moving into private practice 
with the firm of Shaheen, Gribbs and Shaheen. In 1966, he was named 
Presiding Traffic Court Referee for the City of Detroit, and in June of 
1968 he was appointed Sheriff of Wayne County.
  In November of 1970, Judge Gribbs was elected Mayor of the City of 
Detroit. In his four years as Mayor, he became known not only as a 
solid leader, but a solid man, who was willing to work with individuals 
from both sides of the aisle to get things done. He played a large role 
in helping the city put the unruliness of the late 1960's behind it, 
and once again begin to move in a forward direction. During this time, 
he also served as President of the National League of Cities, a fact 
which illustrates that his leadership capabilities were well recognized 
by his colleagues.
  Following his term as Mayor, Judge Gribbs briefly returned to private 
practice before being appointed to serve as a Judge for the Third 
Judicial Court in 1976. In 1982, he was elected to the State of 
Michigan Court of Appeals, and he has served in this position ever 
since. Judge Gribbs brings to the bench a keen understanding of the 
law. More importantly, he carries with him an approach to its 
application that is deeply rooted in common sense. He makes many 
difficult decisions each year, and he makes these decisions with his 
first and foremost priority being to find a just solution to the 
problem at hand. It is for this reason that he has become a well 
respected Jurist.
  Judge Gribbs is a member of numerous organizations, which will allow 
him to remain an active member of society following his retirement. 
These include the Michigan Judicial Institute, the Detroit Institute of 
Arts, the Michigan Judges' Association, and the Friends of the 
Archbishop of Detroit. He has also been very active in the Boy Scouts 
of America, the American Judicature Society, the Family Conciliation 
Court, the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, 
the Michigan Youth Commission, the World Trade Club of Detroit and the 
Slavic American National Foundation. In addition, he is presently on 
the Board of Directors of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, the Public 
Administration Foundation and the Northville Township Community 
Foundation.
  Mr. President, Judge Gribbs' contributions to the City of Detroit and 
the State of Michigan are truly immeasurable. I would like to thank him 
for his dedication and his many efforts throughout his career. His 
leadership during this time has been exceptional, and it will be dearly 
missed by the State of Michigan. On behalf of the entire United States 
Senate, I congratulate the Honorable Roman S. Gribbs on a wonderful and 
successful career, and wish him the best of luck in retirement.

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