Leadership. Experience. Values.

Hello Bill Nordeen here. I am running for Judge of the 96^th District Court in Marquette County.

                Because of the election rules in Michigan, that really do need to be changed, Judge Kangas is not able to run again.  Judge Kangas has done a wonderful job and I wish he could continue on, but unfortunately it is not possible.  I can only hope to follow in his shoes and also be a good Judge.

                The County has very good staff working in the court system.  There are a lot of things involved in running the courts and they make it flow along with very few problems.  I look forward to working with the court staff and I am also always ready to find ways to make things more efficient.

This Judgeship is the best thing for me personally, and it is the best thing for the citizens of Marquette County.  I have dedicated most of my life to community service in Marquette County, which I will touch on in a minute, and I have the proper legal background to be an excellent Judge.

                As an attorney, I am admitted in both Michigan and Wisconsin.  I am also admitted in the Federal Court for the Western District of Michigan and the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the Federal Court for the Central District of Illinois.  Lastly, I am admitted in Tribal Court for Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. 

I have a juris doctorate degree from Thomas M. Cooley law school in Lansing, where I graduated Cum Laude.  I went on to pass the nationwide part of the Bar exam in the top 4% of all takers.  My practice mostly involves civil law issues, that brings me into District court regularly.

                I have extensive appellate experience.  I have argued numerous cases in the Michigan Court of Appeals and I have successfully argued a case before the Michigan Supreme Court.

                I also have an Engineering Degree from Michigan Technological University and I have attended post-graduated courses at Northern Michigan University, University of Maryland, Penn State University, and I attended a Foreign Legal Studies program at the University of Toronto.

                As an engineer, I was with the Naval Intelligence Command in Washington DC for 8 years, where I worked on foreign weapon systems.  I was the co-manager on a project during Desert Shield, that was named as the Intelligence Project of the Year for all intelligence services.  I was named to a special international intelligence sharing committee with Israel, where I attended talks in Tel Aviv.

As an attorney, I represent a variety of clients, to include local contractors like Oberstar, Smith Construction, and VanDamme Trucking & Excavating.  I am the U.P. local counsel for General Motors.  I also represent several municipalities and many, many others for a variety of general civil issues.

                I have done extensive community service.  I am currently a volunteer firefighter in Forsyth Township, which I have done for more than 20 years.  I am the Vice Chair of the Marquette County Board and I serve on the Health Department Board and the Sawyer Operations Authority.    I am an adjunct professor at Northern Michigan University, where I have taught Property Law for about 6 years.  I am a member of the Negaunee Elk’s Club.

                In the past I was elected to the Forsyth Township Board and the Gwinn Area Community Schools Board.  I received a Governor appointment to the Michigan Mining Museum Board and a State appointment to the North Star Academy Board of Trustees.  I was formerly on the boards for Teaching Family Homes, Habitat for Humanity, Pathways, Marquette County Care Facility, and the Airport Advisory Board.  I was the founding President of the Men’s Auxiliary to the VFW Post 5670 in Gwinn.  I was also a Little League coach.

                I have done pro bono work for many non-profit organizations in Marquette County, such as U. P. Pink Power, Community Dinners Feeding Marquette County, Gwinn Alumni Softball, Gwinn Gus Macker, Great Lakes Rodeo of Michigan, and the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association.

                Other than 8 years with the Naval Intelligence, I have spent my entire life in Marquette County.  My family has been in Gwinn, since Gwinn was founded in 1908.  The park in Gwinn is named after my grandfather, Peter Nordeen, and the hall in VFW Post 5670 in Gwinn is named for my very dear uncle, Louie Nordeen.

                It is important for the citizens of Marquette County to have a Judge that understands them.   A Judge that is from Marquette County and has those special values that we have in the U.P. 

                I am that person and I will be a Judge that follows the laws as written, in a fair and equitable manner. 

                Thank you all for your support of me.  I look forward to being elected as District Court Judge in 2026.