In March 1992, Governor John Engler appointed Wilder as judge of the Washtenaw County Circuit Court to complete the six-year term of Ross W. Campbell.[2][3] In November 1992, Wilder was elected to a full term, and was the first African American judge elected in that county.[2][4][5] In December 1998, Governor Engler elevated Wilder to the Michigan First District Court of Appeals.[6][7] Wilder was elected in 2000, and re-elected in 2004, 2010 and 2016.[8]
On May 9, 2017, Governor Snyder appointed Wilder to the Michigan Supreme Court.[9][10] Wilder completed his predecessor Robert P. Young Jr.'s term in December 2018.[10]
In November 2018, Wilder ran unsuccessfully for election to a full eight-year term but was defeated by Megan Cavanagh in the election by 54,000 votes out of 3 million cast.[11][12] His departure left the Court with no sitting African-American justice.[13] After leaving office, he returned to practice law at Butzel Long.[14]
In July 2017, Wilder received the Honorable Harold Hood Award, presented by the Association of Black Judges of Michigan.[5] In October 2018, he was presented the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Integrity Award.[15]
^Curry, George (2003). The Best of Emerge Magazine. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. p. 539. ISBN9780345462282. Retrieved November 25, 2017. In Michigan, judges aligned with the Federalist Society included...Kurtis T. Wilder.
