DETROIT, MI, August 17, 2021- The Judicial Tenure Commission is very sad to report the passing of our beloved chairperson, Hon. Karen Fort Hood. Judge Hood passed away suddenly the evening of Sunday, August 15.

Judge Fort Hood was the Court of Appeals representative on the Commission for a little more than four years. Two things about her time with the Commission stood out: 1) She always had a kind and generous word for every person on our staff, and her interactions were always warm. She liked and respected everyone. 2) She called the shots as she saw them, without fear or favor. Her sense of justice was well tempered with a strong sense of mercy. She brought those qualities, along with her strong common sense based on her years as a judge and her life experience, to the Commission’s work.

We will miss Judge Fort Hood very much. In the words of Commissioner Jaafar, the sadness brought by the news of her passing has been overwhelming.  Her beautiful soul and spirit, her uplifting character and her loving demeanor, have left us with an emptiness that can never be filled. May her memory be eternal and her optimism remind us to embrace and appreciate our present.