keeping strength on the
keeping strength on the bench Judge Diane D’Agostini: Promises made – and delivered By Vanessa Denha Garmo Twelve years ago, Diane (Dickow) D’Agostini made promises to the community when she first ran for a seat on the bench in 48 th District Court. Today, she shows the record of accomplishment, having delivered on those promises and asking voters to once again entrust her with the job. “First and foremost, I want to extend my most heartfelt gratitude, my thanks to the community,” said D’Agostini. “When I approached everyone 12 years ago — asking for help and support — they did so with an open heart. Now, I ask them to consider supporting me again going into my third term.” ‘I believe in accountability and having high standards.’ She has not only proven to have strength on the bench — as her campaign slogan touts — she has proven her commitment to protect the community and uphold the law. She wants to continue serving the community. “I have tremendous respect for the position,” said D’Agostini. “You are able to impact people so much. I can impact the community by making decisions and keeping them safe and I also help people.” She is often reminded of the impact she has made by the letters citizens have written. She has hundreds of them in a file folder she keeps inside her chambers. Many of them start out with a “thank you” for the sentence D’Agostini gave because ultimately it “saved their lives” as stated in the stack of letters. She has kept every letter over the past 12 years. “I keep these letters and often read them so I can always be reminded that I am here because God put me here,” she stated humbly. “God works through people and I believe He is working through me. I don’t take the credit. If He gives me this opportunity to change lives, I will use it.” Whether it is a mother of three with a drug problem or a teenage waitress with a Driving Under the Influence charge writing to D’Agostini, she is known for holding people accountable and keeping the community safe. Many of the defendants express gratitude to the judge for “stern, rational, standard setting, unaccepting of excuses and demanding accountability” decisions. Her focus has been to keep the community safe and protect some of the most vulnerable citizens — our children. She has spoken to tens of thousands of people, mostly children and their parents about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Never having declined a speaking engagement to educate the community about the law, she has spoken at schools, church groups and coalitions. “I believe in accountability and having high standards,” said D’Agostini. “I believe in not having the offense repeated, changing behaviors, bettering a person and keeping the community safe.” D’Agostini is also known in the community for her traveling courtroom where she holds court hearings inside schools to demonstrate to junior high and high school students the court process and the consequences of violating the law. She holds about 10 a year. She is also known as being an efficient manager. The Michigan Supreme Court appointed D’Agostini to the position of Chief Judge three times. As Chief Judge, she has made cost-saving decisions that saved more than million taxpayer dollars. She even reduced her own staff by not replacing employees when they retired. She does not have a secretary. She has ordered wrongdoers to complete more than 101,200 hours of community service to clean parks, schools and other public areas resulting in more than 0,000 of labor being put back into the community. She has also ordered criminal defendants to pay victims back for fraud, embezzlement, theft, assault and other crimes, totaling hundreds of thousand of dollars going to crime victims. “I believe in restitution,” said D’Agostini. “I will follow these people until they pay the crime victims and make them whole again.” She has more than 20 years of experience serving and protecting citizens as a District Judge and former Assistant Prosecutor. She was awarded the Domestic Violence Prevention award in 2011 and is endorsed by Bloomfield Township Chief of Police Kirt Bowden, West Bloomfield Chief of Police Mike Patton, Birmingham Chief of Police Don Studt and Keego Harbor Chief of Police Kenneth Hurst. D’Agostini is married to attorney Lorenzo D’Agostini. They have two children. Visit JudgeDagostini.com. 26 CHALDEAN NEWS JULY 2012
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