Honorable Harold Hood

Chief Judge Pro Tem, Michigan Court of Appeals (retired)

The Honorable Harold Hood was born January 14, 1931 in Hamtramck, Michigan. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from Cass Technical High School (Detroit, MI) in 1948, he entered the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (UM). After his freshman year, he earned Phi Eta Sigma membership, a national honor society reserved for those completing freshman year with a minimum GPA of 3.5. Upon receiving his B.A. from UM in 1952, Judge Hood entered the Army, serving as a First Lieutenant with the 7th Infantry in Korea. After returning to civilian life, he entered Wayne State University Law School, from which he received his Juris Doctor, with distinction, in 1959.

Judge Hood then practiced law in his own firm of  Hood, Rice and Charity until 1961 when he accepted a position as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Detroit, becoming only the third African American to work in that office. Prior to leaving that office he rose to Principal Assistant Corporation Counsel. In 1969 he left to become the Chief Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan where he served until 1973. He was the first person of color to occupy that position.

On January 2, 1973, Judge Hood was appointed to the Common Pleas Court for the City of Detroit. In 1977, he moved to the Recorder's Court. While on that court, he was rated one of the five best judges in Michigan. In 1978, he was appointed to the Wayne County Third Judicial Circuit Court. In 1982, he was appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals by Governor William Milliken. He was re-elected to full terms in 1984, 1990, and 1996. He retired from the bench on January 1, 2003 as Chief Judge Pro Tem.  Also in 2003, he was honored with the creation of the Judge Harold Hood Award by the Association of Black Judges of Michigan, which is presented annually to an outstanding jurist. From 1987 to 2002, Judge Hood chaired the Supreme Court Committee on Standard Civil Jury Instructions.  Judge Hood served as Co-Chair of the State Bar of Michigan's Open Justice Commission, charged with implementing the recommendations of the Michigan Supreme Court's Task Force on Racial and Ethnic Issues in the Courts, which he personally served on for two years. This task force issued a report with 122 recommendations to improve the state’s legal system by eliminating bias and discrimination. Committed to educating the next generation of legal professionals, he served as an adjunct Professor at Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI. and Central Michigan University’s Graduate Division.

Judge Hood was also very active outside of his professional obligations. He served as  chairman of the Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, which, under his leadership, received full accreditation from the American Theological Schools in 2004. He was also an accomplished vocalist, serving as a tenor with the Hartford Memorial Cathedral Choir and tenor Soloist for the first Congregational Church Chancel Choir. He also performed as a vocalist in the Old First Underground Railroad Living Museum Tour.

He was initiated into the Sigma Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1949 and was an active and life-long member of Detroit Alumni Chapter.  On July 9, 2022, by way of the first resolution of the Sigma Chapter Foundation, the "Honorable Harold J. Hood Leadership & Service Scholarship" was created.  On November 22, 2022,  the foundation entered into an agreement with the Alumni Association of University of Michigan to house this scholarship within its LEAD Scholarship.  The scholarship will serve to financially support the academic pursuits of African American men on the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor campus.

On a personal note, he was married to Rev. Dr. Lottie Jones Hood, former pastor of the First Congregational Church of Detroit. She is also the founder and President of BABESWORLD, Inc. a national substance abuse prevention program. He has four children, Harold Keith Hood, Kenneth Hood, Kevin Hood and Karen Hood.

Memberships and Associations 

Wayne State University Law Alumni Association (president)

American Bar Association Judicial Council of the National Bar Association

State Bar of Michigan American Judicature Society

Michigan Judges Association

American Judicature Society

Wolverine Bar Association

Detroit Bar Association

Federal Bar Association

Association of Black Judges of Michigan (founding chairperson)

Wayne County Legal Services (charter board member)

American Inns of Court Foundation (national trustee)

National Trustee National Institute of Municipal Law Officers

National Institute of Municipal Law Officers

Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys (vice-president)

Michigan State Bar Foundation (trustee)

Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission (chairperson)

Michigan Board of Law Examiners (president)

Supreme Court Committee to Review and Consolidate Michigan Court Rules

State Planning Body for Legal Assistance Programs

National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Issues (founding member)

City of Detroit Board of Ethics (chair)

Elizabeth Copeland Glass Scholarship Foundation (chairperson)

Old Newsboys Goodfellows of Detroit (president)  

National Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (national chair)

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People-NAACP (Golden Heritage Life Member)

33rd Degree Mason

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Life Member, Detroit Alumni Chapter-Polemarch)

Faculty Service

Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University, Adjunct Faculty

Central Michigan University Graduate Division, Adjunct Faculty

Michigan Judicial Institute

National Judicial College

Awards and Recognitions

Kappa Alpha Psi Theodore Owens Award

Kappa Alpha Psi Northern Province Achievement Award

Honorable Harold J. Hood Leadership & Service Scholarship (Sigma Chapter Foundation/Alumni        Association of the University of Michigan Lead Scholarship)

Distinguished Alumni Award (Wayne State University)

Distinguished Alumni Award (Wayne State University Law School)

Order of the Coif (Wayne State University Law School)

Distinguished Jurist Award (Wolverine Bar Association)

Judge Harold Hood Award (Association of Black Judges of Michigan)

Judicial Servant Award (Michigan Corrections Association)

Champion of Justice Award (State Bar of Michigan)

Phillip A. Hart Award (Women's Hall of Fame)

NCADD Bronze Key Award

NCADD Silver Key Award

NCADD Marty Mann Founders Award

Damon J. Keith Community Spirit Award (Wolverine Bar Association)

Lifetime Achievement Award (State Bar Appellate Practice Division)

President's Choice Award (State Bar of Michigan)

Lifetime Achievement Award (State Bar Appellate Practice Division)

Leonard F. Sain Award (University of Michigan Black Alumni)

Dennis W. Archer Award for Public Service

Founders Award (National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness)