Brian Zahra, son of Larry Zahra, Malta’s honorary consul in Detroit, has been appointed to the Supreme Court of Michigan.

Judge Zahra, 51, who until recently sat on the Michigan Court of Appeals, replaces Justice Maura Corrigan, who has now been appointed director of the Department of Human Services.

Judge Zahra’s appointment by the governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, was praised by The Detroit News, which quoted former Detroit mayor Dennis Archer, a Democrat and a former Supreme Court judge, as “an outstanding and fair-minded judge”. According to the newspaper, “Judge Zahra has a sharp legal mind and writes opinions that are unmistakably clear”.

The Detroit Free Press said Zahra “will add important intellect and pensiveness to the high court bench. His actions should match that potential”.

Judge Zahra, who is a Republican, will have to stand for re-election in November 2012.

A 1977 graduate of Dearborn Divine Child High School, Zahra received a Bachelor of General Studies degree from Wayne State University in 1984. After graduating cum laude from the University of Detroit Law School, he served for two years as law clerk to Judge Lawrence Zatkoff, of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He then joined the Detroit-based law firm ofDickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman and became a partner in the firm.

In 1994, Zahra was appointed to the Wayne County Circuit Court by Governor John Engler and won a six-year term in the 1996 election. Engler appointed Zahra to the Court of Appeals in December 1998; Zahra was elected to a six-year term on that court in 2000.

Judge Zahra resides in Northville Township with his wife, Suzanne Casey, and their two children. He has visited Malta a number of times and during one of them he also met the latePresident Guido de Marco.