Senior U.S. 6th Circuit Court Judge (inactive)
Mediator/Arbitrator Emeritus
Judge Ryan’s services are available only upon request. Scheduling requests can be made directly to Scheduling@mijadr.com
E-mail: scheduling@mijadr.com
Phone: 734-744-9822
The Hon. James L Ryan (Inactive) is only available at our Livonia Office for limited consultation as a neutral evaluator or to provide mock appellate argument to a party involved in a state or federal appellate matter. Judge Ryan is an inactive Senior U.S. Circuit Court Judge. He was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit by President Ronald Reagan in October 1985. His earlier career included twenty-two years of service in the Michigan judiciary, including twelve years as a trial judge and ten years as a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. During his Michigan Supreme Court Service, Judge Ryan founded the Michigan Judicial Institute-the continuing judicial education arm of the Supreme Court – and directed its work.
Judge Ryan earned his BA and LLB degrees from the University of Detroit. Before beginning his career in the judiciary in 1963, he was engaged in the private practice of law.
Following his graduation from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1956, Judge Ryan served as a Law Specialist in the United States Navy and was assigned to the Judge Advocate General and duty with the United States Marine Corps. Upon his release from active duty in 1960, he continued to serve in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the United States Naval Reserve and, in 1992, retired from the Naval Reserve as a Military Judge with the rank of Captain.
Judge Ryan has extensive teaching experience. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at Ave Maria Law School, the University of Detroit School of Law, and at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He has lectured on Evidence, Criminal Procedure, and Constitutional Law at those institutions and at state and federal judicial training sessions in 30 states. Judge Ryan has served as a faculty member of the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada and the Appellate Judges Conference of the American Bar Association.
Judge Ryan is a past President of the Association of Irish American Lawyers and a Director of Angel’s Place, which provides residential living facilities for developmentally impaired adults.
Judge Ryan is married to Loretta Nagle Ryan. Both Judge and Mrs. Ryan’s previous spouses are deceased. Their blended families include 10 children, 41 grand children and many great grand-children.