Hon. William J. Giovan, (Ret.)
MichiganHon. William J. Giovan, (Ret.) is a skilled mediator, arbitrator and special master with extensive experience in settling personal injury and commercial/business disputes.
Types of Cases Resolved
- Auto Liability
- Business Dissolution
- Construction
- Personal Injury
- Property Damage
ADR Experience and Qualifications
- 39-year judicial career, including Chief Judge of the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan, 2008-2009; Presiding Judge, Civil Division, 2000-2007; Chief Judge Pro Tempore, 2004-2005; Common Pleas Court; Recorders Court; Grosse Pointe Woods Municipal Court
Professional Activities and Awards
- Detroit Bar Association Distinguished Service Award
- American Jurisprudence Award, Contracts
- Instructor, Michigan Judicial Institute
- Instructor, Center for the Administration of Justice
- Instructor, Institute on Continuing Legal Education
- Instructor, National Judicial College, Reno, Nevada
- Instructor, American Academy of Judicial Education
- Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Model Civil Jury Instructions
- Board Member, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
- Italian-American Bar Association of Michigan, Lifetime Achievement Award
- Case Evaluator, Mediation Tribunal Association, Inc.
- State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section
Presentations and Publications
- “On the Nature of Being a Judge,” The Detroit Lawyer, Vol. 41, No. 7
- People v. Jones, 228 Mich. App. 191
- “Hearsay: The Rest of the Definition,” Michigan Bar Journal
- “The Neglected Defense to the Hearsay Objection,” Michigan Bar Journal; reprinted in The Advocate [Ohio State Bar Journal]
- “Pretrial and Trial Procedures under the Michigan Court Rules,” Michigan Bar Journal
- Co-Author, “Civil Procedure Before Trial,” Thomson-West Publishing Company
- “Jury Instructions and Special Verdicts,” Chapter 19, “Civil Procedure” (ICLE)
Education
- J.D., University of Michigan Law School
- B.A., University of Detroit
Admissions
- Michigan State Bar
