Succeeded by Mark Boonstra Succeeded by William Byl Spouse(s) Cynthia | Preceded by Vern Ehlers Political party Republican Party Michigan Republican Party | |
Born April 2, 1950 (age 66)
Chicago, Illinois ( 1950-04-02 ) Alma mater University of Chicago (J.D.)
University of Chicago (M.A.)
Calvin College (B.A.) Residence Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States Education Calvin College, University of Chicago | ||
Richard A. Bandstra is a politician from Michigan, a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives, and a former judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Formerly an attorney in private practice, Bandstra was elected to the House in June 1985. When the House was divided equally between Republicans and Democrats in 1993-1994, he helped draft the power-sharing arrangement and served as the Republican floor leader. Bandstra was elected to the Court of Appeals in 1994, serving through his retirement in January 2011. He was chief judge of the court from 1998 through 2001. While on the bench, Bandstra worked on a project to develop legislation pertaining to independence for courts in Slovakia.
After leaving the court, Attorney General Bill Schuette named Bandstra as his chief legal counsel. Two years later, Governor Rick Snyder appointed him to the state's Board of Ethics.
Bandstra has served since 2013 as the volunteer Executive Director of the Association for a More Just Society (AJS), a Christian organization working with a sister organization in Honduras, seeking to assure better government services and just policies for the poor and powerless in that country.