College President Larry Arnn and Judge Patrick O’Grady shake hands under a portrait of Winston Churchill. Arnn has endorsed O’Grady. Courtesy | Wendy O’Grady

Wendy O’Grady knew her husband would do great things — and now Judge Patrick William O’Grady is running for the Michigan Supreme Court.

“He’s a very smart person, he loves law, and he’s very calm and methodical,” Wendy O’Grady said. “He brings a lot of reason to a lot of conversations, which I think is impressive.” 

Patrick O’Grady joins Michigan State Rep. and Hillsdale College alumnus Andrew Fink, R-Hillsdale, on the ballot this November. Both men are running for the Michigan Supreme Court, with two seats up for grabs in the upcoming election. 

Patrick O’Grady currently serves on the 15th Circuit Court in Coldwater as the circuit judge and has presided over 14,000 cases in his 15-plus years of experience. Prior to running for the bench in 2008, Patrick O’Grady served his community in various capacities, all of which have led him to run for the Michigan Supreme Court. 

“I’ve had the call to serve ever since I was a trooper,” Patrick O’Grady said. “I truly believe this is a thorough level of experience to bring to the Supreme Court.” 

While in law school, Patrick O’Grady became a state trooper and patrolled the evening shift in Jonesville. By day he was a law student, and by night a state trooper, but Patrick O’Grady was also a full-time dad. According to Wendy O’Grady, the two met in high school, and growing up with Patrick O’Grady instilled a strong faith in her husband’s abilities and intelligence.

“It does surprise him. It doesn’t surprise me,” Wendy O’Grady said. “He attended law school at the same time while being a state trooper and raising a family. Watching him navigate that and grow into it was impressive. And we would look back over the years like, ‘How did we do that?’” 

After completing his undergraduate degree at Western Michigan University, Patrick O’Grady was stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia. 

Patrick O’Grady credits those experiences for why he is fit to serve the state as one of its next Supreme Court justices. 

“Every step informs the next,” Patrick O’Grady said. “You’re out there with people at their worst moment when they call 911 asking for help. You better understand the nature of the service when you are meeting people at their worst.” 

Patrick O’Grady received the Republican nomination at the GOP convention on Aug. 24. He is running against current Michigan Supreme Court Judge Kyla Harris Bolden, appointed in 2022 by Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. 

In a campaign rally in Potterville, Michigan, former president Donald Trump gave Patrick O’Grady a shout out leading up to November’s race. 

“Another one, highly respected,” the former president said. “Whatever you are doing, keep it going.” 

With O’Grady running against the Democratic incumbent, and Fink vying for the seat left vacant by Republican Justice David Viviano ’94 — another Hillsdale grad — victories for both men in November could secure a Republican majority on Michigan’s highest court. 

The O’Grady family has long-standing connections to Hillsdale, as well as other rural Michigan communities. 

“I bring a perspective of roughly 60-75 counties that are not currently represented on the bench,” Patrick O’Grady said. “Lots of judges come from large metro areas and I can add the perspective of those counties from rural Michigan.” 

According to Wendy O’Grady, the family became familiar with Hillsdale when their eldest daughter, Paige, started high school at Hillsdale Academy. Their son Shane graduated from the college in 2022 and their youngest daughter Ella is currently enrolled at the academy. Wendy O’Grady works at the college as the executive secretary to the vice president of finance and treasurer. 

“I’ve been a volunteer at Hillsdale College and volunteer at Career Services on a yearly basis,” Patrick O’Grady said. “Hillsdale is a great place to understand fundamental learning.” 

Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn recently endorsed Patrick O’Grady. 

“Judge O’Grady has distinguished himself in law enforcement, as a husband, as a father, and as a member of our community,” Arnn said. “He will be a splendid justice for the rule of law and has my full support.”

Patrick O’Grady describes himself as a “Rule of Law” judge, a philosophy he plans to bring to the court if elected. 

“We should not legislate from the bench,” Patrick O’Grady said. “That is why you elect legislators every two years. The law simply is what it is.” 

Wendy O’Grady said if elected, her husband hopes to ground the court. 

“He’s the one who’s very methodical and thought out,” Wendy O’Grady said. “He can see both sides very well without getting emotionally charged.” 

The O’Gradys have enjoyed campaigning thus far, but it does create challenges for the family. 

“For me, it’s getting to engage with people across the entire state and going to counties where I’ve patrolled and lived speaking to thousands of people,” Patrick O’Grady said. “It’s been wonderful to listen to the families and people.” 

The judge’s family has traveled with him to a few of the campaign events, but according to Wendy O’Grady, their priority is always their family. 

“The hardest part is that we still have a child at home, and we don’t want to forget that we’re still a family,” Wendy O’Grady said.”We still like to have dinners together and we’re trying to maintain a family schedule. I think the hardest part is keeping the family unit still intact, as it should be. That’s very important to us.” 

Family means a lot to the O’Gradys. While the time away from home is hard, Wendy O’Grady said she appreciates the man Patrick O’Grady is.  

“He loves the ’80s, and you probably can’t stump him on a line or a lyric out of a movie or a song out of the ’80s,” Wendy O’Grady said.