Justice Richard Bernstein became the first blind justice, elected by voters statewide, to the Michigan Supreme Court in November 2014.
Justice Richard Bernstein became the first blind justice, elected by voters statewide, to the Michigan Supreme Court in November 2014. With a commitment to justice and fairness, Bernstein began his first eight-year term in January 2015 and his second term in January 2023.
Prior to being elected to Michigan’s highest court, Justice Bernstein was known as a tireless advocate for disability rights as an attorney, heading the public service division for The Sam Bernstein Law Firm in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Blind since birth, Justice Bernstein is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Michigan and earned his juris doctor from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois.
Justice Bernstein believes advocacy is about action. He has been committed to using his skills and training to achieve justice for his clients. Justice Bernstein’s cases often set national standards protecting the rights and safety of people with and without disabilities.
Among his cases in private practice, he represented the Paralyzed Veterans of America in partnership with the United States Department of Justice in an action against the University of Michigan to allow for safe access for individuals with disabilities when the university’s alterations to the stadium failed to accommodate and represent disabled visitors. The case helped establish guidelines that are used by all commercial facilities across the country. He also challenged the City of New York to make Central Park and all of its parks safer for visitors and accessible for people with disabilities and visual impairments.
He also successfully partnered with the United States Department of Justice to force the City of Detroit to fix broken wheelchair lifts on its buses, establishing a precedent for accessibility in public transportation. Justice Bernstein also represented residents with disabilities against the Oakland County Road Commission in Michigan after “roundabout” traffic circles were built without accessibility for people with disabilities, impacting future Americans with Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) compliance for road construction throughout the United States. Further, in a landmark settlement against Delta Airlines and Detroit Metro Airport, Justice Bernstein gained accessibility for fliers with disabilities, setting the standard for how airlines and airports are to be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
A proponent of education, Justice Bernstein argued for, and won, preservation of special education funding throughout the state and filed a federal suit against the American Bar Association to put an end to its discriminatory practices toward blind students via requirement of the Law School Admissions Test. He has also previously served an eight-year term on the Wayne State University Board of Governors, elected by voters statewide, serving as its Chair from 2009-2010. He also served as an adjunct professor in the political science department at the University of Michigan.
Honors Justice Bernstein has received include: “Michiganian of the Year” by the Detroit News, one of Crain’s Detroit Business’ “40 Under 40” and recognition on worldwide television by CNN as a leader in keeping government honest. He was selected by The Young Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Michigan as the 2003-2004 Regeana Myrick Outstanding Young Lawyer.
He is an award recipient for outstanding commitment to public service and is the recipient of the 2008 John W. Cummiskey Pro Bono Award from the State Bar of Michigan in recognition of his leadership as an advocate and activist. Michigan Lawyers Weekly named Justice Bernstein a 2009 Leader in the Law, and the University of Michigan presented him with the James T. Neubacher Award in 2011 for his unwavering commitment to equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities. Also in 2011, L. Brooks Patterson, Michigan’s Oakland County Executive at the time, selected Justice Bernstein as one of the region’s Elite 40 Under 40. In 2013, Justice Bernstein was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
In his spare time, Justice Bernstein is an avid runner, completing 23 marathons – including 14 New York City marathons – the full Ironman triathlon in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 2008, and the Israman triathlon’s half Ironman in Eilat, Israel, in 2011.
He also previously co-hosted a one-hour legal radio show called “Fighting for Justice” on WCHB-AM (1200) in Metro Detroit. Justice Bernstein delivered a Ted Talk, presented at the United Nations, and has given more than 500 speeches on various topics. He worked on strengthening The Abraham Accords, an unprecedented agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which resulted in an award created and presented to Justice Bernstein by the King of the UAE. Justice Bernstein’s work and contributions have been and continue to be featured around the world.