​Judge Kristina Robinson Garrett was appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals in February 2022 and elected to a full term in November 2022. Before her appointment to the Court of Appeals, she served as a judge of the 36th District Court in Detroit. In this role, she presided over traffic and misdemeanor criminal cases, as well as a variety of specialty courts designed to assist veterans, the homeless, and individuals struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues.
Prior to her tenure at the 36th District Court, Judge Garrett served as General Counsel to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. There, she advised the office on a broad range of legal matters and played a key role in protecting the rights of employees, inmates, and the public.
Deeply committed to public service and access to justice, Judge Garrett currently serves on the Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Michigan Judiciary. She is an active member of several associations, including the Michigan Judges Association, the Association of Black Judges of Michigan, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (Wayne Region), Black Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, D. Augustus Straker Bar Association, Wolverine Bar Association, Detroit Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan (Representative Assembly & Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee), National Bar Association, and American Bar Association.
Additionally, she is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Detroit Alumnae Chapter), and serves on the board of directors of Forgotten Harvest, an organization committed to relieving hunger and preventing nutritious food waste. Recently, she served as the Michigan District Judges Association appointed commissioner on the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, a member of the Judicial Education Board, and is a graduate of the Detroit Regional Chamber Leadership Detroit Class XL.
Judge Garrett is a proud alumna of the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. During her time at the law school, she served as Vice-President of the Association of Black Law Alumni and chaired the Mentoring Committee.
She resides in Detroit with her husband, Judge Austin W. Garrett. Her term expires on January 1, 2029.