Greg Mathis

Greg Mathis
Mathis with his wife Linda in December 2010
Judge 36th District Court of the State of Michigan
In office 1995–1998
Personal details
Born	Gregory Ellis Mathis[1] (1960-04-05) April 5, 1960 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Linda Reese (1985–present)
Children	Amir Mathis Camara Mathis Jade Mathis Greg Mathis Jr.
Alma mater	Eastern Michigan University University of Detroit
Occupation	Judge, writer

Gregory Ellis "Greg" Mathis (born April 5, 1960) is a retired Michigan 36th District Court judge and syndicated television show arbiter on the long-running reality courtroom show Judge Mathis. Produced in Chicago, Illinois, the program has been on the air since 1999 and is currently into its 18th season as of September 5, 2016. Mathis boasts the longest reign of any African American presiding as a court show judge, beating out Judge Joe Brown whose program lasted 15 seasons. Mathis is also the second longest serving television arbitrator ever, behind Judith Sheindlin of Judge Judy.

A spiritually inspired play, Been there, Done that, based on his life toured twenty-two cities in the U.S. in 2002. In addition, Inner City Miracle, a memoir, was published by Ballantine Books.

Early life

Mathis was born in Detroit, Michigan, was the fourth of four boys born to Charles Mathis, a Detroit native, and his wife Alice Lee Mathis, a devoted Seventh-day Adventist, nurse's aide, and housekeeper. Alice (then divorced from Charles) raised Mathis alone in Detroit during the turbulent 1960s and 1970s.

Judge Mathis' real father was estranged from him, but associated closely with the Errol Flynns, a past notorious Detroit street gang, that Mathis would eventually join while a teenager. In the 1970s, he was arrested numerous times. While he was incarcerated in Wayne County Jail, as a seventeen-year-old juvenile, his mother visited him and broke the news that she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Mathis was offered early probation because of his mother's illness.

Once out of jail, Mathis began working at McDonald's, a job he needed to keep in order to maintain his release on probation. A close family friend helped Mathis get admitted to Eastern Michigan University, and he discovered a new interest in politics and public administration. He became a campus activist and worked for the Democratic Party, organizing several demonstrations against South African Apartheid policies. He graduated with a B.S. Public Administration from the Ypsilanti campus and began to seek employment in Detroit's City Hall. He also became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Mathis met his eventual wife, Linda, a fellow EMU student, shortly after his mother's death. They would go on to have four children together, a daughter Jade, born May 1985, daughter Camara, born October 1987, son Greg Jr. born January 1989 and son Amir, born July 1990.^[2]

Election to District Court

Mathis was denied a license to practice law for several years after graduating from law school because of his criminal past. He received his J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy in 1987. In 1995, he was elected a district court judge for Michigan's 36th District, making him the youngest person in the state to hold the post. During the five years he was on the bench, he was rated in the top five of all judges in the 36th District; there are about thirty judges each year.

Political career

Mathis began his political career as an unpaid intern, and then became an assistant to Clyde Cleveland, a city council member. It was at this time Mathis took the LSAT and applied to law schools; he was conditionally admitted to the University of Detroit School of Law, which was located in downtown Detroit, walking distance from city hall. He passed a summer course and was officially admitted to the night program which took four years to complete.

Mathis was appointed head of Jesse Jackson's Presidential campaign in the state of Michigan in 1988. Mathis later became head of Mayor Coleman Young's re-election campaign and after the victory was appointed to run the city's east side city hall.

Mathis has continued to be involved in politics after rising to national entertainment prominence through his television show. Urban politics and African-American movements have been his focus. Most recently, Mathis was invited by the Obama administration to be a part of "My Brothers Keeper", a White House Initiative to empower boys, and men of color.^[3]

On June 4, 2011, Motor City drivers lined up for blocks for free gas Friday, courtesy of a grateful Greg Mathis. Mathis offered up to $92 worth of free gasoline apiece to the first 92 drivers to show up at a northwest Detroit Mobil station. He told the Detroit Free Press it was a gift to the people who elected him to District Court despite his youthful criminal record. "LA didn't elect me judge," he said. "Chicago didn't elect me judge. Detroiters took a chance on me. It's just the right thing to do. And when you're blessed, you have to look out for the rest." The giveaway took place near the Mathis Community Center, which he funds. Its activities include self-improvement classes, food and clothing assistance, and training for ex-convicts. "No matter what international fame he's achieved, he's still a hometown guy," said WMXD-FM's Frankie Darcell, who announced the location on the air. "Everybody's happy. I'm happy," said gas station owner Mike Safiedine. "The people need it, especially (because) the price is very high."

Authored book

In September 2008, Mathis wrote a novel called Street Judge, based on the life of a judge who solves murders. It was co-written by Zane, a well-known erotic series writer of Zane's Sex Chronicles. Mathis also wrote a book entitled Of Being a Judge to Criminals and Such.

Bibliography

• Mathis, Greg and Blair S. Walker. Inner City Miracle, Ballantine: New York, 2002.
• Mathis, Greg. "Black men must fight back against obstacles." (For Brothers O Ebony (magazine). February 1, 2007. vol: 62:4 p. 38

References

External links

• Judge Mathis Empowerment Network web site
• Judge Mathis television web site