Romulus attorney challenges embattled judge

Alexandria Taylor, a Romulus attorney, has announced her candidacy for 34th District Court Judge, challenging Judge David Parrott who is facing a domestic violence charge and has gone on a leave of absence from his position for 45 to 60 days.
Judge Parrott, who also has appealed a Jan. 25, 2019 drunk driving charge in Manistee to the Michigan Court of Appeals, is up for reelection in November.
Taylor, 39, and mother of three, is an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and the managing attorney of Taylor Law Firm. She is a lifelong resident of Romulus and has presided as chairperson of the Romulus Charter Commission for nearly a decade.
Taylor, a graduate of Romulus Community Schools, earned her bachelor of arts degree from Michigan State University, master of arts degree from Eastern Michigan and her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of law. She was admitted to the bar in 2011.
Monday’s news release on her candidacy said she has extensive courtroom experience having formerly served as assistant city attorney for the cities of Woodhaven and Allen Park. In addition to practicing in local district and circuit courts, Taylor is also licensed in the Michigan Federal Court and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
She ran for State Representative in the 12th District in 2018 and was beaten in the primary by Alex Garza, who went on to win the seat.
Taylor states she is committed to upholding integrity and honesty in the judiciary.
In a Feb. 12 letter to 34th District Court Chief Judge Brian A. Oakley, Judge Parrott submitted his plans to step back from the bench temporarily.
“Regardless of the merits of both of these matters, the mere fact that the allegations were made, warrants a searching evaluation of my relations, as well as my physical, emotional and mental state,” he wrote.
Parrott said he was “deeply disappointed” in himself “for being in the position of even responding to these embarrassing situations.”
He said while his time away from the court “may be indeterminate at this time,” he hopes to be able to return to the bench in 45-60 days.
In the meantime, his court docket will be split between the other two judges and magistrates at the court. When necessary, sitting judges in Wayne County will be asked to assist with the court’s docket. There will be no additional costs incurred to the court when other sitting judges are asked to fill in. Parrott will continue to receive his salary.
Parrott is due in 35th District Court in Plymouth at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 28 for his pretrial on the domestic violence misdemeanor charge. He is free on $2,500 personal bond.
His misdemeanor, single-vehicle, drunk-driving accident charge in Manistee County from a Dec. 25, 2018 incident is being appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals, which has agreed to hear the case. The next step is for his attorney to file his brief.
His attorney Mike Nichols said of the Manistee charge, “We have arguments seeking to introduce important evidence of his innocence pending before the court of appeals. Judge Parrott is going through a crisis in his life with all of these allegations, as well as the fact that it is in a very public forum.
“Imagine yourself going through this under a very hot spotlight … He is going to take time and step away from the bench. He’s also going to undergo an evaluation to see what he may need in his life in terms of perhaps some treatment for various things.
“We are asking constituents to be patient, respectful and to know these charges will be litigated in court,” Nichols said.
“He’s a great guy who is determined to become a better, more humble jurist if the voters will have him and a better person out of all this turmoil,” Nichols said.