FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BATES AWARDED AN HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM CONCORDIA
ANN ARBOR, Mich. April 20, 2007– Julia R. Bates, prosecutor for Lucas County, Ohio, will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws on Saturday, May 5 at 10:00 a.m. during Concordia University- Ann Arbor’s (CUAA) spring commencement ceremony.
Bates is being recognized for her distinguished servant leadership in the Church and society. In 1996 Julia R. Bates was elected to the Prosecutor’s office in Lucas County and subsequently re-elected twice without opposition. She has taken the lead in initiating and/or expanding a dozen programs designed to enhance citizens’ access to and navigation through the criminal justice system.
During her tenure in the Prosecutor’s Office, Bates was responsible for overseeing the prosecution of thousands of felony cases. In 2000 she was able to successfully prosecute, convict and incarcerate admitted serial killers Anthony and Nathaniel Cook for a series of homicides two decades old. These actions led to establishment of the Cold Case Squad, which has subsequently solved and aided in the prosecution of numerous cases from years past.
Mrs. Bates’ office has been recognized and honored for their work by law enforcement agencies and civic service organizations at all levels, including the United States Department of the Treasury and U.S. Department of Justice. In 2005, Mrs. Bates was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America.
While holding positions of responsibility for many professional organizations, Julia has used her expertise in myriad volunteer capacities. She has been a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and School since 1982, where she taught the Sunday School class for four year olds for 15 years. Julia was Chairman of the Board of Parish Education and served as Chairman of the School Board as well.
Mrs. Bates is a 1972 graduate of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.
She received her J.D. degree in 1976 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1977. Julia is married to Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge James D. Bates. They have two daughters, Lee and Kim, and two sons, Will and Scott.
Concordia University – Ann Arbor is a liberal arts institution of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. With a distinctly Christian environment and an academic community dedicated to excellence, CUAA offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its four schools – School of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, Haab School of Business and Management, and School of Adult and Continuing Education. CUAA is accredited by NCA, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and was among the first colleges to be accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) under the new 2000 standards. For more information on Concordia University-Ann Arbor, visit: www.cuaa.edu
###
