Judge Mark Somers was first elected to the 19th District Court bench with his victory in the November 5, 2002 general election and, in November 2008, Dearborn voters returned him to the bench for a second six-year term.   He came to the bench well prepared following nearly 20 years of general practice.  During that span, Somers provided legal counsel and representation to clients in a broad range of civil and criminal matters in more than 40 state and federal courts and tribunals.  In March of 2005 Judge Somers succeeded retired judge Virginia Sobotka as Judge of the Dearborn Area Drug Court focusing on court-supervised rehabilitation and treatment of offenders with substance abuse and addiction issues.  On January 1, 2006, he began a two-year term as Chief Judge of the 19^th District Court by appointment of the Michigan Supreme Court, he was re-appointed to that position by the Supreme Court for the two-year term commencing January 1, 2008, and again for a third consecutive term beginning January 1, 2010.  In recognition of his experience, integrity and performance on the bench, in 2008 the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association gave Somers their highest possible rating of “Outstanding”.  

Somers was elected Treasurer of the Wayne County District Court Judges’ Association for the 2008-2009 term, he continues as an officer for 2009-2010 as the judicial organization’s secretary, and in June he is slated to assume the duties of Vice President.

Born in St. Johns, Michigan in 1958, Somers spent his youth in both Michigan and in India where his parents, Dr. George and Joyce Somers, served as missionaries in agricultural and educational programs.

Shortly after his graduation from an American international high school in India, Somers returned to Michigan to attend the renowned James Madison residential college on the campus of Michigan State University. He graduated with honors, including membership in both the Phi Beta Kappa and the Phi Kappa Phi honor societies.

Somers and his high school sweetheart, Jennie, have been married for over 30 years. They chose to make Dearborn their home in 1980, shortly after he was admitted to Wayne State University Law School.

The couple is active in the Dearborn First United Methodist Church, the Women’s Association for the Dearborn Orchestral Society (WADOS) and the Dearborn Outer Drive Kiwanis Club where Mark served as club president for the 2006-2007 term. Jennie has worked at the United Airlines' reservation office in Dearborn for over 20 years.  She is a member of the Dearborn Garden Club and serves on the Board of Directors of the Dearborn Orchestral Society.

The Somers have two sons, both graduates of Dearborn High School.  Mark Warren II is a graduate of HFCC and the University of Michigan Dearborn where he also earned a Masters in Public Administration.  Edward William (“Ted”) is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Law School at the University of Chicago.  Edward was married in 2008 to his college sweetheart. 

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