MARCH 2020

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Circuit Court Judge Hopeful is a Community Champion, Fighter BY STEPHEN JONES On Nov. 3, Oakland County attorney Clarence Dass will look to win judgeship in the Oakland County Circuit Court seat currently held by Judge James Alexander, whose term expires Dec. 31. One thing that constituents need to know about Dass—he’s a fighter. He was on the front lines of a legal battle, representing dozens of detained clients who were targeted for deportation to Iraq in the wake of President Donald Trump’s massive immigration sting. Around the same time, Dass was entrenched in a deeply private battle with stage 4 colon cancer. “[The cancer diagnosis] changed everything,” said Dass. “Suddenly, the things that mattered before, didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was waking up every morning and being with my family.” Despite dealing with personal tragedy, Dass knew he couldn’t quit. He knew that he had to stay in the fight for his community—in the fight for justice. “I kept my cancer diagnosis a secret because I knew if I stopped working so many people would not get the help they need, especially those facing deportation,” said Dass. So he continued working. At the same time as his battle with cancer reached its peak, the highly publicized deportation crisis required Dass to focus on work at a tireless rate. “There were days where I would be speaking to clients from a hospital, doing live radio interviews from the hospital bathroom, and traveling in between the hospital and the courthouse,” said Dass. “It was incredibly tiring but amazingly rewarding.” Eventually, Dass secured victories both in his battle with cancer and for his clients facing deportation. After a trying nine months of undergoing treatment, he was cancer free. “I knew that if I woke up every morning and lived my passion, I would make it,” said Dass. “And as a community, we were able to stop the deportations.” Now Dass has sights set on fighting for justice in the Oakland County Circuit Court. Dass is a lifelong resident of Oakland County. He served as assistant prosecuting attorney for the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office from 2012 to 2016. Dass rose to the ranks of the county’s special victims section, where he prosecuted some of the most complex crimes in the county ranging from child and elder abuse to sexual assault, domestic violence and murder. In 2017, He started The Dass Law Firm, specializing in criminal, family, juvenile and municipal law, to help people avoid the justice system. “Over 10 years, I have been a prosecutor, defense attorney, and cancer survivor,” said Dass. “I know that I have a unique perspective that can help others in a significant way. I understand what every person in a courtroom is facing, what they’re feeling, and what they fear. What you want in a judge is someone who understands you and strives for justice. I have done that my whole career, and now I want to give back. My experience will help me help others as a judge.” Dass has been an active member of the Chaldean community his entire career—both professionally and personally. He served on the board of the Chaldean American Bar Association and is a member of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce. He serves as a legal expert for WXYZ-TV and is adjunct professor at Oakland University. Dass serves on the Board of Visitors at the Wayne State Irvin D. Reid Honors College, on the Advisory Board for Gilda’s Club of Metro Detroit—a cancer organization, and he’s very involved with his alma mater St. Mary’s and the Oakland County Bar Association. When asked what guiding principles he uses, Dass points to his life experience as a cancer survivor and champion for justice. “I look to the Constitution—the “What you want in a judge is someone who understands you and strives for justice. I have done that my whole career, and now I want to give back. My experience will help me help others as a judge.” – CLARENCE DAAS document that makes our country unique,” said Dass. “I look to my life experience, and the principles of justice. At the end of the day, what drives me is doing justice by the people I serve.” Dass knows that if he’s successful in his pursuit of a seat on the Oakland County Circuit Court, it will be in no small part, thanks to the contributions and support of the community. “Our campaign is a community effort,” said Dass. “We are not doing it alone. We need everyone to register to vote to spread the word about our campaign and to vote on Nov. 3, 2020. It would be the greatest honor of my life to serve as your next Oakland County Circuit Court Judge.” Dass holds a Juris Doctorate degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and Bachelor of Arts degree in History with honors from Wayne State University. 30 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2020
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Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS MARCH 2020 THE CHALDEAN NE
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MARCH 2020

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