Don Binkowski
Judge, lawyer
Born Oct. 26, 1929, Detroit (MI), U.S.; son of Alex and Helen (Wojtowicz); married Christina (De Sano Swieczkowski); children: Donna Faye, Beth Ann, Alex.
Education: Bachelor of Arts (A.B.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1951; University of Detroit Law School, 1951-53; Juris Doctor (J.D.), Wayne State University, Detroit, 1956.
Career: field representative, Social Security Administration, 1951-53; claim adjuster, supervisor, Allstate Insurance Company, 1956-57; assistant attorney general, Lansing (MI), 1957-59; attorney, Wayne County Circuit Court, 1959-60; member, Michigan Constitutional Convention, Detroit 2nd Senatorial District, 1961-62; attorney, private practice, 1961-68; mayor pro-term, councilman, City of Warren (MI), 1967-68; judge, 37th District Court, Warren, 1969-87; retired.
Author: article in Michigan Challenge, 1972; chapter in Ethnic Politics in Urban America: The Polish Experience in Four Cities, 1978.
Member of: president, Polish American Advocates Bar Association, 1956; attorney, Central Citizens Committee (Polish American Umbrella Organization), 1957-60; chairman, Warren Historical Commission, 1970-72; State Bar of Michigan; Michigan District Judges Association; past member, Catholic Lawyers Society, Catholic Workers, Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, Polish National Alliance (P.N.A.), Alliance of Poles, Polish Roman Catholic Union of America; current member, Michigan Historical Society, Sierra Club, Wayne State University and University of Michigan Alumni Associations, American Youth Hostel, Polish Arts Society, Hendersonville Historical Society, Hendersonville Friends of Library, North Carolina Archeological Society.
Honors: Delta Theta Phi; award, American Polish Action Council, 1973; Public Service award, 1976; Gold Cross of Merit, Polish Government in Exile, London (United Kingdom), 1980; Polonia Civic Leader, Central Citizens Committee, 1981; listed in: Who's Who in the Midwest, Who' Who in the Law, Michigan Authors; mentioned favorably in numerous publications.
Served with: U.S. Army, corporal, 1953-54.
Affiliation: Roman Catholic.
Language: English.
Hobbies: photography, reading and writing local history, collecting North Carolina pottery.
Home: 2110 Cumming Woods Ct, Hendersonville, NC 28739
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1996