Eastern District Court closing Monday for Judge Cohn's funeral

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan will be closed Monday in recognition of the life and service of Judge Avern Cohn, and so that staff can attend his funeral, court spokesman David Ashenfelter announced Sunday. 

Cohn died Friday at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak following a brief illness. He was 97.

He spent over four decades on the bench before retiring in 2019, age 95. Friends, colleagues and mentees of Cohn described him as a "legend" and a "titan" who had an "absolutely beautiful" mind and was able to critically address his own flaws, with a dedication to growing from them. 

Michigan Chief Justice Bridget McCormack shared a picture of her with Cohn on Twitter and called Cohn a "judge's judge in every way."

"He really was the most curious person I've ever met with very strong opinions," McCormack said. 

But he was also "almost delighted if you disagreed with him and and pushed back on something."

Cohn's funeral service will be at 2 p.m. at the Ira Kaufman Chapel at 18325 W. Nine Mile Road in Southfield, Ashenfelter said Sunday. It will be live-streamed on the chapel website. Cohn will then be interned at the Clover Hill Park Cemetery at 2425 E. Fourteen Mile Road in Birmingham. 

Memorial contributions for Judge Cohn may be made to the Jewish Historical Society, American Civil Liberties Union, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Jewish Association for Residential Care. 

halbarghouthi@detroitnews.com

@HaniBarghouthi