Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Deborah Thomas wants another chance to run for the Michigan Supreme Court.
The Detroit native said Friday during the taping of public television's "Off the Record" program that she's seeking the Democratic nomination to run against incumbent Justice Cliff Taylor in November.
Democrats will choose a nominee at their state convention in September.
Thomas was one of two Democrats nominated for the state's highest court in 2004, but she failed to win a seat. She had unsuccessfully sought the nomination in 2000.
She says she's running in part because she thinks the Supreme Court's Republican majority has restricted access to the court and unduly limited the size of jury awards.
She declined to directly criticize Taylor, who has been on the court since 1997. But she added, "I would go so far as to say we differ greatly."
Last summer, Thomas received a three-page rebuke from the Wayne County Circuit Court's Docket Review Committee.
It said she had the most cases pending and fewest cases tried among the court's judges, and had too many delays. Thomas said Friday that she doesn't always have the evidence or other materials she needs to proceed as fast as court rules dictate.
Thomas said she was interviewed recently by AFL-CIO leaders, but said union officials have decided not to endorse a candidate yet.
Attorney J. Martin Brennan of Bingham Farms also has said he'd like another shot at the court seat. He ran unsuccessfully in the 2002 Supreme Court race as a Democratic nominee.
Detroit attorney Marietta Robinson, who lost to Taylor in 2000, had been considered the Democratic Party's top choice to take him on again. But she bowed out for several reasons.
Thomas said having Illinois Sen. Barack Obama on the ticket as the Democratic presidential candidate could help her attract more votes because his campaign is registering so many new voters.
The race also will include Libertarian candidate Robert Roddis of Grosse Pointe Farms.