Judge Kelly Ramsey — Criminal Division
Position
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Court | Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court (Criminal Division) |
| Elected | November 2016 |
| Re-elected | November 2022 — term ends January 1, 2029 |
| Prior | 23+ years referee in Wayne County 3rd Circuit Family Division/Juvenile; 5+ years Wayne County APA |
Connection to Banks Network
The Ramsey Cluster
| Person | Role | Connection to Banks |
|---|---|---|
| Alexis Ramsey | Highland Park School Board President — pushed Banks into Promise Schools, then into MacDowell | Gateway to Banks’ institutional access (see below) |
| Carl Ramsey | 7th grade teacher at MacDowell Preparatory Academy | On Banks’ payroll |
| Tarajah Ramsey | External Relations Officer at MacDowell (since Jun 2021) | On Banks’ payroll |
Alexis Ramsey — The Gateway
Alexis Ramsey was President of the Highland Park School Board when she:
- Pushed to replace Leona Group (for-profit charter operator) with Promise Schools (2019)
- “Strongly suggested on more than one occasion” that Promise Schools hire Brian Banks (per CEO Melissa Hamann to board member Eban Morales)
- Promise Schools then managed MacDowell Prep — giving Banks institutional access to the school he would later take over
- Ramsey claimed she “merely mentioned” Banks; Morales says Hamann told him Ramsey “strongly suggested” it
- DPSCD rejected Banks during the same period — Asst. Supt. Chrystal Wilson: “more detailed information regarding Mr. Banks’s background was realized that made it untenable”
- Promise Schools CEO Hamann said she “would consider hiring Banks again”
Alexis Ramsey also appeared on Todd Perkins’ podcast “Perkins for the People” (Mar 2026). Perkins was City Attorney for Highland Park where Alexis was school board president.
Family relationship note: Whether Alexis Ramsey is Judge Kelly Ramsey’s daughter is reported in source material but not independently confirmed in public records reviewed here.
Key Facts
- A judge’s family member (Alexis) pushed Banks into Promise Schools — the system that gave him institutional access
- Two other Ramseys (Carl + Tarajah) are on Banks’ school payroll at MacDowell Preparatory Academy
- Judge Ramsey has jurisdiction over criminal cases that could involve Banks network members
- Three family members connected to the Banks network while the judge sits on the criminal bench
- Alexis is Executive Director of We Care Foster Care — successor to “For The Seventh Generation,” an org Judge Ramsey co-founded
Related Judges
| Judge | Court | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Cylenthia Miller | Wayne County 3rd Circuit | MacDowell/PCA board ties |
| Tenisha Yancey | 36th District Court | MacDowell Board Chair |
| Sean Perkins | 36th District Court | Todd Perkins (Banks’ attorney) is his brother |
Verify
- FOX 2 Detroit (2019): Promise Schools / Banks hiring — fox2detroit.com
- Chalkbeat (Mar 2019): Promise Schools transition
- Mackinac Center (2019): Banks hiring coverage
- MacDowell website: macdowellprep.com/about (Carl Ramsey), macdowellprep.com/clients (Tarajah Ramsey)
- Legal News: Judge Ramsey profile
- Ballotpedia: 📚 Ballotpedia : Kelly A. Ramsey
All sources are public records and published news reports.