Rosemarie Aquilina

Rosemarie Elizabeth Aquilina (born April 25, 1958) is an American judge. She is a judge of the 30th circuit court in Ingham County, Michigan.

Early life and education Aquilina was born in Munich to a Maltese father (a urologist) and a German mother. She moved to the United States with her family in 1959, stateless at the time, and became a naturalized citizen when she was 12 years old. Aquilina earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Journalism at Michigan State University in 1979 and her Juris Doctor degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School (now called Cooley Law School) in Lansing, Michigan in 1984. During this time, she also formed Aquilina Law Firm, PLC, practicing for several years with her sister, Helen Hartford. She later became the host of Ask the Family Lawyer, a syndicated radio talk show.

Aquilina then joined the Michigan Army National Guard, where she became the state's first female member of the Judge Advocate General's Corps and acquired the nickname "Barracuda Aquilina" due to her dedication to service and advocating on behalf of the soldiers she worked with.

Aquilina is currently an adjunct professor at Cooley Law School where she teaches a variety of courses. In 2004, she was elected a judge of the 55th Michigan District Court, and in November 2008, she was elected as judge of the 30th Circuit Court for Ingham County. This ruling was stayed less than a week later by the Michigan Court of Appeals, and one day later the federal bankruptcy court issued a stay of all state court proceedings on the Detroit bankruptcy, ordering that all other legal challenges to the city's bankruptcy petition be litigated in federal bankruptcy court. In December 2013, bankruptcy judge Steven W. Rhodes issued an opinion rejecting all the federal and state constitutional challenges to Detroit's bankruptcy and allowing the city to go through the Chapter 9 bankruptcy process.

In 2018, Aquilina presided over the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal case. She allowed over 150 women and girls involved with the US Olympics gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar, to present personal testimony on their sexual abuse. She attended the 2018 ESPY Awards, where she was honored for her efforts in sentencing Nassar.

Aquilina is also an author and has published two novels: Feel No Evil (2003) and Triple Cross Killer (2017).

On May 11, 2018, she was chosen by the graduates to deliver an address at the commencement ceremony of the Michigan State University College of Law, where she is a professor.

On June 19, 2023, she called for national inquiry into Canadian sport amid widespread allegations of harassment, abuse and bullying.

Personal life Aquilina has five children and three grandchildren. She resides in East Lansing, Michigan, with members of her family. Her mother, Johanna, died in August 2025, having been preceded in death by her husband.