Ralph B. Guy, Jr., a respected figure in the American legal community, former U.S.
Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, and founding member of NAFUSA, passed
away on April 20, 2026, at the age of 96. A 1953 graduate of the University of Michigan
Law School, Guy had a distinguished legal career in his home state of Michigan and
was known for his dedication to public service and commitment to justice. Guy served
as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan from 1970 to 1976, where he
played a pivotal role in prosecuting federal cases and upholding the law. His tenure was
marked by a steadfast pursuit of fairness and integrity in the legal system.

After his time as U.S. Attorney, Guy continued to serve the public with distinction. He
was appointed by President Gerald Ford as a United States District Judge for the
Eastern District of Michigan where he served from 1976 to 1985 and later appointed by
President Ronald Reagan to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
where he served from 1985 to 1994. He later served as a judge of the United States
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review from 1998 to 2006. Throughout his
career, he was recognized for his judicious temperament, keen legal insight, dry sense
of humor and unwavering professionalism. He placed great emphasis on and
participated in the education of law students and the improvement of lawyers’ legal
skills. He found time in his busy schedule to teach trial advocacy courses at the
University of Michigan Law School, the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and the
United States Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute. Colleagues and friends remember
him as a mentor and a trailblazer who set high standards for those who followed in his
footsteps.