Bakker, who remains on the bench, served in the role for 11 years. Kengis was appointed to the circuit court judgeship in March 2018 by then-governor Rick Snyder after the resignation of Judge Kevin Cronin. They claim that Loew did not receive a fair trial. Services The Circuit Court Family Division provides the following services: Delinquency Proceedings Casework services -- Community Probation and Juvenile Diversion Protective Proceedings Guardianship of minors who are already under Family Court jurisdiction Marcia Johnson. Michigan is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI -- Allegan County Prosecutor Rob Kengis has been appointed to a recently vacated judgeship with the Allegan County Circuit Court. Judge Kengis noted that Field will be sentenced before him on Friday, Sept. 10 in Cass County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. Kengis was the chief prosecuting attorney when. "Maybe it wasn't the case, but it creates the appearance of coaching, or at least flagging, 'This is something you're going to need to address,' and that's my worry," Baillargeon said. Judiciary Courts of the Stt can be contacted via phone at (269) 673-8471 for pricing, hours and directions. He said Field will be given the opportunity to withdraw his plea if Kengis decides to sentence him to more than a year in jail or change any other terms of the agreement. Allegan County Sheriff's Office Sheriff. Dissenting Justice Michael Riordan said reasonable minds could conclude that Bakker was biased in favor of the prosecution. Recount in Allegan County prosecutor race confirms same winner by 17 votes, Judge said man who killed 3 women should never go free but felon seeking parole after 48 years, Family of WMU student slain in 1972 awaits killers parole ruling. In a hearing Thursday, Judge Roberts Kengis alerted the attorneys tohis history with the case. The victim was a student of Fields at SMC and also went to him for counseling at the Family Center in Dowagiac. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge Roberts Kengis was asked to disqualify himself from the case and agreed to do so in a hearing Thursday. 269-226-5014. craig.chindemi@ascension.org. Although Koch didn't directly prosecute the case for the county, she was the supervisor of the assistant prosecutor who did. Allegan, MI 49010, Design By Granicus - Connecting People & Government. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .courts-container { background-color:#fcfcfc; width:100%; border:1px solid black;padding:5px;text-align:center;clear:both; } The emails were unearthed by Allegan-based attorney Michael Villar, who was challenging County Prosecutor Myrene Koch's re-election bid in summer 2020. Bakker, who remains on the 48th Circuit Court bench, became Allegan County's first female circuit court judge when she won election to the position in 2010. Dont they have detectives anymore?, The next morning, Koch replied: They do but not typically for CSCs. In the motion for a new trial, the Defense team did not allege nor did the Judge cite any actual bias or impact on the integrity of the trial based on those communications.. Field had been a popular instructor at the college before his dismissal. Apply today! In this case, she was comfortable with the agreement. Bowman says he hid Aundria's body in a barn on the property and called police to report that she had run away. Bakker was Allegan County's first female circuit court judge. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Villar obtained emails sent during Loews case between Koch and Bakker in which Bakker wrote to Koch regarding the police: (T)his trooper didnt do a very good investigation. While he was a prosecutorinthe Allegan County Prosecutor's Office, he participated in discussions about the unsolved disappearance of Aundria Bowman with the Allegan County Sheriff's Office and a cold-case panel of other prosecutors and detectives in Lansing. In November 2020, Allegan District Court JudgeWilliam Baillargeon's granted Loew'smotion for a new trial, saying such one-sided communications, called ex parte communications, between the judge and the prosecutor gave the appearance of impropriety. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. If there are more than twice the number of candidates than there are judgeships up for election, the race will appear on the primary election ballot. 1983 against the County of Allegan, the State of Michigan, Kevin Cronin, a former judge of the 48th Circuit Court in Allegan County, and Robert Kengis, a current judge of the 48th Circuit Court, alleging claims for denial of due process, cruel and unusual punishment Lynch responded: Thats not the point. The incidents occurred between September 2015 and early 2018 when he perjured himself during a court hearing. The Michigan Supreme Court made their current appointments to the courts across the state. Kengis and Bakker have worked closely together over the years when making final decisions on a variety of issues. The Michigan Supreme Court is providing the information on this website as a public service. After the trooper left the witness stand, Bakker emailed Koch: This trooper didnt do a very good investigation. non-substantive) matters.". On Wednesday, Oct. 5, the high court announced it would hear arguments in the case, but limited the scope to the ramifications of discovered communications where the presiding judge overseeing Loew's initial trial was sharing her opinion of the case through emails with the head prosecutor. After the emails were discovered, Villar saidhe filed complaints against Koch and Bakker with the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission and Attorney Grievance Commission, respectively. Allegan Attorney Michael Villar, who challenged Koch for her job in the August Republican primary, uncovered the emails in a Freedom of Information Act request. He was elected to a six-year term in 2020. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. To learn more about judicial selection in Michigan, click here. The victim was 13 at the time of the first reported assault. prosecutorial candidate Michael Villar accused his opponent, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. On Jan. 1, theMichigan Supreme Court announcedJudge Roberts Kengis would replace Bakker in supervising the 48th Circuit Court. *county-courthouse.com is not affiliated with the Official US Government, or any state, local, or federal office. He replaces Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker, who served 11 years as chief judge. Michigan Circuit Court Dont they have detectives with MSP anymore? Generally, ex parte communications between a judge and only one party in a legal matter are prohibited by ethics codes for judges and attorneys because they can give an unfair advantage to one side in a case. Jim Wheat, MD. The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan has jurisdiction in Allegan County. Contact Info (269) 673-8471 Questions & Answers Q What is the phone number for Judiciary Courts of the Stt? Field was arrested in the fall of 2017. Lynch told The Sentinel on Friday the most recent decision to hear arguments indicates the high court's interest in issues it deems of "significant public concern.". County Clerk, Judge, or Other Info: Staff: George R. Corsiglia (Chief Judge), William A. Baillargeon Hours: Open Weekdays 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Additional: Frederick Anderson (Prosecuting Attorney), Margaret Zuzich Bakker (Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney); Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys: Douglas E. Ketchum, Roberts A. Kengis, Steven J. Lanting, Myrene K. Koch, Daniel Norbeck, Judy H All rights reserved (About Us). Michigan Probate Courts, Courts in Michigan Michigan judicial elections Judicial selection in Michigan. Myrene Koch will take over for current prosecutor, Roberts Kengis on March 19. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge Roberts Kengis was asked to disqualify himself from the case and agreed to do so in a hearing Thursday. All rights reserved. Loews attorneys are alleging prosecutorial misconduct occurred based on the emails, which they say they learned of in June. By using this website, you agree to comply with all of the terms of use . Cheshire Hills Golf Course . Allegan County, All civil cases at law over $300., Civil cases in equity., Proceedings in habeas corpus., Felonies and misdemeanors, Proceedings in quo warranto., Prohibition and certiorari cases., Appeals from magistrate court, municipal court, and administrative agenc, Phone Number: 269-673-0300 Contact her at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com or follow her on Twitter @SentinelLeach. Briefs in the case are expected to be filed within the coming months, at which point oral arguments will be scheduled. In the majority opinion, Murray wrote that while the appeals court recognized the communications were ex parte, such communications "between a sitting judge and a prosecutor do not warrant a new trial so long as the communications focus on administrative or procedural (i.e. The case was tried by assistant prosecuting attorney Emily Jipp. According to testimony from detectives, Bowman claimsthat he and Aundria physically fought and Aundria fell down the stairs, breaking herneck. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. Daniel Albert Loew, 26, was convicted by an Allegan County Circuit Court jury of two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC), two counts of third-degree CSC and a single count of second-degree CSC. The prosecutor said the emails and information were not shared with the assistant prosecutor trying the case. 2023 www.hollandsentinel.com. The Allegan County decisions included the new appointment of the Honorable Roberts A. Kengis as chief justice of the 48 th Circuit Court, and the chief judge reappointment of the Honorable Michael L. Buck to the Allegan County Probate Court and the Honorable Joseph S. Skocelas to the 57 th District Court. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge. Judges Elections Allegan County, Michigan Circuit Court 48th Circuit Court, Michigan Margaret Bakker (Chief judge) Kevin W. Cronin [1] District Court Michigan Fifty-seventh Judicial District Court William Baillargeon (Chief judge) Joseph S. Skocelas [2] Probate Court Allegan County Probate Court, Michigan Michael L. Buck [3] See also Bowman strangled and stabbed a 25-year-old woman, Kathleen O'Brien Doyle,in her home. *Please call to verify. Friday, Judge Kengis kept Fields bond the same. Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. If there are not more than twice the amount of candidates than there are persons to be elected, the race will not appear on the primary election ballot, but only on the general election ballot. The point is she tried. Myrene Koch will replace Robert Kengis as Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney on March 19. Appeals court walks back new trial for man after prosecutor, judge emailed during trial, Man wins new trial over email exchange between judge, prosecutor, Judges recused from hearing mans request for new trial, Allegan man says judge, prosecutor denied him a fair trial, Get unlimited access to our local coverage, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. CASSOPOLIS A former Southwestern Michigan College instructor accused of having improper relations with a student he was counseling has accepted a plea deal just days before his trial was to start. 3283 122nd Ave. We routinely discuss cases with the victims, said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. 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