judge kengis allegan county

Download the WZZM 13 app now. Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Koch and her husband married in 1993. The victim was a student of Fields at SMC and also went to him for counseling at the Family Center in Dowagiac. 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. Michigan is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. . ALLEGAN Judge Roberts Kengis took over supervision of the 48th Circuit Court on Jan. 1 as chief judge after he was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to replace Judge Margaret. 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; } Allegan County Circuit Judge Margaret Zuzich-Bakker (MLive File Photo)Emil Lippe | MLive.com. Judge Kengis is an Allegan Circuit judge who was assigned the case when Cass County Circuit Judge Mark Herman recused himself. Allegan, MI 49010, Design By Granicus - Connecting People & Government. Cheshire Hills Golf Course . Chief Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Margaret Zuzich Bakker More:Appeals court walks back new trial for man after prosecutor, judge emailed during trial. The investigation of Field began earlier that summer after the victim told college officials about Fields actions against her. The Michigan Supreme Court is providing the information on this website as a public service. Jennifer Garcia. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. The jury found the Defendant guilty based on that evidence. All Rights Reserved. Myrene Koch will take over for current prosecutor, Roberts Kengis on March 19. 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. Under the plea agreement announced by Chief Assistant Prosecutor Tiffiny Montenegro and defense attorney James Miller, Field will plead no contest to three counts of attempted aggravated indecent exposure, one count of perjury, one count of unauthorized practice of a health profession, one count of health care fraud and one count of possession of marijuana. 113 Chestnut Street, Allegan, MI 49010 Allegan County Court System Type: Civil, General Civil - Unlimited, General Civil - Limited, Small Claims, Complex Commercial, Foreclosures and Liens, Real Estate Title and Boundary, Criminal, Mental Health Division: Contact Information: Phone Number: 269-673-0400 Fax: 269-673-0490 He was sentenced to a minimum 20 years in prison on each charge. Redistricting Maps Take Affect for 2022 Elections. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. 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. Jim Wheat, MD. In a hearing Thursday, Judge Roberts Kengis alerted the attorneys tohis history with the case. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Kengis and Bakker have worked closely together over the years when making final decisions on a variety of issues. Dont they have detectives anymore?, The next morning, Koch replied: They do but not typically for CSCs. Bowman says he hid Aundria's body in a barn on the property and called police to report that she had run away. According to testimony from detectives, Bowman claimsthat he and Aundria physically fought and Aundria fell down the stairs, breaking herneck. In 2020, Kengis was elected to the circuit court. Contact 48th Judicial Circuit Court 113 Chestnut St. Allegan, MI 49010 (269) 673-0300 Judges Honorable Roberts Kengis Chief Circuit Court Judge Honorable Margaret Zuzich Bakker Circuit Court Judge Honorable Michael Buck Presiding Family Court Judge The case was tried by assistant prosecuting attorney Emily Jipp. Honorable Michael L. Buck . None of the communications were ever intended to influence or provide advice nor did they. The chief judges will remain in place until the MI Supreme Court reviews applications and makes the next round of appointments in two years. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. Kengis was appointed to the circuit court judgeship in March 2018 by then-governor Rick Snyder after the resignation of Judge Kevin Cronin. 2023 www.hollandsentinel.com. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. They began investigating and recommended she contact the sheriffs department. The sentences run concurrently. Community Volunteer . They claim that Loew did not receive a fair trial. Bowman, 72, is charged with her murder. He was sentenced last November to at least 20 years in prison. Judge Kengis noted that Field will be sentenced before him on Friday, Sept. 10 in Cass County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. In the emails, Bakker wrote to Koch: "This trooper didnt do a very good investigation. Rick Snyder on Wednesday, Feb. 28 . 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. On Jan. 1, theMichigan Supreme Court announcedJudge Roberts Kengis would replace Bakker in supervising the 48th Circuit Court. Michigan District Courts His case was bound over for a jury trial in Allegan County's 48th Circuit Court last month. Kengis replaces Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker who had been elected to the circuit court in 2010. Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests, Annual Reports and State of the County Report. Field had been a popular instructor at the college before his dismissal. Contact her at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com or follow her on Twitter @SentinelLeach. [1], If two or more candidates in a race receive the same number of votes, the election is to be decided by lot. She said the jury reached the decision. This trooper has been given additional personal training since this investigation., Bakker then wrote: One more question..this victim was not referred for a medical, do you know why?, Koch replied a few minutes later: Yes, because the prior (assistant prosecuting attorney) assigned to the case did not catch that it was missed nor did anyone else who touched the file., Lynch said that the ex parte communication, or communication with only one side, showed bias and violated the Code of Judicial Conduct. ALLEGAN Judge Roberts Kengis took over supervision of the 48th Circuit Court on Jan. 1 as chief judge after he was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to replace Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker in the role. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. non-substantive) matters.". Copyright 2023, Wilcox Newspapers. AGC investigations are confidential, and investigations of the Judicial Tenure Commission only become public if the commission decides to proceed with a formal complaint against the judge, typically reserved for allegations of serious misconduct. He was convicted of five counts of criminal sexual misconduct and sentenced to at least 20 years in prison. The murder was onlyconnected to Bowman in 2018 when detectives used a genealogy database searchingtechnique toidentify a DNA sample from the decades-old case. Allegan County Sheriff's Office Sheriff. 57th District Court Honorable Joseph S . Roberts Kengis Circuit Court Judge at Allegan County Government Plainwell, Michigan, United States 781 followers 500+ connections Join to connect Allegan County Government Wayne State. The emails from Judge Bakker were an editorial expressing discontent with the case and as inquiry as to the breakdown in police and procedure that compromised the investigation, Schikora wrote in court documents. "Since Judge Kengis was appointed, Judge Bakker and Judge Kengis have worked together on chief duties, and the two plan on continuing this practice moving forward," Brink wrote in an email. Friday, Judge Kengis kept Fields bond the same. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge Roberts Kengis was asked to disqualify himself from the case and agreed to do so in a hearing Thursday. As the presiding officer of the court, a chief judge shall: (a) call and preside over meetings of the court; (b) appoint committees of the court; (c) initiate policies concerning the courts internal operations and its position on external matters affecting the court; (d) meet regularly with all chief judges.. On Jan. 1, the Michigan Supreme Court announced Judge Roberts Kengis would replace Bakker in supervising the 48th Circuit Court. 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. His case was bound over for a jury trial in Allegan County's 48th Circuit Court last month. Ex parte translates from Latin to mean out of the party; in the context of the legal system, it is communication about a case between a judge and one sides attorney that occurs without the other partys counsel present. Briefs in the case are expected to be filed within the coming months, at which point oral arguments will be scheduled. The emails were made public by Villar during the 2020 Republican primary for the Allegan prosecutor post. Koch has served as an assistant prosecutor since July of 2002, and as the Chief Assistant Prosecutor since last June. Bakker was Allegan Countys first female circuit court judge. Soon after election, she was appointed as chief judge, a position she has held for 11 years. Loew's attorney, Heath Lynch, argued it's impossible to know whether Koch shared the communications with Jipp and whether trial strategy was altered due to what Bakker wrote in the emails. The Michigan Supreme Court made their current appointments to the courts across the state. Subscribe:Receive 3 months of all-access to The Sentinel's award-winning digital coverage for $1. Rob Kengis. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. 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. Kengis said during Thursdays hearing that the hearing would likely be reassigned next to a judge in Allegan Countys 57th District Court. Beginning January 1, 2022, Judge Roberts Kengis assumed the chief judge leadership of the 48 th Circuit Court. The communications provided nothing of any tactical use to the prosecution, even if Defendant had been able to show Ms. Jipp was aware of them. 113 Chestnut St. 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 Ms. Kochs response acknowledged the criticism and acknowledged the breakdown in procedure. Koch was named to the position by Chief Circuit Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker, on Tuesday. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. I did not discuss those communications with the Assistant Prosecutor trying the case. Bowman is already serving a life sentence for a murder he committed in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1980, where he had reported for his two-week annual active drill as a member of the Navy reserves. The Michigan Supreme Court will ultimately decide after agreeing to hear oral arguments in the case of Daniel Loew. Although Koch didn't directly prosecute the case for the county, she was the supervisor of the assistant prosecutor who did. Marcia Johnson. Call, or visit the court's website if listed above. Dont they have detectives with MSP anymore?. The plea agreement was announced Friday afternoon in a court hearing before Judge Roberts Kengis. Justices Christopher Murray and Jane Markey were in the majority, saying the emails didnt provide an advantage to the prosecution. 113 Chestnut Street, Allegan, MI49010 Bakker was immediately appointed chief judge and served 11 years as chief judge. The defense has not pointed to any ruling showing the judge to be compromised or biased, she said. ALLEGAN Two Allegan County judges have recused themselves from hearing the case of Daniel Loew, who is asking for a new trial after emails between the judge and the Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney were released during the prosecutors re-election campaign. 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. I will add that this case was decided by a jury based on the evidence presented in the courtroom. Judiciary Courts of the Stt is located at 113 Chestnut St in Allegan, Michigan 49010. Ascension Borgess Allegan Foundation Director . .courts-container hr {background-color:#f0a236;padding-bottom:2px;}, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Michigan Supreme Court Penny Brown . The emails between Koch and Judge Margaret Bakker showed the two discussing the case while Loew's trial was occurring in Bakker's courtroom. 2023 www.hollandsentinel.com. Kengis was the chief prosecuting attorney when Loew was charged with criminal sexual conduct in 2018. Field was arrested in the fall of 2017. 269-226-5014. craig.chindemi@ascension.org. *Not location specific. She noted that he has already conducted trials in his home county during the pandemic, which should be a help as Cass County starts holding them. 3283 122nd Ave. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. The status of those grievances is unknown, as the merits of Loew's appeal are still pending. If you would like to help our coverage scope grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia. SMC completed its investigation in late September 2017 when they fired Field. ALLEGAN The judge assigned to oversee the trial of Dennis Bowman,accused of the murder of his adopted daughter Aundria 30 years ago, has recused himself because of his past involvement in the caseas a prosecutor. 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 Allegan, MI 49010 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 In August 2019, Loew was convicted by a jury of multiple rapes of a relative of his wife, a girl who was 13 at the time of the first assault. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} 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.". 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. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge. 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. Bowman told detectives thaton the day he reported 14-year-old Aundria missing, March 11, 1989, he came home to find Aundria had broken into her parents' room, normally kept locked, and was getting ready to run away. Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. COURTS _____ Pursuant to MCR 7.201, IT IS ORDERED that the Honorable Elizabeth L. Gleicher is appointed as chief judge of the Court of Appealsfor the two year period - commencing . In a hearing Thursday, Judge Roberts Kengis alerted the. (269) 673-0300, Honorable Roberts Kengis ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI - A judge ordered a retrial for a man convicted of sexual assault because the trial judge emailed the county prosecutor - who was not trying the case - during. ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI -- Allegan County Prosecutor Rob Kengis has been appointed to a recently vacated judgeship with the Allegan County Circuit Court. ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI A judge ordered a retrial for a man convicted of sexual assault because the trial judge emailed the county prosecutor who was not trying the case during proceedings. 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. Villar lost the primary election in August and a recount of votes conducted last week affirmed that Koch had won re-election by 19 votes. In Allegan County, the presiding judge of the Family Court is the Honorable Michael L. Buck. Allegan County Friend of the Court et al 1:2021cv00195 | US District Court for the Western District of Michigan | Justia Collet v. Allegan County Friend of the Court et al RSS Track this Docket Docket Report This docket was last retrieved on March 3, 2021. Contact Info (269) 673-8471 Questions & Answers Q What is the phone number for Judiciary Courts of the Stt? 13 READS: Muskegon book store asking for help to stay open, continue to promote literacy, 13 On Your Side Forecast: Fog Thursday; Snowstorm Friday. Myrene Koch will replace Robert Kengis as Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney on March 19. 48th Judicial Circuit Court The Michigan Supreme Court votes on the appointment of chief judges for Michigan courts every two years after "an extensive review process," according to the State Court Administrative Office. Kengis replaces Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker who had been elected to the circuit court in 2010. Subscribe:Get unlimited access to our local coverage. ", Bakker wrote back, "One more question this victim was not referred for a medical, do you know why?". 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. Visit our Links Page for websites providing Employment Listings, as well as US Government holiday closings. Apply today! My office is contemplating an appeal. The point is she tried. Its one of the most outrageous things Ive seen in my career, defense attorney Heath Lynch, a former federal prosecutor in Grand Rapids, told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Before that, she worked 28 years as an assistant prosecutor, the last eight as chief prosecutor. http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/CC/Index.asp?pt=, The Public Access to Court Records (PACER), 36th Judicial Circuit Court Van Buren County. Presiding Family Court Judge, Allegan County, Michigan Gov. Lynch responded: Thats not the point. Bakker, who remains on the bench, served in the role for 11. Herman was a member of the board of directors of the counseling center where Field worked and where some of the incidents took place. Koch previously told The Sentinel she never discussed the emails with Jipp. *county-courthouse.com is not affiliated with the Official US Government, or any state, local, or federal office. Let us know here, 57th District Court Allegan County113 Chestnut Street0.0 mile away, Allegan County Probate Court2243 33rd Street2.2 miles away, 36th Judicial Circuit Court Van Buren CountyCourthouse - Second Floor, 212 East Paw Paw Street12.6 miles away, 2023 Everything-Bytes | Terms of Use & Privacy Policy. Bakker did not apply for reappointment in this appointment cycle, circuit court administrator Jennifer Brink said, and supported Kengis's application for chief judge in a letter to the Michigan Supreme Court. Website: http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/CC/Index.asp?pt=, Staff: George R. Corsiglia (Chief Judge), William A. Baillargeon Allegan County Circuit Court Judge Roberts Kengis was asked to disqualify himself from the case and agreed to do so in a hearing Thursday. Plaintiff Jonathan King Meyer filed a pro se complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Jan Murray. Michigan Circuit Court He buried Aundria's body on their property, later moving her body when the Bowmans moved from Holland to the Hamilton area shortly afterward. Community Volunteer . She said the counseling took place there and the sexual relations at Fields home next door to the center. Villar, a private practice attorney, later lost the electionby a handful of votes. The two then exchanged several emails about the lack of a medical exam. Bowman, 72, is charged with her murder. Judge Bakker says, "Myrene has demonstrated an outstanding ability to represent the peoples interests in criminal prosecutions before this Court and as Chief Assistant has demonstrated strong administrative abilities that will serve her and the County of Allegan well as Prosecutor.. The emails were unearthed by Allegan-based attorney Michael Villar, who was challenging County Prosecutor Myrene Koch's re-election bid in summer 2020. Neither side objected in court to Kengis'decision to recuse himself. 100 largest cities in America by population, United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, Michigan Fifty-seventh Judicial District Court, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2023, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2022, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2021, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2020, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2019, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2018, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2017, Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2016, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Allegan_County,_Michigan_(Judicial)&oldid=7667650, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Michael Buck 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. ALLEGAN Should a criminal defendant in Allegan County get a new trial after claiming he didn't get a fair shake? Honorable Roberts A. Kengis . 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 In a process run by a county clerk, the candidates choose slips of paper from a box that say either "elected" or "not elected".[2]. He is being convicted of multiple sex offenses which will impact his getting teaching or counseling positions in the future., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Pokagon Band celebrates Four Winds South Bend hotel expansion, Chamber of Commerce welcomes real estate firm to downtown Dowagiac, School safety gains, FFA students highlighted at Cassopolis Board of Education meeting, 2nd & Main coffeehouse opens in downtown Niles. The case likely will be heard in 2023. During the runup to the primary election in August, prosecutorial candidate Michael Villar accused his opponent, incumbent prosecutor Myrene Koch, of inappropriate ex parte communications with Judge Margaret Bakker. 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. Bakker, who remains on the bench, served in the role for 11 years. Kengis will continue as Prosecuting Attorney until March 19 when he starts his role as a Circuit Judge, a position he was appointed to by Governor Rick Snyder. Betty Kortman . Loew currently is free while awaiting the outcome of his appeal. Judge Kengis noted that Field will be sentenced before him on Friday, Sept. 10 in Cass County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. 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 More:Man wins new trial over email exchange between judge, prosecutor, More:Judges recused from hearing mans request for new trial, More:Allegan man says judge, prosecutor denied him a fair trial. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. The people of Allegan County are served by the Michigan Third District Court of Appeals, a circuit court, district court, and probate court. Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage. Judiciary Courts of the Stt can be contacted via phone at (269) 673-8471 for pricing, hours and directions.
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