*county-courthouse.com is not affiliated with the Official US Government, or any state, local, or federal office. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. The investigation of Field began earlier that summer after the victim told college officials about Fields actions against her. Bowman says he hid Aundria's body in a barn on the property and called police to report that she had run away. 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 emails were made public by Villar during the 2020 Republican primary for the Allegan prosecutor post. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. prosecutorial candidate Michael Villar accused his opponent, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. (269) 673-0300, Honorable Roberts Kengis Jan Murray. a murder he committed in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1980, Hamilton man pleads guilty to 1980 murder of Virginia woman, Wife: Hamilton man killed their daughter in 1989, dismembered and buried body, Receive 3 months of all-access to The Sentinel's award-winning digital coverage for $1, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The victim was a student of Fields at SMC and also went to him for counseling at the Family Center in Dowagiac. They claim that Loew did not receive a fair trial. Contact Info (269) 673-8471 Questions & Answers Q What is the phone number for Judiciary Courts of the Stt? While Koch said she did not talk to her assistant prosecutor about the judges remarks, Lynch said in court filings that APA Jipp had ample time to adjust her trial strategy and presentation of evidence to address concerns the judge voiced with remarkable candor., He said the trial transcript indicates that APA Jipp indeed addressed the issues raised by Judge Bakker.. 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. Dont they have detectives anymore?, The next morning, Koch replied: They do but not typically for CSCs. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. All Rights Reserved. In the nonpartisan primary, the two candidates who receive the greatest number of votes advance to the general election. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge. The Michigan Supreme Court will ultimately decide after agreeing to hear oral arguments in the case of Daniel Loew. The sentences run concurrently. Bakker was Allegan Countys first female circuit court judge. 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. 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. 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]. 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. 269-226-5014. craig.chindemi@ascension.org. Michigan Court of Appeals More:Appeals court walks back new trial for man after prosecutor, judge emailed during trial. Aundria Bowman's body was discovered buried on the Bowmanproperty in Hamilton in February 2020, after Dennis Bowman confessed the location of her body to his wife. Example video title will go here for this video. Download the WZZM 13 app now. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. Herman was a member of the board of directors of the counseling center where Field worked and where some of the incidents took place. 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. 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. 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. He was sentenced to a minimum 20 years in prison on each charge. The jury found the Defendant guilty based on that evidence. The fact that the presiding judge was commenting on the quality of the investigation while the trial was underway it's inconceivable to me that that could happen," Lynch said. Beginning January 1, 2022, Judge Roberts Kengis assumed the chief judge leadership of the 48 th Circuit Court. My office is contemplating an appeal. Michigan is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. She said the jury reached the decision. Lynch said that emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act showed improper communication between the trial judge, Margaret Zuzich-Bakker, and the prosecutor, regarding substantive matters that gave the prosecution a tactical advantage.. Koch a 1992 graduate of Michigan State received her JD from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1999. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. We routinely discuss cases with the victims, said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. In Allegan County, the presiding judge of the Family Court is the Honorable Michael L. Buck. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. 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 . "We think the court wants to hear and have robust conversations on these issues. Koch previously told The Sentinel she never discussed the emails with Jipp. I did not discuss those communications with the Assistant Prosecutor trying the case. Michigan Circuit Court The emails were something between idle chat and administrative communication.. 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. Bakker, who remains on the bench, served in the role for 11 years. She said the counseling took place there and the sexual relations at Fields home next door to the center. 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. Message to the Board of Commissioners, Prosecutor Koch, Judge Kengis, Judge Bakker, Sheriff Baker and the people who witness unconstitutional and corrupt actions in Allegan County and do nothing.. 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. Michigan Probate Courts, Courts in Michigan Michigan judicial elections Judicial selection in Michigan. Field had been a popular instructor at the college before his dismissal. 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. Sarah Leach is editor of The Holland Sentinel. The case will be reassigned to Judge Margaret Bakker. Before taking the bench, Kengis served as the elected prosecuting attorney for Allegan County. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 100% remote. 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. 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. Subscribe:Receive 3 months of all-access to The Sentinel's award-winning digital coverage for $1. 48th Judicial Circuit Court Presiding Family Court Judge, Allegan County, Michigan .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} Bowman, 72, is charged with her murder. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. "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. Rob Kengis. The Michigan Supreme Court is providing the information on this website as a public service. Marcia Johnson. 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. Lynch responded: Thats not the point. The jury was thereby improperly influenced.. SMC completed its investigation in late September 2017 when they fired Field. Community Volunteer . In the same order appointing Kengis, the Court also reappointed Judge Michael Buck to chief probate court judge for Allegan County and Judge Joseph Skocelas to chief judge of the 57th District Court. 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. Ms. Kochs response acknowledged the criticism and acknowledged the breakdown in procedure. The rest of the charges against Field will be dismissed including charges of criminal sexual conduct and no additional charges will be brought against him from the investigation. All rights reserved (About Us). A more recent docket listing may be available from PACER . *Please call to verify. Judge Roberts Kengis is the new chief judge of the 48th Circuit Court in Allegan County. He was elected to a six-year term in 2020. Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below. She has been recognized for her volunteer work with South Haven Public Schools and the Allegan County Coordinating Council on Domestic and Sexual Violence. Copyright 2023, Wilcox Newspapers. He was sentenced last November to at least 20 years in prison. Beginning January 1, 2022, Judge Roberts Kengis assumed the chief judge leadership of the 48 th Circuit Court. 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. He replaces Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker, who served 11 years as chief judge. 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 Villar, a private practice attorney, later lost the electionby a handful of votes. Bakker, who remains on the bench, served in the role for 11. Dobrich said Allegan Circuit Judge Roberts Kengis will preside over the trial, which will take place in Cassopolis. 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. Allegan County will soon have a new Prosecuting Attorney. 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 Circuit Judge Margaret Zuzich-Bakker (MLive File Photo)Emil Lippe | MLive.com. 113 Chestnut St. Website: http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/CC/Index.asp?pt=, Staff: George R. Corsiglia (Chief Judge), William A. Baillargeon Community Volunteer . Hours: Open Weekdays 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Judges Jon Van Allsburg, Mark Feyen and Bradley Knoll were reappointed to two-year terms as chief judges of Ottawa County's 20th Circuit Court, Probate Court and 58th District Court, respectively. 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. Although Koch didn't directly prosecute the case for the county, she was the supervisor of the assistant prosecutor who did. 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.". He buried Aundria's body on their property, later moving her body when the Bowmans moved from Holland to the Hamilton area shortly afterward. 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. Have a news tip? Subscribe:Get unlimited access to our local coverage. 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; }
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