Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Bakker was Allegan Countys first female circuit court judge. Judge Roberts Kengis is the new chief judge of the 48th Circuit Court in Allegan County. 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. She said the counseling took place there and the sexual relations at Fields home next door to the center. The emails were made public by Villar during the 2020 Republican primary for the Allegan prosecutor post. Myrene Koch will take over for current prosecutor, Roberts Kengis on March 19. The half hour hearing Friday afternoon featured Field being sworn in and agreeing to the no contest pleas on the seven charges. Soon after election, she was appointed as chief judge, a position she has held for 11 years. The emails between Koch and Judge Margaret Bakker showed the two discussing the case while Loew's trial was occurring in Bakker's courtroom. Get unlimited access to our local coverage, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Judge Kengis noted that Field will be sentenced before him on Friday, Sept. 10 in Cass County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. 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). ALLEGAN Should a criminal defendant in Allegan County get a new trial after claiming he didn't get a fair shake? George Field, 60, of Dowagiac, had been scheduled to face trial starting Monday in Cass County Circuit Court on 17 criminal sexual conduct, insurance fraud and perjury charges. The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan has jurisdiction in Allegan County. This trooper has been given additional personal training since this investigation. Circuit Judge Roberts Kengis recused himself because he was the county prosecutor when charges were filed against Loew. She has been recognized for her volunteer work with South Haven Public Schools and the Allegan County Coordinating Council on Domestic and Sexual Violence. Judge Kengis is an Allegan Circuit judge who was assigned the case when Cass County Circuit Judge Mark Herman recused himself. It was after his arrest in November 2019 for Doyle's murder that he began asking to speak to detectives about the circumstances of Aundria'sdeath. By using this website, you agree to comply with all of the terms of use . "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. 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. 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.". Call, or visit the court's website if listed above. Gov. 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. Koch a 1992 graduate of Michigan State received her JD from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1999. Bowman, 72, is charged with her murder. None of the communications were ever intended to influence or provide advice nor did they. Appeals from the Western District go to the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. The Michigan Supreme Court will ultimately decide after agreeing to hear oral arguments in the case of Daniel Loew. All Rights Reserved. SMC completed its investigation in late September 2017 when they fired Field. Is any of the above incorrect? According to testimony from detectives, Bowman claimsthat he and Aundria physically fought and Aundria fell down the stairs, breaking herneck. Field has been free on $50,000 cash or surety bond since July 2018 after being held on a higher bond for several months after his arrest in September 2017. 113 Chestnut Street, Allegan, MI49010 Bakker, who remains on the bench, served in the role for 11 years. In Allegan County, the presiding judge of the Family Court is the Honorable Michael L. Buck. Apply today! A more recent docket listing may be available from PACER . This collaboration will continue as Bakker supported Kengis decision to apply for the leadership position. I will add that this case was decided by a jury based on the evidence presented in the courtroom. Example video title will go here for this video. ", Koch responded, "They do but not typically for CSCs. [1], If two or more candidates in a race receive the same number of votes, the election is to be decided by lot. The point is she tried. The murder was onlyconnected to Bowman in 2018 when detectives used a genealogy database searchingtechnique toidentify a DNA sample from the decades-old case. Michigan Court of Appeals The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Website: http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/CC/Index.asp?pt=, Staff: George R. Corsiglia (Chief Judge), William A. Baillargeon The case likely will be heard in 2023. The defense said the emails show misconduct. She said the jury reached the decision. Assistant Allegan County Prosecutor Emily Jipp called a state police trooper as her second witness. Allegan County will soon have a new Prosecuting Attorney. Beginning January 1, 2022, Judge Roberts Kengis assumed the chief judge leadership of the 48 th Circuit Court. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. Bowman strangled and stabbed a 25-year-old woman, Kathleen O'Brien Doyle,in her home. 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; } He was sentenced to a minimum 20 years in prison on each charge. Ascension Borgess Allegan Foundation Director . Herman was a member of the board of directors of the counseling center where Field worked and where some of the incidents took place. Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage. Subscribe:Receive 3 months of all-access to The Sentinel's award-winning digital coverage for $1. 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.. 100% remote. Chief Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Margaret Zuzich Bakker
My office is contemplating an appeal. All rights reserved. "Whenever an issue arises or a policy decision needs to be made, Judge Bakker and Judge Kengis always discuss the matter prior to the chief making the final decision.". Jennifer Garcia. 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. Dobrich said Allegan Circuit Judge Roberts Kengis will preside over the trial, which will take place in Cassopolis. 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.. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Sarah Leach is editor of The Holland Sentinel. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge. 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. Betty Kortman . Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. The two then exchanged several emails about the lack of a medical exam. 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 To learn more about judicial selection in Michigan, click here. 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. Allegan, MI 49010, Design By Granicus - Connecting People & Government. .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} 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. 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. 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. Cheshire Hills Golf Course . 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. On Jan. 1, theMichigan Supreme Court announcedJudge Roberts Kengis would replace Bakker in supervising the 48th Circuit Court. 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. Jury trials routinely require two to three days to decide amidst other . 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