(269) 673-0300, Honorable Roberts Kengis
non-substantive) matters.". 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. 100% remote. This case has languished in the system for a few years and our victims deserve to have the ability to go on with their life. 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. In response to the allegations brought by Loews attorney, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Molly Schikora said the three emails sent by the judge had no bearing on the case and were not intended to help the prosecution. *Not location specific. Subscribe:Receive 3 months of all-access to The Sentinel's award-winning digital coverage for $1. This county is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates. 269-226-5014. craig.chindemi@ascension.org. Jury trials routinely require two to three days to decide amidst other . 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. Jennifer Garcia. Bakker also asked why the victim in the case had not been given a medical exam. Bowman strangled and stabbed a 25-year-old woman, Kathleen O'Brien Doyle,in her home. The people of Allegan County are served by the Michigan Third District Court of Appeals, a circuit court, district court, and probate court. 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 The plea agreement was announced Friday afternoon in a court hearing before Judge Roberts Kengis. Bakker, who remains on the bench, served in the role for 11 years. Myrene Koch will replace Robert Kengis as Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney on March 19. The status of those grievances is unknown, as the merits of Loew's appeal are still pending. 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 . Beginning January 1, 2022, Judge Roberts Kengis assumed the chief judge leadership of the 48 th Circuit Court. Have a news tip? Field was arrested in the fall of 2017. 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. If any of these apply to you, contact the court to verify they observe the exemption. The appeal was heard by Allegan County District Judge William Baillargeon. She has been recognized for her volunteer work with South Haven Public Schools and the Allegan County Coordinating Council on Domestic and Sexual Violence. The case likely will be heard in 2023. ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI -- Allegan County Prosecutor Rob Kengis has been appointed to a recently vacated judgeship with the Allegan County Circuit Court. In this case, she was comfortable with the agreement. 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. 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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. Call, or visit the court's website if listed above. Allegan, MI 49010
Gov. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. He was sentenced to a minimum 20 years in prison on each charge. The Michigan Supreme Court votes on the appointment of chief judges for Michigan courts every two years. Loews attorneys are alleging prosecutorial misconduct occurred based on the emails, which they say they learned of in June. Michigan is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. 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. 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. The victim was a student of Fields at SMC and also went to him for counseling at the Family Center in Dowagiac. Judge Roberts Kengis is the new chief judge of the 48th Circuit Court in Allegan County. 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. SMC completed its investigation in late September 2017 when they fired Field. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. More:Hamilton man pleads guilty to 1980 murder of Virginia woman, More:Wife: Hamilton man killed their daughter in 1989, dismembered and buried body. Dobrich said Allegan Circuit Judge Roberts Kengis will preside over the trial, which will take place in Cassopolis. The case has volleyed around the higher court system after Loew's conviction in August 2019. 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. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. I will add that this case was decided by a jury based on the evidence presented in the courtroom. His case was bound over for a jury trial in Allegan County's 48th Circuit Court last month. 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. The chief judges will remain in place until the MI Supreme Court reviews applications and makes the next round of appointments in two years. Copyright 2023, Wilcox Newspapers. http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/CC/Index.asp?pt=, The Public Access to Court Records (PACER), 36th Judicial Circuit Court Van Buren County. Judge Kengis relied on the testimony from the 2018 preliminary hearing in the case for his findings of fact in accepting Fields plea. 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.. Bakker was Allegan County's first female circuit court judge. Kengis was the chief prosecuting attorney when Loew was charged with criminal sexual conduct in 2018. Bowman says he hid Aundria's body in a barn on the property and called police to report that she had run away. Before taking the bench, Kengis served as the elected prosecuting attorney for Allegan County. 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 Koch said in an email to MLive: "While I respect Judge Baillargeon, I disagree with the basis of his decision in granting a new trial. Michigan District Courts The victim was 13 at the time of the first reported assault. Koch was named to the position by Chief Circuit Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker, on Tuesday. More:Appeals court walks back new trial for man after prosecutor, judge emailed during trial. She became a judge on Jan. 1, 2010. Cheshire Hills Golf Course . 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. 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. 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. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. 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. Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. 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. The half hour hearing Friday afternoon featured Field being sworn in and agreeing to the no contest pleas on the seven charges. He obtained the emails through a Freedom of Information Act request. Contact her at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com or follow her on Twitter @SentinelLeach. 2023 www.hollandsentinel.com. 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. Michigan Circuit Court 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; } 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.. Allegan County Prosecutor Myrene Koch disagreed with the retrial order and said her office is considering an appeal. He was elected to a six-year term in 2020. My office is contemplating an appeal. Dont they have detectives with MSP anymore? The two then exchanged several emails about the lack of a medical exam. Myrene Koch will replace Robert Kengis as Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney 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. Contact Info (269) 673-8471 Questions & Answers Q What is the phone number for Judiciary Courts of the Stt? This trooper has been given additional personal training since this investigation. Field had been a popular instructor at the college before his dismissal. She said the counseling took place there and the sexual relations at Fields home next door to the center. 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 Michigan Supreme Court is providing the information on this website as a public service. Bakker did not submit a request to be reappointed which left an opening for Kengis. 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. Judge Kengis noted that Field will be sentenced before him on Friday, Sept. 10 in Cass County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. Community Volunteer . Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage. Koch a 1992 graduate of Michigan State received her JD from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1999. Michigan Probate Courts, Courts in Michigan Michigan judicial elections Judicial selection in Michigan. He was convicted of five counts of criminal sexual misconduct and sentenced to at least 20 years in prison. 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. Kengis said during Thursdays hearing that the hearing would likely be reassigned next to a judge in Allegan Countys 57th District Court. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. In Wednesday's announcement, the state Supreme Court said it would hear the appeal, but would limit the scope to the ex parte communications between Bakker and Koch, whether they were administrative in nature and whether Loew is entitled to a new trial. Koch has served as an assistant prosecutor since July of 2002, and as the Chief Assistant Prosecutor since last June. Montenegro said the agreement calls for Field to be sentenced to a term of probation, a county jail sentence not to exceed one year and no requirement to register as a sex offender. Marcia Johnson. 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.. 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. Kengis was appointed to the circuit court judgeship in March 2018 by then-governor Rick Snyder after the resignation of Judge Kevin Cronin. 57th District Court Honorable Joseph S . 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]. ", Koch responded, "They do but not typically for CSCs. Circuit Judge Roberts Kengis recused himself because he was the county prosecutor when charges were filed against Loew. Dont they have detectives with MSP anymore?. Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Michael Buck
Loew currently is free while awaiting the outcome of his appeal. The case was tried by assistant prosecuting attorney Emily Jipp. Community Volunteer . 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. Subscribe:Get unlimited access to our local coverage. Lynch responded: Thats not the point. Honorable Michael L. Buck . 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 Apply today! The prosecutor said the emails and information were not shared with the assistant prosecutor trying the case. Chief Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Margaret Zuzich Bakker
On Jan. 1, theMichigan Supreme Court announcedJudge Roberts Kengis would replace Bakker in supervising the 48th Circuit Court. The case will be reassigned to Judge Margaret Bakker. Koch previously told The Sentinel she never discussed the emails with Jipp. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge Roberts Kengis was asked to disqualify himself from the case and agreed to do so in a hearing Thursday. 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. 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. .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 Dissenting Justice Michael Riordan said reasonable minds could conclude that Bakker was biased in favor of the prosecution. Presiding Family Court Judge, Allegan County, Michigan
113 Chestnut Street, Allegan, MI49010 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. The defense has not pointed to any ruling showing the judge to be compromised or biased, she said. 113 Chestnut St.
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.". Judge Kengis handles all the case types that are dealt with in circuit court: criminal felonies, civil cases with a value over $25,000.00, divorce, custody, and paternity cases, personal protection order cases, child protective proceedings, guardianships, adoptions, and appeals from district court and administrative bodies. 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 same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. On Jan. 1, the Michigan Supreme Court announced Judge Roberts Kengis would replace Bakker in supervising the 48th Circuit Court. 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