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 case was tried by assistant prosecuting attorney Emily Jipp. Jennifer Garcia. Myrene Koch will replace Robert Kengis as Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney on March 19. 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. 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 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. The murder was onlyconnected to Bowman in 2018 when detectives used a genealogy database searchingtechnique toidentify a DNA sample from the decades-old case. Community Volunteer . In the emails, Bakker wrote to Koch: "This trooper didnt do a very good investigation. Judge Kengis relied on the testimony from the 2018 preliminary hearing in the case for his findings of fact in accepting Fields plea. 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 By using this website, you agree to comply with all of the terms of use . Is any of the above incorrect? Bowman says he hid Aundria's body in a barn on the property and called police to report that she had run away. "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.". 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. Get unlimited access to our local coverage, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. 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 . 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. Kengis and Bakker have worked closely together over the years when making final decisions on a variety of issues. Judge Kengis used previous testimony and evidence to show that Field committed perjury when he testified that he had not had sex with the victim, that he had held himself out as a licensed health practitioner when he wasnt, presented a false insurance claim for services rendered to another person, possessed marijuana in his home in 2017 and attempted to commit indecent exposure against the victim. Presiding Family Court Judge, Allegan County, Michigan The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan has jurisdiction in Allegan County. 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. Allegan, MI 49010, Design By Granicus - Connecting People & Government. 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. 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. More:Hamilton man pleads guilty to 1980 murder of Virginia woman, More:Wife: Hamilton man killed their daughter in 1989, dismembered and buried body. Bowman, 72, is charged with her murder. 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. Ascension Borgess Allegan Foundation Director . non-substantive) matters.". Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. *Not location specific. 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. The two then exchanged several emails about the lack of a medical exam. To learn more about judicial selection in Michigan, click here. Subscribe:Receive 3 months of all-access to The Sentinel's award-winning digital coverage for $1. Allegan County Sheriff's Office Sheriff. Beginning January 1, 2022, Judge Roberts Kengis assumed the chief judge leadership of the 48 th Circuit Court. Copyright 2023, Wilcox Newspapers. 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. 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. Honorable Michael L. Buck . She said the jury reached the decision. 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. I did not discuss those communications with the Assistant Prosecutor trying the case. They have four children. The victim was 13 at the time of the first reported assault. Bakker was immediately appointed chief judge and served 11 years as chief judge. 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. Bakker was Allegan Countys first female circuit court judge. He was sentenced to a minimum 20 years in prison on each charge. Allegan County Prosecutor Myrene Koch disagreed with the retrial order and said her office is considering an appeal. Lynch responded: Thats not the point. 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 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.". All rights reserved (About Us). Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Briefs in the case are expected to be filed within the coming months, at which point oral arguments will be scheduled. Before taking the bench, Kengis served as the elected prosecuting attorney for Allegan County. 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.. 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. Chief Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Margaret Zuzich Bakker The sentences run concurrently. After serving as the elected prosecuting attorney for the county, Kengis appointment to the circuit court occurred in March of 2018 by then Governor Rick Snyder when Judge Kevin Cronin resigned. Kengis replaces Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker who had been elected to the circuit court in 2010. In a hearing Thursday, Judge Roberts Kengis alerted the attorneys tohis history with the case. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. She has been recognized for her volunteer work with South Haven Public Schools and the Allegan County Coordinating Council on Domestic and Sexual Violence. Example video title will go here for this video. Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Michael Buck If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. Jim Wheat, MD. Bakker also asked why the victim in the case had not been given a medical exam. The defense said the emails show misconduct. The Michigan Supreme Court will ultimately decide after agreeing to hear oral arguments in the case of Daniel Loew. Before that, she worked 28 years as an assistant prosecutor, the last eight as chief prosecutor. 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. .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} Cheshire Hills Golf Course . My office is contemplating an appeal. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge. 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.. 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 people of Allegan County are served by the Michigan Third District Court of Appeals, a circuit court, district court, and probate court. The jury found the Defendant guilty based on that evidence. 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. Koch a 1992 graduate of Michigan State received her JD from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1999. All rights reserved. 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.. 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. They began investigating and recommended she contact the sheriffs department. The Michigan Supreme Court made their current appointments to the courts across the state. Although Koch didn't directly prosecute the case for the county, she was the supervisor of the assistant prosecutor who did. The half hour hearing Friday afternoon featured Field being sworn in and agreeing to the no contest pleas on the seven charges. Allegan County Circuit Judge Margaret Zuzich-Bakker (MLive File Photo)Emil Lippe | MLive.com. 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. ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI -- Allegan County Prosecutor Rob Kengis has been appointed to a recently vacated judgeship with the Allegan County Circuit Court. All rights reserved. All Rights Reserved. Dont they have detectives anymore?, The next morning, Koch replied: They do but not typically for CSCs. 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. Beginning January 1, 2022, Judge Roberts Kengis assumed the chief judge leadership of the 48 th Circuit Court. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. She became a judge on Jan. 1, 2010. 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. This county is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates. Community Volunteer . Marcia Johnson. The chief judge holds "administrative superintending power and control over the judges of the court and all court personnel, including the friend of the court," according to Michigan Court Rule, managing staffing, caseload, court finances, making county clerk and prosecutor's office appointments and managing assignment and reassignment of cases. Michigan Probate Courts, Courts in Michigan Michigan judicial elections Judicial selection in Michigan. His case was bound over for a jury trial in Allegan County's 48th Circuit Court last month. "The recommendation was timely as Chief Judge Kengis advises the number of potential jury trials awaiting scheduling is over one hundred. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. If you would like to help our coverage scope grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia. He buried Aundria's body on their property, later moving her body when the Bowmans moved from Holland to the Hamilton area shortly afterward. Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. He was convicted of five counts of criminal sexual misconduct and sentenced to at least 20 years in prison. Friday, Judge Kengis kept Fields bond the same. In the nonpartisan primary, the two candidates who receive the greatest number of votes advance to the general election. 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. The status of those grievances is unknown, as the merits of Loew's appeal are still pending. Rob Kengis. He was sentenced last November to at least 20 years in prison. Plaintiff Jonathan King Meyer filed a pro se complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. On Jan. 1, the Michigan Supreme Court announced Judge Roberts Kengis would replace Bakker in supervising the 48th Circuit Court. Koch previously told The Sentinel she never discussed the emails with Jipp. He was elected to a six-year term in 2020. The emails were unearthed by Allegan-based attorney Michael Villar, who was challenging County Prosecutor Myrene Koch's re-election bid in summer 2020. However, the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed that decision in a split 2-1 opinion in January this year. After the trooper left the witness stand, Bakker emailed Koch: This trooper didnt do a very good investigation. 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. http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/CC/Index.asp?pt=, The Public Access to Court Records (PACER), 36th Judicial Circuit Court Van Buren County. Myrene Koch will replace Robert Kengis as Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney on March 19. He replaces Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker, who served 11 years as chief judge. 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. The incidents occurred between September 2015 and early 2018 when he perjured himself during a court hearing. 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. 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. Download the WZZM 13 app now. Kengis was the chief prosecuting attorney when. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. 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. Website: http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/CC/Index.asp?pt=, Staff: George R. Corsiglia (Chief Judge), William A. Baillargeon 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. Betty Kortman . The point is she tried. Bakker, who remains on the bench, served in the role for 11. If any of these apply to you, contact the court to verify they observe the exemption. After the emails were discovered, Villar saidhe filed complaints against Koch and Bakker with the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission and Attorney Grievance Commission, respectively. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. She said the counseling took place there and the sexual relations at Fields home next door to the center. 57th District Court Honorable Joseph S . Soon after election, she was appointed as chief judge, a position she has held for 11 years. Herman was a member of the board of directors of the counseling center where Field worked and where some of the incidents took place. We routinely discuss cases with the victims, said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. Contact Info (269) 673-8471 Questions & Answers Q What is the phone number for Judiciary Courts of the Stt? Judge Kengis noted that Field will be sentenced before him on Friday, Sept. 10 in Cass County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m.