More:Hamilton man pleads guilty to 1980 murder of Virginia woman, More:Wife: Hamilton man killed their daughter in 1989, dismembered and buried body. The half hour hearing Friday afternoon featured Field being sworn in and agreeing to the no contest pleas on the seven charges. 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. The victim was 13 at the time of the first reported assault. 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.. Redistricting Maps Take Affect for 2022 Elections. All rights reserved. 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 Allegan County Circuit Judge Margaret Zuzich-Bakker (MLive File Photo)Emil Lippe | MLive.com. In a hearing Thursday, Judge Roberts Kengis alerted the attorneys tohis history with the case. 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. 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. Jennifer Garcia. 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. Website: http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/CC/Index.asp?pt=, Staff: George R. Corsiglia (Chief Judge), William A. Baillargeon "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. Allegan County Circuit Court Judge. Chief Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Margaret Zuzich Bakker Michigan District Courts 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 . 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. 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. 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 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. Michigan Court of Appeals They began investigating and recommended she contact the sheriffs department. Field was arrested in the fall of 2017. 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 County will soon have a new Prosecuting Attorney. He was sentenced last November to at least 20 years in prison. Friday, Judge Kengis kept Fields bond the same. 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 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. The appeal was heard by Allegan County District Judge William Baillargeon. .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} The defense said the emails show misconduct. Before taking the bench, Kengis served as the elected prosecuting attorney for Allegan County. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan has jurisdiction in Allegan County. Although Koch didn't directly prosecute the case for the county, she was the supervisor of the assistant prosecutor who did. Contact Info (269) 673-8471 Questions & Answers Q What is the phone number for Judiciary Courts of the Stt? 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. 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. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. The plea agreement was announced Friday afternoon in a court hearing before Judge Roberts Kengis. Michigan Probate Courts, Courts in Michigan Michigan judicial elections Judicial selection in Michigan. The same date Kengis starts as a Circuit Judge. After the emails were discovered, Villar saidhe filed complaints against Koch and Bakker with the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission and Attorney Grievance Commission, respectively. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. This trooper has been given additional personal training since this investigation. In the emails, Bakker wrote to Koch: "This trooper didnt do a very good investigation. 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 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 Volunteer . 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. They have four children. Community Volunteer . Myrene Koch will replace Robert Kengis as Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney on March 19. Kengis said during Thursdays hearing that the hearing would likely be reassigned next to a judge in Allegan Countys 57th District Court. 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. The Michigan Supreme Court made their current appointments to the courts across the 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. He buried Aundria's body on their property, later moving her body when the Bowmans moved from Holland to the Hamilton area shortly afterward. 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. Assistant Allegan County Prosecutor Emily Jipp called a state police trooper as her second witness. 2023 www.hollandsentinel.com. Allegan, MI 49010, Design By Granicus - Connecting People & Government. Dissenting Justice Michael Riordan said reasonable minds could conclude that Bakker was biased in favor of the prosecution. 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.. prosecutorial candidate Michael Villar accused his opponent, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. After the trooper left the witness stand, Bakker emailed Koch: This trooper didnt do a very good investigation. 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. (269) 673-0300, Honorable Roberts Kengis The two then exchanged several emails about the lack of a medical exam. Penny Brown . 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. Loew currently is free while awaiting the outcome of his appeal. However, the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed that decision in a split 2-1 opinion in January this year. 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. 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 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. Dont they have detectives with MSP anymore?. Sarah Leach is editor of The Holland Sentinel. On Jan. 1, theMichigan Supreme Court announcedJudge Roberts Kengis would replace Bakker in supervising the 48th Circuit Court. Koch has served as an assistant prosecutor since July of 2002, and as the Chief Assistant Prosecutor since last June. The emails between Koch and Judge Margaret Bakker showed the two discussing the case while Loew's trial was occurring in Bakker's courtroom. Bakker was Allegan County's first female circuit court judge. Plaintiff Jonathan King Meyer filed a pro se complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 13 READS: Muskegon book store asking for help to stay open, continue to promote literacy, 13 On Your Side Forecast: Fog Thursday; Snowstorm Friday. 2023 www.hollandsentinel.com. He obtained the emails through a Freedom of Information Act request. 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.. Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Michael Buck ", Bakker wrote back, "One more question this victim was not referred for a medical, do you know why?". 3283 122nd Ave. Bowman says he hid Aundria's body in a barn on the property and called police to report that she had run away. Get unlimited access to our local coverage, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Contact her at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com or follow her on Twitter @SentinelLeach. Kengis replaces Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker who had been elected to the circuit court in 2010. 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