ALLEGAN — Choose Roberts Kengis took around supervision of the 48th Circuit Court docket on Jan. 1 as main decide after he was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Courtroom to switch Choose Margaret Zuzich Bakker in the purpose.
Bakker, who remains on the 48th Circuit Courtroom bench, turned Allegan County’s initial female circuit courtroom judge when she received election to the placement in 2010. Bakker was promptly appointed chief judge and served 11 a long time as chief decide.
The main decide holds “administrative superintending ability and manage around the judges of the court and all court staff, including the friend of the courtroom,” according to Michigan Courtroom Rule, managing staffing, caseload, court docket funds, building county clerk and prosecutor’s place of work appointments and managing assignment and reassignment of scenarios.
Kengis was appointed to the circuit court judgeship in March 2018 by then-governor Rick Snyder right after the resignation of Decide Kevin Cronin. He was elected to a six-12 months phrase in 2020.
Subscribe:Get endless access to our regional protection
Just before getting the bench, Kengis served as the elected prosecuting attorney for Allegan County.
Bakker did not utilize for reappointment in this appointment cycle, circuit court docket administrator Jennifer Brink explained, and supported Kengis’s application for main choose in a letter to the Michigan Supreme Court.
“Due to the fact Decide Kengis was appointed, Choose Bakker and Judge Kengis have worked collectively on chief responsibilities, and the two system on continuing this follow going ahead,” Brink wrote in an e-mail. “Whenever an situation occurs or a coverage conclusion needs to be made, Judge Bakker and Choose Kengis usually discuss the subject prior to the chief making the final selection.”
The Michigan Supreme Courtroom votes on the appointment of main judges for Michigan courts each two years immediately after “an comprehensive evaluation process,” according to the State Court Administrative Office environment.
In the exact same get appointing Kengis, the Court docket also reappointed Choose Michael Buck to main probate courtroom judge for Allegan County and Choose Joseph Skocelas to chief choose of the 57th District Court.
Judges Jon Van Allsburg, Mark Feyen and Bradley Knoll were reappointed to two-yr phrases as chief judges of Ottawa County’s 20th Circuit Court, Probate Courtroom and 58th District Court, respectively.
— Speak to reporter Carolyn Muyskens at [email protected] and observe her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.
:format(webp)/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/sports/baseball/2022/09/12/as-judge-approaches-milestone-what-counts-more-61-or-73/20220912140920-631f78c7489df4b57cf67538jpeg.jpg "As Decide approaches milestone, what counts extra: 61 or 73?")
