Alfred Butzbaugh
Alfred "Al" Butzbaugh was the Chief Judge of Michigan's 2nd Circuit Court (the Berrien County Trial Court). He was first appointed to this court by Gov. Granholm on October 22, 2003 to replace retired Judge John N. Fields. He was assigned to the Civil Division before retiring in 2012.[1][2] [3]
Education
Butzbaugh received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Michigan and his M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago.[1]
Career
Butzbaugh worked as a private practice lawyer for 37 years prior to his judicial appointment. At the time of this appointment, he was working with the law firm of Butzbaugh & Dewane, P.L.C., specializing in civil litigation, business transactions and planning. He joined the circuit court in 2003.[1]
Man gets prison for threatening judge
In March 2007, Reverend Edward Pinkney was found guilty on three felony charges of "improper possession of absentee ballots, one felony count of influencing voters while they were voting, and a misdemeanor charge of influencing voters with money," according to Michigan Citizen. At his sentencing two months later, Judge Butzbaugh suspended the actual jail time, and instead ordered a tether. As part of his probation, Pinkney was to "refrain from political campaigning, to avoid threatening and intimating behavior, to not use a cell phone and to not associate with any person known to have a criminal conviction." Seven months later, on December 21, 2007, Butzbaugh issued a warrant for Pinkney's arrest because Pinkney violated the terms of his probation by writing in The People's Tribune, "We must fight for justice for all any time you have a judge like Alfred Butzbaugh, who is a racist," and further, "by the dumb judge and prosecutor....I support the constitution of the United States and the State of Michigan; we are still waiting on this racist corrupt judge to do the same." The judge ordered Pinkney to serve a jail term that had been a part of his original sentencing. According to Michigan Citizen, Pinkney wrote a questionably threatening letter to the judge from Berrien County jail quoting Deuteronomy 28:14-22--"The passage recites the evils God will measure out to those in high places and who have great responsibility if they mistreat the people they are chosen to serve." After Judge Butzbaugh's recusal, another judge sentenced Pinkney to three to 10 years.[4]
See also
External links
- Butzbaugh determines probable cause in sex offender case (dead link)
- Michigan State Bar Foundation
- Michigan Bar
Footnotes
Federal courts:
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
State courts:
Michigan Supreme Court • Michigan Court of Appeals • Michigan Circuit Court • Michigan Court of Claims • Michigan District Courts • Michigan Municipal Courts • Michigan Probate Courts
State resources:
Courts in Michigan • Michigan judicial elections • Judicial selection in Michigan
