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Michael Bogren

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Michael Bogren
Image of Michael Bogren

Education

Bachelor's

Western Michigan University, 1979

Law

University of Detroit School of Law, 1982

As of June 2019, Michael S. Bogren was the chairman of Plunkett Cooney P.C.’s board of directors. He was also the managing partner in Plunkett Cooney P.C.'s office in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[1]

On March 11, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Bogren to the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan.[2] Bogren withdrew his nomination on June 11, 2019.[3] Click here for more information on Bogren's federal judicial nomination. To see a full list of judges appointed by Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan is one of 94 U.S. district courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan (2019-present)

President Donald Trump (R) nominated Bogren on March 11, 2019.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Michael S. Bogren
Court: Western District of Michigan
Progress
Withdrawn 107 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: March 11, 2019
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: May 22, 2019
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
DefeatedAReported:  
DefeatedAConfirmed:
DefeatedAWithdrawn: June 26, 2019

Withdrawal

Bogren withdrew his nomination on June 11, 2019.[3] The White House formally withdrew Bogren's nomination on June 26, 2019.[2]

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Bogren's nomination on May 22, 2019.[4]

Opposition from Senate Judiciary Committee members

Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Ted Cruz (Texas), both Republicans and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, opposed Bogren and called on President Trump to withdraw Bogren's nomination.

During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Hawley asked Bogren about litigation representing the city of East Lansing, Michigan. Steve and Bridget Tennes, the owners of Country Mill Farms, sued East Lansing after the city barred them from participating in the city-run farmers market. The city barred the farm after Steve Tennes wrote on Facebook that he believed "marriage is a sacramental union between one man and one woman" and "he honors his religious belief when hosting and participating in weddings at Country Mill."[5] Bogren represented East Lansing in the litigation.

Hawley said Bogren "compared a Catholic family’s adherence to the teachings of their church to the activities of the KKK and the teachings of radical imams." Bogren responded, "Respectfully, that is not what I said," adding, "The point I was trying to make was that religious beliefs trying to justify discrimination if extended to sexual orientation, which the city of East Lansing protects, could be used to try to justify any other sort of discrimination, whether it be gender or race."[6]

Hawley reiterated his claims in an op-ed for National Review, writing that Bogren's "hostility toward [the Catholic family's] faith raises questions about his fitness to be a federal judge. ... It's one thing to advocate on behalf of your client, but Bogren went too far."[7]

Sen. Cruz agreed with Hawley in a tweet: "The nominee didn’t just represent a client; at his confirmation he affirmatively declared 'there is no distinction' [between] Catholic teachings and KKK bigotry. I’m a NO. And POTUS should withdraw the nomination."[8]

Writing in support of Bogren, Margot Cleveland, a contributor for The Federalist and Bogren's cousin, said Bogren "is not anti-Catholic. … Conservatives using Bogren’s clients and zealous representation of their legal interests to scuttle a nomination aren’t thinking this through."[9]

The Wall Street Journal editorial board also argued in favor of Bogren. "Mr. Hawley’s questioning is a precedent that conservatives will regret," the Journal editorial board wrote. "If nominees can be disqualified for every argument they make for a client, conservative judicial nominees will soon find themselves blocked from judgeships for defending religious liberty."[10]

Nomination

On March 8, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Bogren to the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan.[1] Bogren was nominated to succeed Judge Robert Holmes Bell, who assumed senior status on January 31, 2017.[2]

Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both Democrats of Michigan, negotiated with the White House regarding the nomination. Stabenow said of the nomination, "Today’s announcement is welcome news following months of bipartisan discussions with the White House. I look forward to the Senate Judiciary Committee considering these nominees."[11]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Bogren well qualified for the position.[12] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Education

Bogren obtained a B.A. in English literature and linguistics, cum laude, from Western Michigan University in 1979 and a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1982.[1][11]

Professional career

At the time of his federal judicial nomination, Bogren was the chairman of Plunkett Cooney P.C.’s board of directors and the managing partner in Plunkett Cooney P.C.'s office in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He joined the firm in 1985 and became a partner in 1989. Bogren was also village attorney for the Village of Hopkins, Michigan.[1][13]

Awards and associations

Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America for Municipal Law and Litigation, 2008 - 2019
  • Leading Lawyer in Civil Rights/Constitutional Law / Governmental, Municipal, Lobbying & Administrative Law, Leading Lawyers Magazine Michigan, 2015
  • Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating-AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
  • Michigan Super Lawyer in Government/Cities/Municipalities, 2008 - 2016
  • Alpha Sigma Nu-National Jesuit Honor Society
  • Justice Frank Murphy Honor Society[13]

Associations

  • Kalamazoo County Bar Association
  • State Bar of Michigan (Public Corporations Section)
  • American Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association (Civil Rights Section - Newsletter and Public Relations Committee, co-chair)
  • International Municipal Lawyers Association
  • Association of Governmental Risk Pools[13]

About the court

Western District of Michigan
Sixth Circuit
MI-WD.gif
Judgeships
Posts: 4
Judges: 4
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Hala Jarbou
Active judges: Jane M. Beckering, Hala Yalda Jarbou, Robert Jonker, Paul Maloney

Senior judges:
Robert Holmes Bell, Janet Neff, Gordon Quist


The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan is one of 94 United States district courts. It was established by an act of Congress on December 24, 1863. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, based in downtown Cincinnati, at the Potter A. Stewart Federal Courthouse and Building.

The Western District of Michigan has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The jurisdiction of the Western District of Michigan consists of 48 counties in the state of Michigan. The court's headquarters are in Grand Rapids, with a courthouse in Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Marquette.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

  • The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
  • The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
  • As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
  • After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
  • If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
  • If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
  • The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
  • If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
  • If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.


See also

External links


Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees," March 8, 2019
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Congress.gov, "PN509 — Michael S. Bogren — The Judiciary," accessed March 12, 2019
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bloomberg Law, "Trump Judicial Nominee Withdraws Under Senate GOP Pressure (1)," June 11, 2019
  4. ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Nominations," May 22, 2019
  5. ↑ United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Country Mill Farms, LLC and Stephen Tennes v. City of East Lansing, filed May 31, 2017
  6. ↑ YouTube, "Senator Josh Hawley Questions Judicial Nominee Michael Bogren," May 22, 2019
  7. ↑ National Review, "Nominees Hostile to Religious Liberty Have No Place on the Federal Bench," May 31, 2019
  8. ↑ Twitter, "Ted Cruz on May 31, 2019," accessed June 5, 2019
  9. ↑ Twitter, "Margot Cleveland on May 23, 2019," accessed June 5, 2019
  10. ↑ The Detroit News, "Two GOP senators oppose pick for Michigan bench, urge Trump to nix it," June 4, 2019
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 The Detroit News, "Trump picks first black female judge nominee as he tries to fill Mich. vacancies," March 8, 2019
  12. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nomines," May 21, 2019
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Plunkett Cooney, "Michael S. Bogren," accessed March 11, 2019

Michigan courts

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

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