Gov. Rick Snyder has announced 15 appointments to the newly created Indigent Defense Commission.
The commission was created as a result of efforts to improve legal representation for low-income criminal defendants.
In October 2011, Snyder issued an executive order establishing the initial Indigent Defense Advisory Commission, responsible for recommending improvements to the state’s legal system.
These recommendations served as the basis for legislation to address this need as well as called for the 15-member Indigent Defense Commission that the governor signed into law in July 2013.
“A key principle of the judicial system is that every citizen has a right to competent legal counsel,” Snyder said. “I am confident these appointees will serve our state well as they work toward the next steps in ensuring all Michiganders have the judicial representation they deserve.”
The board collects and compiles data necessary for the review of indigent defense services in Michigan. In addition, it creates standards to ensure all systems providing indigent defense meet constitutional obligations for effective assistance of counsel and develops requirements by which a person may establish a claim of indigence so those truly in need of a public defender will have one.
The following were named to initial one-year terms expiring April 1, 2015:
• Jon Campbell of Otsego, an Allegan County commissioner since 1991. He previously served 27 years as a police officer with the City of Otsego and has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience.
• Kevin Oeffner of Howell, Oakland County Circuit Court administrator. He also served as the chief of program evaluation for the Oakland County Board of Commissioners and as program evaluation analyst for the Ingham County Controller’s Office.
• David Schuringa of Grandville, president of Crossroad Bible Institute. He served in numerous roles as an ordained minister, most recently as senior pastor of Bethany Christian Reformed Church. He leads an educational agency with 45,000 participating inmates.
Named to initial two-year terms expiring April 1, 2016 were:
• Frank Eaman of Huntington Woods, owner of Frank D. Eaman PLLC. He previously worked with Bellanca, Beattie & DeLisle PC, Eaman & Ravitz PC, and Gage, Burgess, Knowx, Burgess & Eaman. Eaman is an ex-officio member of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan board.
• Brandy Robinson of Detroit, a research and writing specialist with the Legal Aid & Defender Federal Defender Office. Robinson previously served as an assistant defender with the State Appellate Defender Office, was a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook Jr., and was an associate in the public law group at Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone.
• William Swor of Grosse Pointe Woods, an attorney with William W. Swor who has practiced federal criminal and immigration law for more than 40 years. He is on the board of directors of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan as well as the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services.
• Kimberly Thomas of Ann Arbor, a clinical professor of law at University of Michigan specializing in criminal law and practice. Thomas is the co-founder of the Juvenile Justice Clinic and was honored in 2013 with the Justice for All Award from the Criminal Defense Attorneys Association of Michigan.
Appointed to initial three-year terms expiring April 1, 2017 were:
• Richard Lindsey of Marshall, corporate counsel of Calhoun County where he represents the board of commissioners, county elected officials and all boards and commissions associated with the county. Previously, Lindsey served as a shareholder with Marcoux Allen PC, specializing in corporate, municipal and local government law.
• Shela Motley of Okemos, who previously worked in various capacities with the state of Michigan, most recently as a special agent with the Michigan Department of Attorney General where she investigated allegations of health care and consumer fraud, and patient abuse and neglect. She also served as a public health investigator with the Michigan Department of Public Health and a corrections officer with the Michigan Department of Corrections.
• Michael Puerner of Ada, vice president, secretary and general counsel of Hastings Mutual Insurance. Puerner previously was a shareholder with Foster Swift Collins & Smith. He is on the executive committee of the Federal Bar Association’s, West Michigan Chapter, and is a founding trustee and current vice president of the Adjunct to U.S. District Court – Western District Michigan.
• Cletus Smith of Adrian, a Lenawee County commissioner, where he chairs the Physical Resources Committee and is vice chair of the Criminal Justice Committee. Smith has an extensive career in law enforcement; retiring as captain of the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office and serving in numerous capacities including acting undersheriff and lieutenant of the detective bureau and support services.
Named to initial four-year terms expiring April 1, 2018 were:
• Thomas Boyd of Okemos, who is chief judge of 55th District Court. Boyd previously served as an assistant attorney general.
• Nancy Diehl of Detroit, who retired from the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office in 2009 where she served as trial division chief. Diehl founded and directed the Child Abuse Unit and the Child and Family Abuse Bureau.
• Jim Fisher of Hastings, who will chair the commission. Fisher is an attorney with Law Weathers where his primary practice areas are arbitration and mediation. He previously served as chief judge of Barry County Circuit Court and chaired the initial Indigent Defense Advisory Commission .
• Gary Walker of Marquette, supervisor of Chocolay Township who previously served as the prosecuting attorney for Marquette County for more than 35 years. Walker serves on the Deans’ Advisory Council, College of Behavioral Science at Northern Michigan University.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
