Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the selection of Kellen Dotson and Brian Neill to be appointed to the 61st District Court.
“I am proud to appoint Kellen and Brian to the bench in Grand Rapids,” said Whitmer. “They both bring decades of experience to their positions, where I know they will uphold the rule of law and make our communities stronger and safer.”
Kellen Dotson has previously served as an attorney in the Kent County Office of the Public Defender, an adjunct professor at Western Michigan University Thomas M Cooley Law School, a trial skills trainer for the Michigan Indigent Defense Trial Skills Training Program, and a mediator with the Kent County Friend of the Court.
Following the murder of George Floyd, Dotson undertook the role of managing attorney with the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office in Minneapolis for a two-year period before returning to Grand Rapids to serve the 61st District.
Dotson earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University and his Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
This selection was made to fill a partial term following the retirement of Judge Kimberly Schaefer.
Brian Neill has served as commissioner of the Michigan Lottery for the last five years.
During his tenure as commissioner, the lottery contributed over $6 billion to the School Aid Fund, supporting public education in Michigan.
Neill, who is almost totally blind, previously served as the lottery's chief deputy commissioner, deputy commissioner of administration, and deputy commissioner of compliance and legal affairs.
He also served as vice president of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries and as a member of the Mega Millions game consortium.
Prior to joining Lottery, Neill served as an assistant attorney general at the Michigan Department of Attorney General where he provided legal counsel to Michigan agencies and assisted in keeping violent offenders in prison. During his time at the Department of Attorney General, Neill received awards recognizing both his appellate and transactional work.
Neill earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan at Dearborn and his Juris Doctor from the Ohio Northern University College of Law.
This appointment was made to fill a partial term following the retirement of Judge Jeanine LaVille.
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