I recently received a letter that I could barely believe.
The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission sent me a letter closing my complaint against Judge Michael Schipper. Apparently the JTC believes that the horrible and combative behavior carried out by Michael Schipper is completely acceptable.
I blinked and re-read it several times to make sure I really read what I thought I had read. And then I crumbled it up and threw it right into the trash. Once again, this egomaniac is getting away with bad behavior.
It could be because he used the same tactic the last time he was in trouble, acknowledging his bad behavior and receiving a verbal slap on the wrist; I don’t know and may never know. But it made my blood boil that nothing was done.
Some Judge got angry at a bike shop owner and was removed from the bench. But Michael Schipper regularly abuses people in his courtroom, threatens to “take them out” and he’s allowed to stay in a position of power.
Alarmningly, all of the Judges the Judicial Tenure Commission has removed from the bench in recent years are people of color, while Judges like Mike Schipper and John McBain get away with being biased and awful bigots.
So I wrote a letter to Lynn Helland and to the Michigan Supreme Court.
I’m taking a public stand.
My Letter
Dear Mr. Helland,
I write to you as an angry taxpayer and a victim of judicial abuse.
Judge Michael Schipper in Barry County is a well-known bully in West Michigan. I know he has been in trouble in the past, no one wants to work with him because he is so grandiose and unpleasant, and STILL, no one does anything about him.
I submitted a complaint earlier this year, and I am devastated that a Judge who has spent his entire career belittling people and pushing marginalized people further and further into poverty is allowed to keep working.
Many Barry County voters did not want him; he’s in his seat because no one ran against him. He has a death grip on the courthouse and he’s running unchecked. I have spoken to multiple lawyers as well as people who have been before Judge Schipper. None of them bother complaining to your organization because they believe you will do nothing about it. And they aren’t wrong. My complaint was closed after he verbally belittled me and my husband in court, and has pulled despicable acts on many people.
And I am not the only one to have this happen. Other people have had their complaints swept under the rug, too.
Your organization’s outright refusal to take action leads me and others to believe that the fox is guarding the hen house. The organization prefers going after judges of color and allowing horrible judges like Schipper and John McBain to continue on with their careers.
It’s disgusting and inexcusable. Bias is bias no matter how you cut it.
This entire ordeal has destroyed my faith in the system.
Michigan’s checks and balances are broken, allowing ill-suited judges to survive and thrive.
I’m utterly disgusted with the state of Michigan’s legal system and the unprofessionalism allowed to flourish.
Sincerely,
Rita Williams
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