On the outside, Barry County looks like an idyllic place to settle; quiet towns, rolling farmland, a strong rural identity. But if you value fair courts, mental-health innovation, and trustworthy justice, critics say Barry County is a warning sign. Here’s why.
No Real Commitment to Mental-Health Alternatives
Many Michigan counties now run mental-health and specialty courts to treat root causes of crime instead of filling jails. Barry County hasn’t followed suit. Reporting by Clutch Justice has documented that Judge Michael Schipper repeatedly resists therapeutic alternatives and instead defaults to punitive, incarceration-heavy sentencing.
In fact, Judge Schipper believes that “addiction isn’t a real disease” and as a result, refuses to advocate or take evidence-based diversion programs seriously – programs that would save taxpayers thousands of dollars.
He is not a well-educated or forward-thinking man and it shows in his draconian sentencing.
Plea Deals Aren’t Reliable
Defense attorneys have flagged a pattern of plea agreements unraveling once defendants enter Judge Schipper’s courtroom.
In People v. Velasquez, Schipper disregarded a deal and imposed a harsher sentence, prompting multiple Court of Appeals remands. It’s not the only case; multiple Clutch investigations show informal or off-the-record deals later replaced with long prison terms. Predictability, a pillar of justice, is shaky here. Especially when the judge insists on being in the middle of plea deal bargaining and then pretends they do not exist at sentencing.
Repeated Defiance of Higher-Court Orders
Clutch has chronicled Schipper’s refusal to follow appellate rulings. The Michigan Court of Appeals has sent cases back to Barry County after he ignored sentencing directives and constitutional guidance. When judges openly disregard oversight and believe that they know better, it erodes trust and leaves defendants in legal limbo.
This isn’t a new concept. And if Schipper stayed up on case law, he would know:
To be clear, lower courts must follow decisions of higher courts even if they believe the higher court’s decision was wrongly decided or has become obsolete. Paige v Sterling Hts, 476 Mich 495, 524; 720 NW2d 219 (2006).
If a trial judge is unable to follow the law as determined by a higher appellate court, the trial judge is in the wrong line of work. See Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 2 and Canon 3(A)(1); see also Pellegrino, 486 Mich at 352.
A “Delay, Distract, Disappear” Courtroom Culture
Hearings frequently cancel or vanish last-minute. In one case reported by Clutch, a crucial hearing was canceled the morning of, blindsiding counsel and witnesses. This tactic, critics say, intentionally burns out defendants, drives up costs, and shields the process from public scrutiny.
Temperament & Professionalism Concerns
Clutch’s published investigations find a pattern of volatility in Judge Schipper’s courtroom; yelling at attorneys, publicly belittling litigants, and making broad moral pronouncements instead of measured rulings. Attorneys have long voiced concern that this unpredictability makes outcomes harder to gauge and undermines confidence in fair treatment. How many of them have actually done something about it rather than complain? It’s hard to tell.
Bonus: Ex Parte Communications
Sources inside the courthouse have divulged that Judge Michael Schipper regularly engages in ex parte communications with courthouse staff, violating People v. Smith (Timothy), 423 Mich 427, 459 (1985), further tipping the scales of justice in Barry County.
The Bottom Line
Barry County’s justice system doesn’t just lag behind; it actively fights reform. From unreliable plea deals to ignored appellate rulings and a courtroom culture that critics describe as chaotic and hostile, this is a tough place for anyone who values stability and progress.
And with Judge Schipper serving on the Jail Advisory Board, it will not change anytime soon, as the revenue will line the county coffers.
If you’re planning a move to West Michigan and fairness matters to you, Barry County might not be the place to build your future.
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