CHANGES ARE COMING TO BERRIEN COUNTY COURTS IN JANUARY 2023

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent

ST. JOSEPH – Changes are coming to Berrien County courts in January. A new Berrien County Trial Court judge will be sworn in next month and the county’s Public Defender office will get new leadership. In addition, new judicial assignments will take effect for the trial court’s civil, criminal and family divisions.

Berrien County Commissioners took action on one of the items at their weekly meeting last week. As has been the case since early 2020, people can watch county board meetings on the county’s YouTube channel as well as attend them in person at the Berrien County Administration Center in St. Joseph.

Commissioners appointed Kaitlin Locke to head the Berrien County Public Defender Office on an interim basis as the search takes place for a permanent replacement. Locke succeeds Paul Jancha, Jr. who was elected in November to a six year term as a judge in the county.

The resolution approved by the county board noted that Jancha was resigning Dec. 9 in anticipation of starting his new duties Jan. 1 and that Locke is the current Chief Assistant Public Defender. The resolution further stated that Locke has “exhibited a superior level of leadership and experience” and is qualified to perform the job on an interim basis.

Locke’s appointment is for 90 days as the search takes place for someone to fill the post on a permanent basis. That appointment can be renewed by the county board if no one is found in that time period. Her salary will be $107,326. She has been an attorney in the office since 2017 and the chief assistant public defender since earlier this year.

Locke told commissioners she is excited to head the office and Jancha told them that it has been an honor to work with them over the last three years. “It was difficult (during the pandemic) but we’ve gotten through it,” he said. “The county is really an incredible place to work and I’m proud of all that the office has accomplished,” he said.

Jancha was the third person to head the Public Defender position since it was established in 2017 to provide better legal services to the county’s indigent population. He is a Berrien County native and was in private practice previously and joined the Public Defender’s office in 2019.

Since becoming the Berrien County’s Chief Public Defender in March, 2020, he expanded the services offered by that office to include not only defense but the social services they may need to stay out of the criminal justice system. He also gained extensive executive and administrative experience during his tenure.

As he noted on his campaign website, www.janchaforjudge2022.com, Jancha said having the chance to expand the services of the Public Defender’s Office is one of his proudest accomplishments. The office’s first staff social worker was hired in the fall of 2020 with the second hired just this fall.

“Serving as Berrien County’s Chief Public Defender has been the most rewarding and challenging experience of my career,” Jancha said last week in an interview with the Berrien County Record.

“I began in March of 2020 in this role as all of our daily lives changed with the impact of COVID-19,” he said. “I am very proud of the work the office was able to accomplish over these years, continuing to provide excellent service to our indigent population and ensure access to justice as the court system adapted to the many changes brought on by the pandemic.”

“Our first responsibility is to provide our clients with a robust defense as required by our Constitution,” he noted. “I am proud to say that our office succeeds in this regard, with the great support we have had both from the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission as a Berrien County department.”

He said his goal during his tenure was to build on the work of his predecessors and he’s especially proud of being able to have hired the first three staff social workers for the office. “I have sought over this time to build upon the work of my predecessors and develop a more holistic, client-centered office,” he said.

“Along with the attorneys, they work to secure improved access for our indigent clients to local, established social support services, as we seek to eliminate barriers to success that may exist in their lives, with the aim of doing all we can as an integral part of the justice system to reduce recidivism,” he said.

Jancha said he will bring his interest in justice to his new role as a judge. “From my time as a defense attorney and Chief Public Defender, I bring a desire and ability to support the court as it seeks always to improve its service to our community, to listen with an open mind to all sides of an issue, and to see the humanity in all aspects of the judicial process,” he said.

With Jancha taking the bench and Trial Court Judge Dennis Wiley, Trial Court Administrator Carrie Smietanka-Haney said new judicial assignments have been made for the Berrien Trial Court. She said an administrative order memorializing the new assignments will be posted closer to the end of the year.

The Chief Judge and Chief Judge Pro-Tempore assignments remain the same as the last two years with Judge Mabel Mayfield Chief Judge and Judge Angela Pasula Chief Judge Pro-Tem.

Judge Arthur Cotter will be the presiding judge in the Trial Court’s Criminal Division. Other judges assigned to that division are Judge Gary Bruce, new Judge Paul Jancha, Jr., Judge Charles LaSata, Judge Pasula and Judge Jennifer Smith.

Judge Donna Howard will be the presiding judge in the Trial Court’s Civil Division with Judge Sterling Schrock the other judge in that division.

Judge Brian Berger will be the presiding judge in the Trial Court’s Family Division. Other judges in that division are Judge Gordon Hosbein and Judge Mayfield.

In addition, Judge Howard has been assigned to lead the Drug Treatment and Mental Health Courts and Judge LaSata has been assigned to lead the Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program.

The assignments mean a change for the Niles court as Judge Schrock returns north to St. Joseph and Judge Smith having her first assignment in Niles.