Category: judge

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A Judge Who Once Sentenced a Man to Prison Swore Him in as an Attorney

It was twenty years ago when Hillsdale County Circuit Court Judge Michael Smith sentenced Robert VanSumeren to 70-240 months in prison for robbery. This November, Smith showed everyone the meaning of a second chance by swearing in the 40-year-old as the county’s 169th attorney.

Joined by his wife, Dana, his two sons, and his sponsor, Marie Reimers, VanSumeren has officially completed his unbelievable redemption story, which began on the wrong side of Judge Smith’s courtroom all the way back in 1999. After his parents split up during his teenage years, VanSumeren turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with the pain. Unfortunately, those vices led to same damaging decisions, including robbing a gas station with a BB gun. Following an unarmed bank robbery, VanSumeren found himself in front of Judge Smith, who sent the newly convicted felon to prison.

Spending six years behind bars taught VanSumeren a valuable lesson and inspired him to turn his life around. Upon his release in 2005, the formerly troubled teen showed he would not squander a second chance at success. VanSumeren studied hard and earned a bachelors degree from Western Michigan University in 2006 before finishing up his masters in 2009. Yet, that wasn’t enough for the former inmate.

“Even as I started working on my bachelor’s and master’s in humanities, law kept floating back through my mind, but the obstacle was I didn’t know if I could make it,” he said.

In 2015, VanSumeren began his law degree at Wayne State University. While enrolled, he ironically learned from the same federal prosecutors and former judges who he detested back in his teenage years. Despite self-doubt about whether he should be open about his past, the father of two came to realize that he had to embrace all aspects of his story in order to move forward in his quest to become an attorney.

“In the community of people who have had legal troubles but have gone on to be professionals, there’s a debate about whether to disclose or not to disclose, to kind of go on with your life or talk about it,” he said. “I’ve chosen to talk about it and tell my story, and when people find out they’ve generally been very supportive.”

VanSumeren earned his law degree in early 2018 before passing the bar exam in July of that same year. However, he still had another significant hurdle to pass: getting the approval of the Character and Fitness Committee. After a lengthy process, the committee gave its blessing and recommended VanSumeren for approval to join the State Bar of Michigan.

His journey from inmate to attorney would not have been possible without the support of Reimers. Now a staff attorney at Lakeshore Legal Aid, Reimers befriended VanSumeren during their first year of law school. She commends her former classmate for his perseverance and believes he is a great example for others to follow.

“It takes a lot of courage to go to law school and pass the bar exam knowing that there’s something in your past from when you were 19 that might keep you from becoming an attorney,” she said. “I’m just so proud of him.”

Judge Smith echoed Reimers’ sentiments for Hillsdale County’s newest attorney, stating that VanSumeren should be commended for his turnaround. That reaction is obviously rare in any courthouse, so let this case show you that it is never too late to write a redemption story.

Case closed.

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Drunk Driver’s Mom Gets Jail Time for Laughing at Victim’s Grieving Family

Judge Qiana Lillard is a national treasure, and after you’re done reading this, you’ll definitely agree.

Photo Credit: CBS

Her wisdom and sense of justice were on display when she presided over the sentencing phase of a particularly tragic case. Amanda Kosal, age 25, was driving drunk when she hit a SUV carrying 31-year-old Jerome Zirker and his fiancee, 31-year-old Brittany Johnson, last summer. Kosal killed Zirker and caused severe injuries to Johnson.

But during the victim impact statements, Lillard noted a disturbance in her courtroom.

Members of Kosal’s family appeared to be laughing. Lillard interrupted the proceedings and laid down the law on two of the family members.

“Whoever can sit here at a tragic moment like this and laugh and smile when somebody has lost a family member … in the entire time that Mr. Zirker’s sister was speaking, that clown — and that’s what I am going to call him, a clown — was sitting there smiling and laughing,” said Lillard.

“This is a court of law, and these are very serious matters… I understand you all are very upset because your loved one is going to prison — but guess what? She’s going to prison for the choices that she made,” explained the judge. “These people are here grieving, saddened because a senseless act took away their loved one, and you’re sitting here acting like it’s a joke?”

Meanwhile, a man and a woman were escorted from the courtroom. Lillard let them know they could not act disrespectfully in Courtroom 502. “Not today and not any other day.”

The woman turned out to be Kosal’s mother, who was sentenced to 93 days in the Wayne County Jail. However, the next day, she tearfully apologized and said she was feeling stressed because her (alive) daughter was getting sent to prison. Lillard compassionately reduced her sentence to one day, time served.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Kosal was sent to prison for her crime – 3 to 15 years.

Friends and family of Zirkir are still mourning their loss.

Lillard was touched by all the attention given to her actions and the speech she made that day. She posted a statement on Facebook.

“I am honored to have the privilege of serving the citizens of Wayne County. Although I am unable to respond individually to everyone, I have read all of your remarks. I appreciate all of your comments.”

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