HONORABLE DAVID A. HOORT (P-28492)
With 30 years experience as an attorney, Judge Hoort's work history includes Assistant Prosecutor in Bay County and Director of their Career Offender Prosecution unit; private practice; instructor for the Department of Corrections; lecturer for the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan and the Batterer Intervention Coalition of Michigan; District Court Judge and Circuit Court Judge.
In 1997 and 1998 Judge Hoort was voted the best Judge in Ionia County by readers of the Ionia Sentinel Standard newspaper. As District Court Judge, Hoort was recognized by the State of Michigan for his efforts on behalf of families affected by domestic violence; established a state acclaimed Day Reporting Program for Alcohol offenders; compiled written sentencing guidelines for misdemeanor offenses; organized an Ionia County Coordinated Response to Domestic Violence and initiated a counseling requirement for persons seeking to be married in the district court.
During his tenure with the Circuit Court, Judge Hoort was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to the Michigan Judicial Institute Family Division Academic Advisory Committee and helped author a Friend of the Court Domestic Violence Resource Book. He presently serves on the MSC Collections Subcommittee and the State Bar of Michigan Criminal Jurisprudence and Practice Committee.
Judge Hoort has also individually authored Spousal Support Guidelines for the determination of spousal support in domestic relations cases; initiated Ionia County's mental health jail diversion program; established standards for providers of domestic violence and sex offender counseling; a protocol for the evaluation of domestic violence in Personal Protection matters; an inpatient alternative to incarceration for non-violent offenders; and composed a pre-sentence evaluation guideline for convicted sexual offenders.
In 2007 Judge Hoort established a mental health court for the 8th Circuit Court for felony criminal defendants with mental health issues to maximize the circuit court’s ability to provide services to defendants with mental health issues; supervise criminal defendants; minimize use of jail and prison space; and keep our community safe.
In 2008 Judge Hoort received the Champion of Justice Award from the State Bar of Michigan in recognition of his service to the community as a district and circuit court judge. The Champion of Justice Award is based on State Bar of Michigan membership for at least 10 years; Integrity and adherence to the highest principles and traditions of the legal profession; Superior professional competence; and an extraordinary professional accomplishment that benefits the nation, the state, or the local community in which the lawyer or judge lives.
Judge Hoort is a member of the Ionia County Community Foundation; Montcalm County Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence, Portland Athletic Association, Ionia Rotary and the Portland High School Athletic Hall of Fame. His wife Cathy is an attorney in Portland and an Adjunct Professor at Cooley Law School; their son Jordon is a Nuclear Engineer in Charleston, South Carolina and daughter Emily is in her first year at Harvard Law School.
HONORABLE SUZANNE HOSETH-KREEGER - CHIEF JUDGE (P- 44238)
Admitted to the Michigan Bar - 1989
Elected as Ionia County Friend of the Court Referee - 1996
Elected to the 8th Circuit Court Bench - 2008