Judge Andre R. Borrello
Identity
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Andre R. Borrello |
| Position | Circuit Court Judge |
| Court | Saginaw County Circuit Court, 10th Judicial Circuit |
| Location | Saginaw, Michigan |
Role in Case No. 25-2441-CZ
Judge Borrello presided over the SLAPP suit from filing (November 3, 2025) until his voluntary recusal (May 12, 2026).
Timeline of Documented Actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Nov 3, 2025 | Case filed before Borrello |
| ~Mar–Apr 2026 | Issued show cause order for contempt — the basis for the emergency COA appeal |
| May 5, 2026 | Defendant filed emergency application with Michigan Court of Appeals (COA No. 380599) challenging show cause proceeding as void |
| May 12, 2026 | Issued written order: denied defendant’s Motion for Disqualification under MCR 2.003 (found no mandatory basis), then voluntarily recused on appearance-of-bias grounds under MCR 2.003(B) and (C)(1)(b)(ii) |
| May 12, 2026 | Adjourned all pending hearings including May 15 motions |
| May 12, 2026 | Directed reassignment through normal court procedures |
The Contempt Pattern
Borrello signed a show cause order for contempt in a defamation case where the defendant is a journalist exercising protected expression. The show cause was filed before any adjudication on the merits of the defamation claim and before the UPEPA special motion was heard.
The sequence:
- Attorney files SLAPP suit against journalist
- Attorney submits fabricated witness (“Samantha Aljouny”)
- Court issues contempt order against the journalist
- Journalist files emergency appeal (COA 380599)
- Judge denies disqualification motion
- Judge immediately recuses himself anyway
The recusal — voluntarily, on the same day as denying the mandatory basis for disqualification — is itself a documented event. It suggests the judge recognized the appearance problem while declining to rule it met the mandatory standard.
What the UPEPA Motion Inherits
The successor judge receives:
- The pending UPEPA special motion for expedited relief
- The full record including the fabricated witness evidence
- The show cause contempt proceedings
- The Court of Appeals emergency application (COA 380599)
- The Motion for Sanctions designating six frivolous filings
A UPEPA ruling has not been made. The statute mandates expedited hearing and provides for fee-shifting when the motion succeeds.
Other Documented Rulings
Borrello has served as a Saginaw County Circuit Court judge for years. Documented rulings include:
- Homicide trial (2017): Declared mistrial after hung jury in the murder of 16-year-old Walter Riley III
- Forgery case: Sentenced former Saginaw council candidate to 18 months probation and 140 hours community service
- Child death case (2025): Sentenced defendant to 6.5–15 and 6.5–10 years concurrent for involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse
These are included for completeness, not comparison. The relevant question is whether the court’s handling of the SLAPP suit — particularly the contempt order prior to UPEPA adjudication — followed proper procedure.
Investigation Path
- Pull full docket from Saginaw County Circuit Court for 25-2441-CZ
- Check JTC complaints history for Borrello
- Review successor judge assignment and any scheduling orders
- Track COA 380599 for ruling on emergency application
- Check if contempt order was ever formally resolved or vacated
Sources
- Saginaw County Circuit Court, Case No. 25-002441-CZ, Opinion and Order Regarding Motion for Disqualification, May 12, 2026
- Michigan Court of Appeals, Case No. 380599, docketed May 6, 2026
- Clutch Justice, Borrello Recuses from SLAPP Suit, May 12, 2026
- Clutch Justice, While You Were Reading This, May 6, 2026
- MLive, ABC12, WSGW reporting on other Borrello rulings