Judge Michael Schipper

Identity

Active JTC Investigation

Sources with direct knowledge of Judicial Tenure Commission proceedings confirm Schipper is under active JTC investigation. The inquiry covers at least four documented areas:

1. “Man made” sentencing doctrine — on-record position that sentencing guidelines are discretionary because they are “man made”
2. Unfinalized data in sentencing — use of unfinalized data in sentencing decisions
3. Media access policy — excludes every outlet except one preferred publication while waiving compliance requirements for that outlet
4. ADA retaliation — ordered mental competency examination against defendant Jeffrey Snowden immediately after Snowden asserted rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act

Source: Clutch Justice, Apr 25, 2026

The Sentencing Pattern

Two Michigan Supreme Court Remands in Three Months

People v. Velasquez

Schipper sentenced a defendant with guidelines of 0–6 months to 36–60 months — six to ten times the top of the guideline range.

• Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Elsworth filed a Confession of Error, formally conceding the plea agreement had been broken
• Michigan Court of Appeals vacated the sentence
• On remand, Schipper imposed a second sentence still outside the guidelines
• The Court of Appeals vacated it again and took the unusual step of barring Schipper from presiding over the resentencing
• A different judge resentenced the defendant to time served (April 2025)

Source: Clutch Justice, Sep 25, 2026

The Snowden Case

Jeffrey Snowden is an Iraqi War veteran and former Barry County resident.

• Alleged fraudulent arrest
• Brady and Giglio violations alleged — exculpatory evidence withheld
• Asserted rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Met with a competency motion — Schipper ordered mental competency exam after ADA assertion
• FOIA requests for court and prosecutorial records denied as “too broad”
• Appeared before Barry County Board of Commissioners (February 2026) and placed the Board on Preservation Notice
• Has documented the conduct patterns Schipper’s court has produced

What Court Watchers Report

People who regularly sit in on Barry County proceedings report these patterns:

• Decides outcome before hearing argument
• Pretrial detention used as pressure rather than risk-based decision
• Inappropriate personal remarks to people appearing before him (including soliciting for outside speaking engagements)
• Bail withheld to push defendants toward plea

These are reported observations, not independently verified with transcripts. They are consistent with the sentencing pattern the appellate record supports.

Source: Clutch Justice, Sep 25, 2026

SCAO Systemic Review Request

Clutch Justice filed a request for SCAO to conduct a systemic administrative review of Barry County courts — not just individual case appeals. The filing asks SCAO to:

• Pull hearing recordings and transcripts directly
• Include Schipper’s pretrial and courtroom conduct in its review
• Review his sentencing record systemically, not just on individual appeal

The federal government has also stepped in — the title of Clutch Justice’s reporting: “Clutch Justice Asked the State to Investigate Barry County’s Courts. The Feds Have Stepped In.”

Source: Clutch Justice, Sep 25, 2026

Investigation Path

• Pull full docket for Schipper — map sentencing outcomes against guidelines
• FOIA: all Schipper-related SCAO correspondence and workload reports
• Track JTC investigation outcome (follows 2014 prior misconduct)
• Review all Court of Appeals remands involving Schipper (last 3 years)
• Map the Snowden case timeline against Brady/Giglio requirements
• Check if media access policy has written administrative order basis

Sources

• Clutch Justice, JTC Reinvestigation, Apr 25, 2026
• Clutch Justice, Barry County Due Process Failures, Feb 16, 2026
• Clutch Justice, SCAO Systemic Investigation, Sep 25, 2026
• Michigan Supreme Court Docket No. 167549 (Nov 2025 remand)
• Michigan Court of Appeals, People v. Velasquez (vacated, reassigned)