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 CONTACT INFORMATION                                                                 OFFICE HOURS

                                            206 West Court Street                                                                   8:00 am – 5:00 pm
                                            Suite 202                                                                                       Monday through Friday
                                            Hastings, MI 49058
                                            Phone (269) 945-1404

The Honorable Michael L. Schipper

Judge Schipper was adopted as an infant by Rev. Earl and Joyce Schipper of Middleville.  He grew up in Middleville with his brother, Jim, and sister, Shelly.  After graduating from Thornapple Kellogg in 1981, he went on to Hope College.  At Hope, he played football, was President of the prestigious Baker Scholars and graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Economics.   Judge Schipper then attended The Ohio State University where he received his law degree in 1988.

Shortly after graduating from law school, Judge Schipper and his wife Lori moved to Middleville to live and raise their family.  He began his legal career at a large law firm in Grand Rapids, Clary, Nantz, Wood, Hoffius, Rankin & Cooper.  While at Clary Nantz, he practiced in their civil litigation unit and was the prosecutor for the City of Kentwood.

In 1990, Judge Schipper accepted a position at the United States Attorney’s Office.  From 1990 to 2002, he practiced in the civil division handling a variety of local and national civil cases, and he received a personal letter of thanks from the Attorney General, Janet Reno.  In 2002, he moved into the criminal division of the U.S. Attorneys office and began prosecuting violent crimes and some large white collar crimes.  In 2006 he successfully tried the largest case that had ever gone to trial in the Western District of Michigan.  For this he was awarded the prestigious Case of the Year award.

In 2011, after the retirement of Judge Holman, Governor Rick Snyder appointed Judge Schipper as judge of the 56B District Court in Barry County.

Page Last Modified: December 28, 2011 at 12:07 pm