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File photo

(Courtesy)

Kent County Circuit Court Judge Christopher Yates

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A Plainfield Township attorney was fined $1,000 for writing that a Kent County Circuit Court judge was acting "as the bitch" for one side in a contentious lawsuit.

David Charron is a well-known business attorney in practice since 1986 who represents many large business interests in West Michigan.

Charron is currently representing one side in an ugly breakup between partners in a Rockford insurance company. The case has dragged on for nearly seven years. It has resulted in multiple circuit court filings as thick as phone books, requests for restraining orders and appeals that will likely not end short of the Michigan Supreme Court.

Over the course of the case, Judge Christopher Yates cited Charron for contempt for failing to abide by one of the judge’s instructions. Charron vigorously objected to the contempt charge and appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Throughout the 55-page brief to the appeals panel dated Oct. 21, 2013, Charron expressed his displeasure in no uncertain terms, referring to the judge’s decisions as absurd.

But it was page 46 that got Charron in trouble.

“When the Judiciary acts as the bitch for the complainant, we get rulings like this,” the brief reads.

“I don’t know why I said it,” Charron said later.

Charron said the contempt charge from the circuit court is unjust, but the appeals court upheld Yates' ruling.

At the end of a 59-page ruling, the appeals court tacked on their scolding of Charron, which was emphasized with a $1,000 sanction for “undignified or discourteous conduct toward the tribunal.”

“Such derogatory and undeserved comments serve no legitimate purpose,” the ruling reads.

Charron says he holds no personal animosity toward Yates, whom he describes as a “great guy,” but he feels the ruling was just incredibly erroneous.

Charron said if he had it to do again, he’d choose a different turn-of-phrase.

The case in general will be appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court, but Charron said he will not appeal the fine levied against him.

“I’m just going to pay the sanction next week,” Charron said.

Yates said while he could talk about the case for hours, he cannot talk about a case over which he still presides.



Read the Opinion: Attorney David Charron sanctioned



E-mail Barton Deiters: bdeiters@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/GRPBarton or Facebook at facebook.com/bartondeiters.5