Why Is Judge Margaret Bakker Still Pursuing Charges After a Successful Appeal?
An Allegan County Judge is Still Chasing a Case That Should Be Over. Why?
Donald Talonen won his appeal.
Let’s just start there.
The Michigan Court of Appeals vacated his conviction in a published decision in February 2025, as reported by clutch. The COA explicitly stated that Donald’s constitutional rights were violated when his then attorney, Wayne Crowe with assistance from his then firm colleague Barbara Kennedy, turned Donald in on an alleged PPO Violation for writing an email expressing dissatisfaction over Crowe’s subpar performance.
So why is Judge Margaret Bakker still dragging Talonen back through court?
The answer doesn’t lie in justice; it lies in the tangled web of institutional and governmental misconduct that she is desperately trying to protect.
A Case That Never Should Have Happened
Donald’s troubles started long before that, when Varnum LLP Attorney Jude Pereira allegedly coaxed him into a Judgment of Divorce (JOD) with the promise of seeing his children again.
Already bullied by the system for speaking out against abuse and neglect occurring on his ex-wife’s watch, Donald was hit with a weaponized personal protection order (PPO), one where Kengis also tried to list himself as a victim.
In exchange for his ex-wife getting everything she wanted in the divorce, the attorneys struck a deal: charges would be dropped if Donald signed the JOD.
The JOD was what attorneys would refer to as illusory, providing no benefits to him at all. Instead, it created an inescapable wormhole upheld by Allegan County Judges Bakker, Kengis, and Antkoviak, forcing the sale of his home and preventing him from seeing his children for nearly half a decade.
A Reopened Case Built on a Corrupt Foundation
You can’t talk about this case without talking about Wayne Crowe, Donald’s second divorce attorney—now sanctioned for professional misconduct. Wayne Crowe was retained after the JOD was entered, in hopes that he could untangle the mess created by Pereira.
Sadly, Crowe only further contributed to a compound effect of ineffective counsel, destroying Donald’s life with an unconstitutional probation violation, and falsely imprisoning him.
Crowe was ultimately the vindictive architect of a prosecution that the appellate court found to be constitutionally flawed.
Crowe has since been punished by both New York and Michigan’s Attorney Grievance Commission, a rare consequence in a state that rarely disciplines attorneys at all.
And after all of this, Judge Bakker is still allowing the case—tainted by a corrupted prosecutor, judge, and attorney, overturned by the appellate court—to continue.
Worse yet, she’s been prosecutor shopping.
Now Allegan County Prosecutor Mike Villar recused himself from the case, as he briefly represented Talonen. As a result, Bakker chose Berrien as a possible option, a significant conflict of interest, as the Berrien County Prosecutor’s office is the new home to Myrene Koch, her co-conspirator in People v. Loew’s ex parte communications, and Myrene’s daughter Taylor, who is alleged to be Marge’s goddaughter, a direct conflict of interest according to the Michigan Code of Conduct.
That’s not justice. That’s damage control.
Who’s Really Being Protected Here?
If you look past the legal jargon and court procedures, a disturbing pattern emerges. Prosecutors, Judges, and law enforcement have more to lose than just a single case.
Consider this:
The case was initially handled by then-Judge Roberts Kengis and Myrene Koch, whose ethical lapses have become increasingly hard to ignore.
The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office was heavily involved in the flawed investigation and questions about their practices remain unanswered.
And now, Judge Bakker—who has close ties to both the prosecutor’s office, former prosecutor turned Judge Kengis, and Sheriff Frank Baker is insisting on keeping the case open for a man whose conviction has already been overturned.
The logical question is: Why?
Why spend taxpayer dollars on a reheated prosecution based on a discredited attorney’s work and a failed conviction? Unless the point isn’t to win, but to cover.
To stall.
To delay scrutiny.
To keep misconduct in the shadows, just long enough for it to quietly fade away.
Justice or Just a Diversion?
Every hearing, every motion, every rehashing of this case burns more and more public resources, clogs up the court system, and delays accountability for the people and systems that failed.
It is deeply troubling that the same judge overseeing this case has not recused herself, despite clear connections to the people and institutions under scrutiny. Bakker’s insistence on pushing this case forward—without new evidence, without a new theory, and with a clearly tarnished foundation—raises legitimate questions about bias, intent, and judicial ethics.
Is this about justice? Or is this about protecting careers, reputations, and institutional credibility at the expense of one man’s freedom?
Follow the Money. Follow the Silence.
Let’s be clear: Talonen has already served time on an unconstitutional charge. The state’s own appellate court said his trial wasn’t fair. He’s not asking to escape accountability—he’s asking for the Allegan County system to follow its own rules.
Judge Bakker’s continued refusal to acknowledge that isn’t just tone-deaf. It demonstrates that she is a danger to the public. She does not care about upholding the law. Only about being right. It sends a message that even when you win on appeal, the system can still punish you. That there is no “finality” unless it protects the powerful.
And in this case, it seems the only people being protected are of course, Marge, the Sheriff’s Department officials who have never been investigated for misconduct, disgraced Judge Roberts Kengis, replaced by Matthew Antkoviak, but whose legacy lives on in this disheartening mess of a case.
The Bottom Line
The continued prosecution of Donald Talonen is not about justice—it’s about optics, institutional protection, and burying misconduct in layers of procedural delay.
Judge Bakker has the discretion to dismiss this case.
She has the power to acknowledge the appellate ruling and move on.
She’s choosing not to.
She has a responsibility to act ethically and chooses not to.
And that choice demands scrutiny.
How You Can Help
Request Marge Bakker issue a former letter of apology and dismiss the case.
If you live in Allegan County, initiate a recall campaign against Judge Margaret Bakker or demand that she step down.
File Judicial Tenure Commission Complaints
Email Prosecuting Attorney Mike Villar and ask him to open an investigation to get to the bottom of Bakker’s blatant misconduct.
Sample Letter to Prosecutor Villar
[Your Name]
[Your Address][City, State, ZIP][Email Address][Phone Number][Date]
Michael R. Villar
Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney
113 Chestnut Street
Allegan, MI 49010
Re: Request for Investigation into Allegan County Sheriff’s Department and Judge Margaret Bakker
Dear Prosecutor Villar,
I am writing to formally request an independent investigation into what appears to be a long-standing pattern of misconduct, abuse of authority, and unethical behavior involving members of the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department and Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker.
There is growing public concern that Judge Bakker continues to pursue criminal cases—such as People v. Donald Talonen—despite appellate court rulings in favor of the defendant and credible allegations of misconduct involving now-disciplined attorney Wayne Crowe. Her persistent prosecution in these matters, even after reversals on appeal, raises troubling questions about judicial impartiality and potential efforts to conceal earlier wrongdoing.
In addition, multiple reports and court documents suggest a troubling culture of retaliation, selective prosecution, and procedural manipulation under Judge Bakker’s tenure—often in tandem with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department. The pattern includes questionable arrests, violations of due process, and a lack of transparency when it comes to public records or internal investigations.
Given the erosion of public trust in Allegan County’s legal institutions and the severity of the allegations, I respectfully request your office initiate or refer for independent review an investigation into:
Potential misconduct by Judge Bakker, including repeated pursuit of criminal charges against individuals whose convictions were reversed or tainted by conflicts of interest.
The misconduct of the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department, particularly as it relates to improper arrests, lack of accountability, and alleged coordination with prosecutors or judicial officers in ethically dubious proceedings.
Any systemic patterns of retaliation or cover-up, particularly in cases involving former Judge Roberts Kengis, former prosecutor Wayne Crowe, and other officials previously or currently under scrutiny.
It is vital that residents of Allegan County have confidence that their courts are fair, impartial, and not used to settle personal scores or protect internal misconduct. The role of your office in safeguarding the integrity of the justice system is essential, and your commitment to transparency and ethics would send a powerful message in this moment.
Please confirm receipt of this letter and advise on next steps. I am also willing to provide additional documentation and case references upon request.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Signature if sending hard copy]