MUNISING, Mich. — The Alger County Prosecutor’s Office has filed a writ of superintending control to remove Judge Brian Rahilly from all criminal cases in Alger County, following allegations of impropriety and bias that surfaced through a series of controversial text messages.
Prosecutor Robert T. Steinhoff announced the filing on July 23, citing messages that he says demonstrate not only hostility toward law enforcement and attorneys, but also unethical use of judicial authority to force case settlements.
“The purpose of a writ of superintending control is to enjoin the lower court from hearing cases in Alger County, specifically criminal cases,” Steinhoff said. “The goal here is to ensure the fair administration of justice in our county, and as chief law enforcement official it is my responsibility to make sure everyone in that room is treated fairly and without bias.”
The texts were discovered during an investigation in Mackinac County involving Judge W. Clayton Graham of the 6th District Probate Court for Luce and Mackinac counties. Messages reportedly show Rahilly and Graham disparaging attorneys and law enforcement, as well as discussing the manipulation of trial schedules. In one September 2022 exchange, Rahilly allegedly suggested that he scheduled a criminal trial close to a major murder trial to pressure the prosecution into settling the earlier case.
“I am shocked, and frankly disturbed, that it seems Judge Rahilly intentionally used the scheduling power of the court to force a settlement in a criminal case,” Steinhoff said in a written statement. “The Alger County Prosecutor’s Office is a single-attorney office, and at the time, the pending murder case was one of the most complex and egregious criminal cases this county had seen in decades.”
Steinhoff said he took immediate action after learning of the texts earlier this week.
“Earlier this week I received a communication from the Mackinac County Prosecutor’s Office,” he said. “They indicated to me what was going on and that some of the text messages implicated actions in Alger County. On Wednesday morning I drove to St. Ignace to review more of the evidence, and by the end of the day on Wednesday I had filed a writ of superintending control with the chief judge of the circuit court.”
Some of the texts included harsh language about attorneys and law enforcement. In one June 2024 message, Rahilly allegedly wrote, “I f****** hate attorneys.” In another, he complained that “attorneys and cops are wasting my time.”
“The text messages that we reviewed showed a clear bias against prosecution and law enforcement,” Steinhoff said. “They also show that the judge was willing to utilize the power of the bench to resolve cases in an unethical way, by utilizing the scheduling authority of the court.”
Steinhoff emphasized that his primary focus is the integrity of the judicial system and the safety of those who rely on it.
“My primary concern right now is the victims of crime and the safety of law enforcement in our community,” he said. “If I can’t guarantee a safe and fair proceeding in court, I need to take actions—and that’s exactly what I did.”
The Mackinac County Prosecutor’s Office has filed similar motions seeking Rahilly’s disqualification from cases there. In response to the controversy, Rahilly has taken a voluntary leave of absence. For now, all criminal dockets in both Alger and Mackinac counties have been canceled while hearings on the motions and the writ are scheduled.
The next steps will likely involve the Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Office determining how cases in Alger County will proceed and which judges will temporarily handle criminal matters while Rahilly remains on leave.
