Dotson and Neill appointed to 61st District Court
On July 7, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the selection of Kellen Dotson and Brian Neill to be appointed to the 61st District Court.
Dotson previously served as an attorney in the Kent County Office of the Public Defender, an adjunct professor at WMU-Cooley Law School, a trial skills trainer for the Michigan Indigent Defense Trial Skills Training Program, and a mediator with the Kent County Friend of the Court.
Following the murder of George Floyd, Dotson undertook the role of managing attorney with the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office in Minneapolis for a two-year period before returning to Grand Rapids to serve the 61st District.
Dotson earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University and his Juris Doctor from Cooley Law School.
This selection was made to fill a partial term following the retirement of Judge Kimberly Schaefer.
Neill has served as Commissioner of the Michigan Lottery for the last five years. During his tenure as Commissioner, the Lottery contributed over $6 billion to the School Aid Fund, supporting public education in Michigan. Neill previously served as the Lottery's Chief Deputy Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of Administration, and Deputy Commissioner of Compliance and Legal Affairs. He also served as Vice President of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries and as a member of the Mega Millions game consortium.
Prior to joining Lottery, Neill served as an Assistant Attorney General at the Michigan Department of Attorney General and received awards recognizing both his appellate and transactional work.
Neill earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and JD from the Ohio Northern University College of Law.
This appointment was made to fill a partial term following the retirement of Judge Jeanine LaVille.
Both terms commenced July 31 and expire at noon on Jan. 1, 2025.
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