COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Lifelong Coldwater resident Zachary W. Stempien was officially sworn in as the 15th Circuit Court Judge on Monday.
The ceremony was presided over by Probate Judge Kirk Kashian and follows Stempien’s appointment by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Judge William O’Grady.
While Judge Stempien’s judicial duties officially begin on April 13, he took the oath early to comply with state law, pledging to handle every case with fairness, integrity, and respect.
Stempien’s transition to the bench marks a full-circle moment for his legal career, which began as a law clerk for Judge O’Grady while he was a student at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.
A 2007 graduate of Coldwater High School, Stempien previously served as the county’s elected prosecuting attorney since 2020. During his tenure as the top law enforcement official, he handled high-profile felony cases and successfully argued before the Michigan Supreme Court.
With Stempien moving to the bench, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Norma Geiger will assume prosecutorial duties until a permanent successor is appointed. Because of the timing of the vacancy, the prosecuting attorney seat will now appear on the November 2026 ballot for the remainder of the term.
Stempien himself has already filed to run for a full six-year term as Circuit Court Judge and will appear on the same ballot as the incumbent.
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