Bradley Knoll is a former Michigan district court judge who was forced into early retirement in 2026 after a 2023 domestic violence conviction and later charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly throwing stamps at a self-represented litigant during a hearing. He served on the 58th District Court in Holland, Ottawa County, from 2002 until his suspension and mandated retirement in mid-2026.
The 2023 Domestic Violence Arrest
On December 13, 2023, officers from the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety arrested Knoll, then 72, at his Grand Haven home on one count of misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly assaulting his wife.1Holland Sentinel. Chief Judge Bradley Knoll Arrested for Domestic Violence in Ottawa County2WWMT. Complaint Filed Against Ottawa County Judge Bradley Knoll3News From The States. JTC Complaint Filed Against Ottawa County Judge
He was released on a personal recognizance bond and ordered to have no contact with his spouse. The case was assigned to Judge Geoffrey Nolan of the 60th District Court in Muskegon County. In March 2024, Knoll pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months of probation and anger management classes.4Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Contentious Hearing Transcript Precedes Alleged Assault Judge Knoll After he completed probation, the case was dismissed without entry of a conviction.5Legal News. Judge Bradley S. Knoll 58th District Court
How the Judicial Tenure Commission Removed Him
The guilty plea set off a formal disciplinary process. On April 22, 2025, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission filed a complaint alleging Knoll’s conduct violated two canons of the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct, including the duty to avoid the appearance of impropriety and conduct that erodes public confidence in the judiciary.2WWMT. Complaint Filed Against Ottawa County Judge Bradley Knoll An amended complaint followed on May 1, 2025.6Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission. JTC News Detail – Judge Knoll Amended Complaint
The matter ended in a consent agreement. On March 25, 2026, the Michigan Supreme Court approved the deal under case number FC 107. Knoll was suspended immediately with pay, barred from presiding over any domestic violence cases for the rest of his tenure, and required to retire six months early, effective July 1, 2026. The order also prohibited him from serving as a visiting judge until after January 1, 2027, and permanently barred him from hearing domestic violence cases as a visiting judge.7Holland Sentinel. Judge Bradley Knoll Suspended Will Retire Early After MSC Ruling8Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission. JTC News Detail – FC 107 Resolution5Legal News. Judge Bradley S. Knoll 58th District Court
Knoll had already been on his final term. Michigan law bars judicial candidates who are 70 or older at the time of an election, and Knoll turned 70 in 2021, meaning his November 2020 unopposed reelection was his last.9Michigan Advance. JTC Complaint Filed Against Ottawa County Judge
The Stamp-Throwing Incident in Court
Before the March 2026 retirement order took effect, a second incident put Knoll back in criminal court. On February 13, 2026, he was presiding over a civil bench trial in which River Club Apartments, represented by attorney Somchit Hart of The Law Office of Aaron Cox, sought possession of a unit from tenants Carlos Gutierrez and Karl Wayman over unpaid rent and a dispute about pet rent and emotional support animal documentation.4Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Contentious Hearing Transcript Precedes Alleged Assault Judge Knoll Gutierrez, 43, was representing himself. Wayman was not present.
A 75-page transcript shows the hearing grew heated, with Gutierrez interrupting, using profanity, and at one point jumping out of his chair. On the record, Knoll told Gutierrez, “I apologize for firing my stamps at you.” Attorney Hart said on the record, “I’m getting scared because you’re…” and, when Knoll asked whether she was scared of him, clarified, “No … just a quick movement from the defendant.” Gutierrez stated, “I’m not a violent person.” Knoll declared a mistrial and placed the matter under advisement; the civil case was later transferred to the Allegan County 57th District Court.4Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Contentious Hearing Transcript Precedes Alleged Assault Judge Knoll
Michigan State Police investigated.10WOOD TV. Holland Judge Accused of Assaulting Man From the Bench The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office charged Knoll, by then 74 and retired, with one count of misdemeanor assault, which carries a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail.4Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Contentious Hearing Transcript Precedes Alleged Assault Judge Knoll
Where the Criminal Case Stands
Knoll waived his arraignment and pleaded not guilty on May 28, 2026. The case is being held in the 58th District Court under the oversight of Muskegon County Chief District Court Judge Geoffrey Nolan, the same judge who handled Knoll’s 2023 domestic violence case.11MLive. Now-Retired Holland Judge Accused of Misdemeanor Assault at Courthouse A pre-trial hearing was scheduled for June 24, 2026. No defense attorney for Knoll has been publicly identified in court reporting.
Who Replaced Him
Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Anna White, a deputy public defender at the Ottawa County Office of the Public Defender, to fill the 58th District Court vacancy. White took the bench on July 6, 2026, for a partial term running through January 1, 2027.12Ottawa County Government. Governor Appoints Anna White to 58th District Court