# Susan K. Sniegowski

Circuit Judge · [51st Circuit Court](/kyj/court/mi/51st-circuit-court-mason)

Last updated October 7, 2026

## Susan K. Sniegowski at a glance

Current role

Circuit Judge

Court

[51st Circuit Court](/kyj/court/mi/51st-circuit-court-mason)

Jurisdiction

Michigan · State

Judicial service

Active

## Biography

### Professional career

- 2014–present: 51st Circuit Court judge

- 1999–2014: Attorney at law, Susan K. Sniegowski, PLLC

- The first woman to serve as judge of Michigan’s 51st Circuit Court, covering Mason and Lake counties, and is currently in her second term

### Education

### Additional information

- As circuit judge, she presides over cases in both Mason and Lake counties, traveling to hold sessions as needed

- Key fact: She is a trailblazer in Michigan’s judicial history — the first woman to lead a county’s prosecuting office and the first woman to preside over a Michigan circuit court

- She has emphasized fairness, accessibility, and community engagement in her judicial approach

- She has also served on the West Shore Youth for Christ board, the Mason County Bar Association, and as a volunteer attorney at COVE Legal Clinic

## Applicable Court Rules & Procedures

Rules last checked July 26, 2026 .

### Remote appearances

Michigan courts may determine the manner and extent of videoconferencing technology, subject to participant requests and suitability factors under MCR 2.407.

If a Michigan proceeding will be held by videoconferencing technology, the court must provide reasonable notice of how to access it.

### Recording and broadcasting

Michigan prohibits photography, audio or video recording, broadcasting, or live streaming in a courtroom unless allowed by the presiding judge, subject to the separate media-coverage order.

### Device Use

Michigan allows courtroom use of portable electronic devices for information retrieval, storage, internet access, and messaging, but requires silence and bars calls or other audible functions without court permission.

## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

51st Circuit Court

Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim.  Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.

51st Circuit Court

Michigan Circuit Court appellate proceedings only; retained September 2, 2026 compilation. Source exceptions and later amendments apply.

## Sources

Identity source checked July 26, 2026 .

Biography sources checked July 26, 2026 .

### Michigan Courts official judicial roster

Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

### Michigan Court Rule 2.407, Videoconferencing

Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

### Michigan Court Rule 8.115, Courthouse Decorum and Portable Electronic Devices

Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

[Public Records & Data Use](/public-records-data-use) · [Corrections policy](/corrections)