TRAVERSE CITY — A local judge's wife could face a domestic violence charge after police said she assaulted him at the couple's residence.
Grand Traverse Prosecutor Alan Schneider said he'll seek a special prosecutor to weigh a charge against Cynthia Stowe, wife of Probate Judge David Stowe.
Grand Traverse sheriff's deputies arrested Cynthia Stowe, 50, after an altercation at the Long Lake Township home where she lives with David Stowe.
Undersheriff Nathan Alger said deputies went to a residence on Echo Valley Drive on Monday at about 9:40 p.m. after a child called to say his mother was assaulting his stepfather. Deputies found the male victim had "minor" injuries after an argument that "got out of control," Alger said.
"There were statements made that alcohol had been consumed by the suspect," he said.
Alger wouldn't identify the suspect or the victim, but confirmed that Cynthia Stowe was booked into the Grand Traverse County Jail on Monday on a domestic violence charge. She later was released.
David Stowe didn't respond to requests for comment. Cynthia Stowe couldn't be reached for comment. Attorney Craig Elhart, who represents the family, said the child who reported the incident is troubled and was acting out.
"There is no foundation in any respect to these" allegations, he said. "We anticipate that once a special prosecutor looks at this, no charges will be filed."
Schneider said he won't handle the case because Cynthia Stowe is married to a judge who oversees cases handled by his office. He's attempting to find a local prosecutor who will handle the case, and one will be appointed by the Michigan Attorney General's office if Schneider isn't successful.
David Stowe was elected to the probate judge post in 2000, and Cynthia Stowe — known as Cynthia Curry prior to her marriage to Stowe — is a former family court employee who worked under Stowe from 2002 to 2005.
The two began a relationship while they both worked in the court, and David oversaw child custody matters in Cynthia's divorce case. David Stowe subsequently fired the county's family court administrator for reporting the relationship to county officials. The county later paid a $69,000 settlement to that ex-employee.
Stowe and Curry married in early 2009.
Benzie Circuit Judge James Batzer in September sentenced Cynthia Stowe to a day in jail and a year of probation after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle with a high blood-alcohol content.
Her probation terms included completing community service, court officials said, but didn't include any prohibition of alcohol consumption.
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