Robert T. Steinhoff Email & Phone Number

Munising, Mi

Appointed in April of 2019 by the Honorable William W. Carmody, I was happy to return to my hometown and assume the role of Prosecuting Attorney. The Prosecuting Attorney's Office in Alger County is a single-attorney office. I handle every case from petty theft up to murder. On top of the extensive duties representing the State in criminal actions, I am also tasked with a variety of administrative functions. These include serving on the County Apportionment Committee, prosecuting civil actions for a variety of statutory violations, and liaising with local law enforcement as their Chief Law Enforcement Official. I was elected to the office that I was previously appointed to in November of 2020.

Paw Paw, Michigan

Subsequent to my service as Cass County Deputy Friend of the Court, I founded Steinhoff Law, PLC. Specializing in criminal defense, specifically drug crime, the firm was able to take on a significant volume of clients early on. Within six months of opening, the firm was representing defendants accused of almost any criminal offense, including capital felonies. In 18 months of practice, I represented hundreds of clients and took both misdemeanors and felonies to trial without hesitation. As the sole attorney in the firm, I also handled matters involving child custody, parenting time, abuse/neglect proceedings, and divorce.I now serve as Of Counsel to the firm.

Cassopolis, Michigan

In the absence of the Friend of the Court, it was my duty to assume all of the functions of Friend of the Court administration. Along with the legal and administrative functions of my position, I was responsible for implementing and administrating a large document imaging system to digitize all court records. I addressed every aspect of department administration, from budgeting to personnel while managing several large projects. I was responsible for employee orientation and training, as well as managing our office’s intern program. Further, I was also involved with employee discipline procedures, union negotiations, and client grievances against our office. It was also my responsibility to manage several large projects from their infancy to completion. Among those was one of the largest projects ever conducted by the 43rd Circuit Court; the document imaging project. As Project Manager, it was my responsibility to budget, conduct logistical planning, and train all users in the software, which doubled as a caseflow management system. The office was also engaged in an extensive internal audit, where staff reviewed each of their files files based on several pre-determined metrics. I was also heavily involved with the annual budgeting process and presentation of the budget to the funding unit. As Deputy, I drafted an extensive array of court policies while conducting a review and reorganization of our existing procedures for efficiency and compliance with the Michigan Court Rules, SCAO regulations, and Michigan Law. Finally, this position required extensive strategic planning and foresight not only in the framework of budgeting, but also with respect to the management of employees’ time and skills.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

In this position I worked as a legal intern in the Office of the General Counsel. Specifically, I was tasked with drafting decisions for the Board for the Correction of Military Records of the Coast Guard (BCMR). The BCMR examines applications submitted by current and former Coast Guard members who are generally seeking amendments to their military discharge records. In drafting decisions, I examined Coast Guard military records and formulated legal conclusions based on the presence of error or injustice. Further, I was also required to research various legal questions pertaining to the correction of military records and other issues with military discharge. My primary research endeavor concerned the changing of names in military records based on post-discharge sexual reassignment. It was my task to craft a legal policy for the Coast Guard that conformed with the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Constitution. My research is quoted in the current policy. This position also required me to interact regularly with federal attorneys and JAGs in the General Counsel's Office and elsewhere in the Washington D.C. metro area.

United States

Throughout my life, I have been heavily involved with officiating ice hockey at many different levels. I consider this both a passion and a hobby. Involvement with the game has enhanced my judgment skills, especially making decisions in a very high-pressure and fast environment.I anticipate involvement with ice hockey in varying capacities long into the future.

Joint Force Headquarters, Madison, Wi

During this experience, I worked directly under the Chief Counsel of the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs on a variety of issues. I was responsible for researching and drafting intergovernmental agreements, administrative rules, and legal memoranda dealing with many different topics.Most notably, I drafted an intergovernmental contract pursuant to the Emergency Management Assistance Compact which allowed the State of Wisconsin to utilize local assets (firetrucks, ambulances, etc.) in the event of a State Declaration of Emergency. I also worked on other research projects in the area of national security and emergency planning, including a multi-state survey of crude oil rail regulations, protocols for an infectious disease disaster, and immigration complaints. Outside of the area of homeland security and emergency planning, I was also exposed to many common governmental agency legal issues. I worked on employee whistle-blower protection procedures, investigating reports of supervisor misconduct and preparing a plan of action that complied with both state and federal law.

Cassopolis, Mi

As an intern at the Cass County Prosecutor's Office, I worked under the supervision of five state prosecutors, including the President of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan. During this experience, I was admitted to practice law before the 4th District Court of Michigan as a law student pursuant to Michigan Court Rule 8.120. As a practicing law student, I was able to draft and argue motions before a judge and conducted jury trials. Further, I also gained extensive experience in drafting and submitting appeals to the State Court of Appeals. I also researched and drafted memoranda on timely legal issues including medical marijuana and criminal sentencing guidelines.

Madison, Wisconsin Area

During my time in the Mediation Clinic in the University of Wisconsin Law School's Economic Justice Institute, I was responsible for conducting mediation sessions both with a partner and alone (second chair and first chair). This position required me to undergo extensive training in alternative dispute resolution and to apply this training in actual cases.While mediating, I was exposed many different legal situations ranging from violent felonies to small claims disputes. I also dealt extensively in family law and termination of parental rights cases. Further, I researched and presented a paper on the philosophical components of mediation, emphasizing the ethical bounds of mediator.

Munising, Mi

As a bench clerk after my first year of law school, I garnered extensive knowledge of the basic legal system while working directly for three county judges. This experience entailed conducting legal research and drafting bench memoranda in the areas of civil, criminal, and probate law. I was able to discuss my findings directly with the judges themselves, which gave me valuable insight into the reasoning behind their decisions. I was also responsible for attending court proceedings and keeping a detailed journal of my observations. Much of the language I drafted on timely legal issues was used verbatim in judges opinions.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

I was responsible for representing the National Park Service and regularly interacting with law enforcement and park guests.

Doctor Of Law (Jd), 3L

Activities and Societies: Veterans Law Center Intramural Ice Hockey

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), Political Science And Government

Activities and Societies: Alpha Chi Honor Fraternity (top 10% of class) Commencement Honor Usher Board of Trustees Distinguished.