Retired Judge Sauter remembered as passionate, dedicated
GRAND LEDGE - Jeffrey L. Sauter, who served as a prosecutor and judge in Eaton County for more than three decades, died Wednesday after a lengthy battle with cancer.
He was 63.
Sauter spent 21 years as Eaton County prosecutor before being named to the Eaton County Circuit Court bench in 2013. He retired as a judge in late April.
"This was a man who was respected not only in the prosecutorial community but in the way he cared for his family, as well," Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd said. "He was a guy who you wanted to emulate."
Eaton County Circuit Judge Janice Cunningham described Sauter as a dedicated public servant who taught by example.
"He truly cared about people and thought he was there to serve the people and do the right thing," Cunningham said. "He loved his family, and he loved his friends. People came first, which ties into the dedication to his job as a public servant."
A graduate of Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Sauter started his career in private practice in Charlotte, handling family law and general litigation. He later became an assistant Eaton County prosecutor and rose to the position of chief assistant prosecutor in 1985.
After another stint in private practice, Sauter was appointed Eaton County prosecutor in 1991. He was elected to the position six times without opposition, becoming the county's longest-serving prosecutor.
Sauter led the county's switch from paper to electronic files, making it the first in Michigan to go paperless. He also played a role in establishing the state's first sobriety court and started an economic crimes unit, colleagues said.
"He took the time to train the new attorneys who came in," said Cunningham, who had known Sauter for 25 years. "He taught his staff how to work hard and get the job done right. He also was passionate about (fighting) domestic violence. He just truly believed in it."
Lloyd was Sauter's chief assistant and took over as prosecutor after Sauter became a circuit judge.
Sauter always tried to do what was right, Lloyd said. That meant he could defend the victim or the defendant, depending on the situation, Lloyd said.
"He used to say, 'You can't do this job for the money. We do it because we care about this community,'" the prosecutor said. "He would always remind me of that. I try to use the same thought process when I make decisions on cases."
Sauter chaired the Eaton County Child Death Review Team and served on the Eaton County Child Abuse Prevention Council. He was president of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan in 2000 and served on the group's board for more than 20 years.
The association gave him the Frank J. Kelley Justice Award - its highest honor - in 2013.
Clinton County Prosecuting Attorney Charles Sherman said Sauter understood making the state a safer place ultimately made Eaton County a safer place. He said Sauter took on a leadership role in the association, advocating for changes to state laws that would make a difference.
"He spent a lot of time testifying at the Capitol in front of legislative committees," Sherman said.
Sherman said Sauter was instrumental in the passage of a "truth in sentencing" law in the late 1990s that required those convicted serve the minimum sentence for a crime before being considered for parole.
"Jeff's impact on the countless lives he touched, the field of prosecution, the criminal justice system as a whole and the entire state of Michigan will be endless," PAAM President Michael Wendling said in a news release. "Jeff will be deeply missed."
Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.
Memorial services
A memorial service for Jeff Sauter is set for 11 a.m. June 3 at South Church, 5250 Cornerstone Dr. in Lansing. Chaplain Lloyd Scharer will officiate. Visitation with the family will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Friends of Eaton County Veterans Court in memory of the Honorable Jeffrey Sauter, PO Box 80111, Lansing MI 48908.