Michelle Elowski

ALPENA — Former Alpena attorney Michelle Elowski waived her right to a preliminary examination in her Oscoda County case and will move straight to trial on May 6.

According to the Oscoda County Central Filing Office, the matter moved from 81st District Court to 23rd Circuit Court on April 17, the same day that Elowski was granted a personal protection order against Alpena resident Steven Meno by Alcona County’s 23rd Circuit Court Judge Laura Frawley.

Elowski faces two counts of common law fraud, one count of check fraud with non-sufficient funds of $500 or more, one count of embezzlement by a trustee of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, and one count of embezzlement by a trustee of $50,000 or more but less than $100,000.

Preliminary examination hearings take place in the District Court in which the judge presiding over the case decides whether there is enough evidence to move to trial in circuit court.

Elowski’s case will transition to a formal arraignment in Oscoda County’s 23rd Circuit Court on May 6 at 1:30 p.m.

Both the prosecution and defense were unable to be reached for comment.

On March 5, Steven Meno filed a lawsuit against Elowski, requesting $2,500 for a retainer fee he had given Elowski for different legal matters with which she had helped him.

Elowski made a motion to turn the small claims lawsuit to general courts but missed the deadline and Meno was awarded the $2,500 on April 10 by default.

Elowski filed a lawsuit to set aside the default order, as Elowski claims Meno caused her emotional distress, but that lawsuit was denied. Elowski said in court on Wednesday that she plans to appeal.

Separately, on March 11, Judge Allen Curtis of Alpena County’s Probate Court sentenced Elowski to 45 days in jail for direct contempt of court for abruptly leaving a civil court proceeding in November, which Elowski said was due to a medical issue. The Michigan Court of Appeals, however, stayed the enforcement of that sentence, allowing Elowski to stay out of jail until the court resolves the appeal.

Curtis has ordered Elowski to repay more than $500,000 to two families, but Elowski told the court in February the money is gone.

Today, one of the two families has an early scheduling conference hearing in Alpena County’s 26th Circuit Court at 1:15 p.m. to sue Elowski for more than $25,000.

On April 3, the Michigan Supreme Court barred Elowski from practicing law in the state.