Scott Hodshire entered a not-guilty plea to two felony charges during an appearance in Hillsdale. The court agreed to postpone the sheriff’s probable cause conference for four weeks. His lawyer requested extra time to review case documents.
The next hearing is set for 10:15 a.m. Nov. 4. Hodshire, 59, faces charges of obstruction of justice and misconduct in office. He was arraigned Sept. 2. His bond stands at $1,000.
The charges follow an incident on Feb. 18. Court records say Hodshire alerted a suspect’s family about an active search warrant. That warrant involved a felony theft case based in Ohio.
The alleged misconduct occurred during an investigation by the Williams County Sheriff’s Office. Hodshire denied any wrongdoing. He said his office assisted a “sister agency” as a courtesy.
A probable cause conference lets prosecutors and defense attorneys review evidence before trial. The proceeding determines whether sufficient legal grounds exist to advance a criminal case in Michigan courts.
The case continues in Hillsdale County.
