Marlena Pavlos-Hackney biography: 14 things about Holland, Michigan restaurateur

Who is Marlena Pavlos-Hackney?

• Marlena Pavlos-Hackney is a Polish-American restaurateur from Holland, Michigan, United States. She is originally from Poland and she previously lived in Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida, USA.

Also goes by Marlena Kartsch Pavlos, Pavlos-Hackney owns Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria, a restaurant in Holland. Here are 14 more things about her:

1. In 1983, she left Poland.
2. In 1992, she became a U.S. citizen.
3. After the suspension of her food license on January 20, 2021, she kept Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria open. She allowed indoor dining although it was banned, did not enforce mask rules and ignored capacity limits.
4. On February 25, 2021, Judge Wanda Stokes of the 30th Judicial Circuit Court in Ingham County, Michigan issued a temporary restraining order requiring her to close Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria until a scheduled hearing.
5. On March 4, 2021, Stokes issued a bench warrant for her arrest. The judge declared her in contempt of court and ordered an arrest unless Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria was closed. That day, she said, “The judge has no authority to violate the rights of the people and the constitution of the United States.”
6. On March 17, 2021, she was featured on the Fox News show “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
7. Stokes gave her until March 18, 2021 to turn herself in. That day, she said, “We don’t want this country to be a communist regime that’s going to dictate what we can do and what we cannot do.”
8. At 5:45 a.m. on March 19, 2021, Michigan State Police took her into custody while she was on her way to work in Park Township, Ottawa County, Michigan for refusing to comply with orders and restrictions tied to the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Represented by Constitutional Law Group founder Rick Martin, who was not licensed to practice law in Michigan, she refused to be sworn in when she appeared in the 30th Judicial Circuit Court in Ingham County at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Rosemarie Aquilina so the judge told her, “Ma’am, this is not Burger King. As soon as that sign changes to Burger King, you can have it your way. Until then, you will not disrespect me in my courtroom.” Aquilina ordered Martin to be held in contempt of court for 93 days. Martin was replaced by Robert Baker, who said she would pay a $7,500 civil contempt fine and close Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria immediately.
9. On March 22, 2021, her husband paid a $15,000 fine.
10. Just after 2:00 p.m. on March 23, 2021, she was released from Ingham County Jail in Mason, Michigan.
11. In June 2021, she urged the Michigan Court of Appeals (COA) to reconsider contempt of court findings, release audio or video of her arraignment and amend an inaccurate transcript.
12. In October 2022, the COA affirmed both contempt of court orders against her.
13. On September 21, 2023, she appeared in the COA seeking dismissal of two contempt of court findings against her, which was denied.
14. In May 2024, she turned 59.