Honorable Margaret Zuzich Bakker, Circuit Court Judge

The Honorable Margaret Zuzich Bakker was elected to the Circuit Court and began serving January 1, 2011. Judge Bakker graduated from the Detroit College of Law in 1979, after graduating from Michigan State University.  As an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Allegan County starting in 1982, she specialized in litigation, focusing on crimes involving sexual assault, child abuse and neglect and other violent crimes. Judge Bakker is a founding member of Sylvia’s Place, Allegan County’s non-profit organization that addresses issues of interpersonal violence and is also a founding member of the Allegan County Legal Assistance Center and serves on the Board of Directors. Judge Bakker also served as president of the Board of the Center for Women in Transition (now Resilience), Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center, Wings of Hope Hospice and Disability Network/Lakeshore. She currently chairs the Bylaws Committee for the Michigan Judges Association and has been appointed to the statewide Justice for All Commission.

Honorable Matthew Antkoviak,  Chief Circuit Court Judge

Matthew (Matt) Antkoviak was appointed as Circuit Court judge and began serving on August 28, 2023. Judge Antkoviak graduated from the New England School of Law in 1998, and prior to becoming judge, worked in private practice with his father, Peter, and brother, Chris, for almost 25 years. As a private practitioner, he handled misdemeanor and felony cases as a public defender along with family law, real estate, and civil litigation. 

Judge Antkoviak was born and raised in Allegan, Michigan.  He graduated from Allegan High School after spending his junior year as a Page for United States Senator, Carl Levin. He graduated with high honors from Michigan State University in 1995 and returned to Allegan to join his family firm after law school.  Community involvement includes service on the City of Allegan Planning and Parks Commissions as well as Reach the Forgotten, formally Forgotten Man Ministries.  He enjoys camping, woodworking and spending time with his wife and three children. 

Honorable Michael Buck, Presiding Family Court Judge

View biography Probate Court Administration page.