Honorable Judge Michael Buck

Michael (Mike) Buck was elected Allegan County Probate Judge in 2000, upon the retirement of Hon. George Greig.  Mike currently serves as Chief Probate Judge, Presiding Family Court Judge, and Chair of the Allegan County Judicial Council. Before becoming a judge, he served over 20 years as an Allegan County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. In that time period, he successfully handled cases from drunk driving to first degree murder.  He specialized in cases involving abuse of children, making his current responsibilities as Presiding Family Court Judge, a natural fit. In addition to presiding over cases involving neglect and abuse of children, Judge Buck’s authority includes adoptions, name changes, juvenile delinquency, wills, trusts, guardianships, mentally ill proceedings, and the safekeeping of election results for delivery to the Allegan County Board of Canvassers.

Judge Buck was born and raised in Southwest Michigan.  He has worked many different jobs on his career path to the bench. He caddied for golfers, cleaned offices and bathrooms as a janitor, worked all hours of the day and night as a security guard, pumped gas at a marina, cleaned animal pens at an amusement park, and labored at various factory jobs in the Benton Harbor area. He majored in Psychology and received his Teaching Certificate while attending the University of Michigan. He received his law degree from Cooley Law School, while working full time. His interest in Family Law began early, as his parents provided a home for foster children and successfully navigated the adoption process. Mike especially enjoys making each and every adoption hearing a real celebration.

Probate Register and Administrator Jonathan Blair

Jonathan (Jon) Blair joined the Allegan County Probate Court in 2019.  Previously he worked as an Assistant Prosecutor with the Allegan County Prosecutor’s Office, he worked in private practice with the Verde Law Office in Holland Michigan, and he started his career as a law clerk for the Allegan County Circuit Court.  During law school he externed with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, and the United State’s Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. 

Jon has lived in Southwest Michigan most his life.  He attended Constantine High school and Grand Valley State University for undergrad.  He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cooley Law School in 2008, and was a teaching assistant, managing editor for the Law Review, and was published after graduation for his article discussing the Fourth Amendment. 

Jon lives with his wife and three daughters in the Green Lake area of Allegan County.