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January 3, 2024
For Immediate Release
As he begins his 35th year on the Ottawa County Probate Court bench, Hon. Mark A. Feyen has made the difficult decision that it will be his last.
Judge Feyen first donned his judicial robe on January 1, 1989, after winning election in November of 1988. He won re-election five times since that first term, rendering him Ottawa County's longest-serving Probate Court judge. In consultation with his family, he has determined that he will finish out his current term of office ending December 31, 2024, and will not run for re-election.
As Chief Judge of the Probate Court and a member of the 20th Circuit Court's Family Division, Judge Feyen has heard tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of cases involving probate estates, mental commitment, guardianship, conservatorship, child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, divorce and among many other case types. He also helped establish and has served as the judge of the Ottawa County Recovery Court, a specialty court helping adult criminal offenders achieve and maintain sobriety. Reflecting on his 35 years of service, Judge Feyen said, "The most gratifying part of serving as a Probate judge is regular interaction with the most vulnerable members of our community. The mentally ill, the addicted, the disabled, the abused, and the marginalized are often people with amazing stories of hope, courage and resilience. It has been my pleasure to have played a small part in helping them build better lives."
Judge Feyen is a life-long resident of West Michigan. He was born in Wyoming, Michigan, and graduated from Calvin Christian High School. He received his bachelor's degree from Calvin College and graduated from the College of Law at the University of Illinois in 1980. After graduation, he worked in private practice with the law firm of Scholten and Fant in Grand Haven before joining the Ottawa County Prosecutor's Office in April 1984, where he specialized in cases involving children.
He has served on a number of civic boards and committees and coached youth soccer and basketball teams. As a member of First Christian Reformed Church in Grand Haven, Judge Feyen has served as a deacon, elder, and youth leader. He is a member of the Michigan Probate Judges Association. Judge Feyen is the author of an article published in the Michigan Child Welfare Law Journal entitled, "The Seven Deadly Sins of Attorneys in Child Protection Cases."
Judge Feyen and his wife, Debra, live in Grand Haven. In his retirement, he looks forward to spending more time with his wife and nine grandchildren.
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