OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County Probate Judge Mark Feyen is retiring after 36 years on the bench.
“I just thought 36 years is enough," Judge Feyen said. "I’ve done a lot of things and I really enjoyed it and it’s just time to move on to other stuff."
Judge Feyen was elected in November of 1988, handling everything from traditional probate cases to juvenile delinquency and neglect cases.
For about seven years, from 1998 to 2005, Judge Feyen handled half of all divorce and custody cases in Ottawa County.
Most recently, in 2005, Judge Feyen started the first-ever drug court in Ottawa County, which he’s now been involved in for the better part of the last 20 years.
Now, at nearly 70 years old, Judge Feyen says he thinks it’s time to hang up his robe.
"I've worked with lots of great people over the years," Judge Feyen said. "Most everyone who was working here when I started out is gone. … They’re retired or deceased. So, I'm hanging in here right until the end.”
On Jan. 1, Judge Feyen will officially trade in his robe and gavel for a full-time gig driving for what he calls “Grandpa’s Uber Service,” because as Judge Feyen says, his nine grandkids never fail to keep him busy.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
