Choosing to return home to Huron County right after law school, Jessica was hired by Mark Gaertner as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and shortly thereafter was appointed by Judge Herrington as Huron County’s District Court Magistrate, a position she held for over 16 years, from 2009 – 2025.

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During that time, she was also appointed by Judge M. Richard Knoblock as a part-time Circuit Court Referee in 2012 to handle child abuse/neglect and juvenile delinquency cases.  

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In October 2025, Jessica became a full-time Circuit Court Referee by adding Friend of the Court cases.  

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Having been sitting on the bench almost every day for the past 16 years as Magistrate and Referee, Jessica is capable and ready to become Judge of Probate and District Court with the smoothest of transitions.

 

As Magistrate, Jessica presided over many types of criminal and civil cases in District Court—including daily criminal arraignments, small claims, and informal hearings, authorized arrest warrants in criminal cases, and search warrants at all times—including nights, weekends, and holidays.

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She met with defendants struggling to pay fines and costs and helped them create payment plans. This helped the court collect money owed, but also assisted defendants in getting their cases resolved.

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Jessica conducted research and drafted opinions for the court.  These include criminal topics and court procedures, but also the laws for mobile home parks, construction, retail sales, blight, and motor carrier laws, landlord-tenant and contract cases.

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Jessica has a personal interest in DNR laws, as hers is an outdoors and hunting family.  This has made her very knowledgeable in that area, because the rules and penalties are more complicated, and local attorneys turn to her for her expertise.   The DNR laws not only affect a person’s hunting privileges, but also civil penalties, jail time, and going to Canada.  She is knowledgeable in ORV,

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Making the courts accessible to the general public is important to Jessica. She feels that “the public needs to be able to confidently come to the courthouse to address a conflict.  Each person should believe that they will be respected, allowed to explain their side, and be treated fairly by the decisions made in their case.” 

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In 2013, the State of Michigan created the Indigent Defense Commission.  This was to ensure that defendants had an attorney at all times in court. Jessica assisted drafting the procedure in Huron County, and as Magistrate, she was the one putting it into practice—especially at arraignments—the first time a person appears in court.  Huron County was doing so well at implementing this statewide change that Jessica co-authored an article for the state agency.

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In addition to her Magistrate responsibilities, she has taken on many projects, including working meticulously on the court’s website. 

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In 2012, Jessica worked with the Sheriff’s Office on a grant for paperless tickets.  This was a needed change because hand written tickets were carbon copied and difficult to read. The paperless tickets are processed faster, making it easier for citizens to pay quickly without much hassle—even online.

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Jessica also spent some years gathering the local ordinances for all of Huron County’s municipalities and she created a large database with suggested fines and costs.  In her years as Magistrate, she kept the database updated, as local governments added and changed ordinances. This project has made it easier for municipalities and the court to be fair to individuals charged with local offenses.

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In 2012, Jessica was part of a committee that worked on making a self help legal website to assist unrepresented individuals draft legal documents.  The website walks a person through the process by asking all the questions needed to fill out the forms and how to process them in the courts.  Jessica’s hope is to bring a kiosk to the courthouse for this website because of how much help it would be.

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In civil matters, Jessica presided over small claims and informal hearings.  There are no attorneys in these cases, and so it was important for Jessica to listen fully to each party, carefully explain the law and court procedures, and make decisions that were fair and the parties understood. 

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Jessica was a member of the Michigan Association of District Court Magistrates--president for 2 years. 

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She served as an education chair and was responsible for bringing speakers to the group. She was a Mentor to new Magistrates throughout the state, including to Sanilac and Tuscola County magistrates. She was on a court forms committee to make forms easier for the public to use and included all the points needed to follow the law.  Jessica was on the committee that revised the District Court Magistrate Manual, used by magistrates throughout the state.

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When Probate Court Judge David L Clabuesch retired in 2012, the District Court Judge also became the Probate Court Judge.  Jessica necessarily became an integral asset to the Probate Court as well.  Most of that court’s caseload does not involve court hearings, but when issues have come up in cases, these were often researched by Jessica, making her knowledgeable about the legal issues in Probate Court.