SU CC E SS S TO R I E S: H OW PR O BAT E CO U R T S WO R K TO PR OT E C T T H E PE O PLE O F M I C H I G AN PAG E 4

CHIEF JUDGE DORENE ALLEN

Chief Judge Allen Is Turning Her Passion for Helping Children into Action Throughout Her Community

Chief Judge Dorene Allen’s dedication to her job has gone to the dogs. Literally.

The Midland County Probate & Juvenile Court Chief Judge—and current President of the Michigan Pro-bate Judges Association (MPJA)—has always been passionate about improving the lives of local children, both in the courtroom and out in the community. Now, she has enlisted “Courthouse Clyde” to help her.

Clyde is Chief Judge Allen’s Golden Retriever puppy who has pretty much been raised in the court for the last year.

“I always wanted a dog in my courtroom,” she ad-mitted. “They are the great equalizer to whomever comes in.”

Clyde is a trained therapy dog who truly brings joy and changes the energy in the courtroom, according to Judge Allen. He even dresses the part of a profes-sional while in court, sporting the occasional necktie.

Enlisting Clyde’s assistance in court is just one way Judge Allen has taken creative action to invest in local kids.

Having spent the early part of her law career in private practice handling child abuse and neglect, probate, and family law cases, she has put her back-ground to good use after being elected to the bench in 2000 (and re-elected in 2006 and 2012).

Since then, Chief Judge Allen has worked to reorga-nize Midland’s juvenile court programs so that youth could be treated and housed in their home county rather than being placed in other counties or other states to receive the treatment they need. She rarely places children in residential facilities—instead cre-ating a day treatment program in Midland County. Not only is this far better for children, explains Judge Allen, but it has saved the court millions of dollars.

Chief Judge Allen’s past work in the mental health field has also served her well in court, as she certainly has put that knowledge to work. She started a Com-munity Mental Health project in Midland that led to the development of two evidence-based programs used in the court: Multisystemic Therapy for juveniles with delinquency; and Baby Court, an intensive infant mental health program for reunification of infants and toddlers with their parents.

Chief Judge Allen and Clyde on the job.

SU CC E SS S TO R I E S: H OW PR O BAT E CO U R T S WO R K TO PR OT E C T T H E PE O PLE O F M I C H I G AN PAG E 5

CHIEF JUDGE ALLEN

On top of these programs, Chief Judge Allen has more recently worked to ensure every Midland County youth in need has access to treatment for substance use disorders.

As a result of the success of these and other pro-grams initiated in the juvenile care center, Midland County’s juvenile delinquency rate has decreased by 81 percent since 1998 while, at the same time, there has been a treatment cost savings. Midland County residential treatment costs for juvenile offenders have dramatically declined by 98.9 percent since 2004.

“Being able to play a role in so many lives has been really special,” Chief Judge Allen shared.

Outside of the court, she has enacted several programs for children in Mid-land County schools, including the Michigan School Justice Partnership, which is part of a national anti-truancy effort to keep students in school and out of trouble and the community school model.

“Having someone there in the schools, talking to kids in the halls when they come in late can reveal a lot about what’s really going on,” Chief Judge Allen remarked about the new Pathways to Potential program.

Based on her history of working to better the lives of children in her community, Chief Judge Allen got some well-earned recognition in 2013 when she received the Daniel J. Wright Lifetime Achievement Award from the Michigan Supreme Court.

Wright, who was a former director of the Child Wel-fare Services and the Friend of the Court Bureau divisions of the State Court Administrative Office, helped Chief Judge Allen establish the Midland Coun-ty Probate Court’s Baby Court program.

Through this endeavor, they became close colleagues and friends.

“Being able to get an award that was modeled on Dan’s integrity, work ethic, and caring is a very big deal for me. It’s a way of continuing his legacy,” said Chief Judge Allen.

As the new President of MPJA, Chief Judge Allen has been busy organizing the annual conference in Mid-land.

“I get to show off my town a little,” Chief Judge Allen said proudly.

She calls the group “fabulous” and notes the camara-derie among probate judges, saying that MPJA gives judges great opportunities to chat, learn, and have a little fun.

And speaking of fun, Chief Judge Allen has had to occasionally take a break from her association and community efforts to tend to another important task—teaching new tricks to Courthouse Clyde so he can continue to bring more smiles and comfort to her courtroom.

Chief Judge Allen (front, center) celebrating Adoption Day 2017 alongside MSC Justices Elizabeth Clement and Kurtis Wilder, not to mention families and

superheroes.