Fifth candidate announces for Marquette Co. Probate Judge

Joining four other candidates, Marquette County Juvenile Court Referee George Hyde has announced that he is running for Marquette County Probate Court Judge. He is seeking the position held by Probate Judge Michael Anderegg, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Hyde has served as the Juvenile Court Referee, a judicial officer position, since being appointed by Judge Anderegg in 2001.  In over 11 years as the Referee, Hyde has presided over and made decisions in nearly 5,000 hearings involving juvenile delinquency and child protective proceedings, making the same decisions as a judge.  Although all referee decisions may be challenged to the Probate Judge, none of Hyde’s

decisions have ever been challenged or appealed.  Hyde and Anderegg recently served together as judicial fellows in a National Judicial Fellowship program focusing on juvenile substance abuse issues and the leadership role of juvenile court judges.

Hyde, 43, graduated from L’Anse High School in 1986, and Northern Michigan University in 1990. He is a 1994 Cum Laude graduate of the Thomas Cooley Law School.

Hyde has been an attorney for nearly 18 years, the last 17 in Marquette

County. Since 2003, he has practiced law with his firm Hyde & Swajanen,

P.C.  Hyde has a general law practice representing individuals in various

matters, a majority of which involve families and children.

Hyde is also a veteran Combat Engineer of the Michigan Army National

Guard, and was Honorably Discharged in 1992.

Hyde serves as a Board Member of the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum; a Board Member of the John D. Voelker Foundation; and a Board Member of the NMU Blue Line Club.  He has been named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation, and has taught at the NMU Police Academy.

“For over 11 years as the Juvenile Court Referee, I have been making important and difficult decisions from the Probate Court bench,” Hyde said. “I would be honored to continue to do so as Marquette County’s next Probate Judge.”

Hyde lives in Marquette with his five year old daughter Allison.