Volunteer Programs 

Volunteering to serve youths and families in Leelanau County. 

HOW TO BECOME INVOLVED: 

People who are interested in volunteering may attend an orientation session and personal interview with court staff.  Various training programs are available for new volunteers as well as ongoing in-service training for all volunteers. 

Volunteer Opportunities in Probate Court 

As a CONSERVATOR, the volunteer would administer finances for protected persons. 

As a GUARDIAN, the volunteer would oversee the personal needs of legally incapacitated adults, and developmentally disabled adults.   

Volunteer Opportunities in Family Court 

A TRANSPORTER volunteers to transport juveniles to and from placements. 

A volunteer who conducts an EXIT INTERVIEW would interview the delinquent juvenile and parents for a final time, and then submit an objective report to the court on services provided. 

A TUTOR is assigned to a delinquent juvenile who is in need of educational assistance.   

A volunteer who assists with ELECTRONIC MONITORING provides daily contacts, in person and by telephone, with juveniles who are ordered into this program.  This juvenile is electronically tethered through their telephone to the state corrections computer. 

A volunteer who acts as an assistant to the probation officer or is an INTENSIVE PROBATION MONITOR carries out specific goals with delinquent juveniles who have been identified as being “high risk”.  The specific goals and duties of this program will be directed by the probation officer.  

The COMMUNITY SERVICE GARDEN is a vegetable garden supervised by volunteers.  It allows juveniles on probation an opportunity to raise produce which is distributed to local food pantries.  

If you are interested in becoming a Court Volunteer or would like further information, please contact: 

Tom Mayhew

Volunteer Coordinator

Post Office Box 595

Leland, MI  49654

(231) 256-9803    

A LETTER FROM JUDGE DEEGAN

Dear Leelanau Citizen: 

The Leelanau County Probate and Family Court has the awesome responsibility of providing appropriate services for the most vulnerable citizens of our County - its children, its elderly, and its infirm. 

Many of the problems we attempt to solve require competent professional responses such as counseling or placement.  Many more, however, are more everyday problems that can often be addressed by the assistance of another caring human being.  Such a volunteer can extend help, often on a basic human level such as a ride, some tutoring, or sitting with a child in detention.  It is frequent, regular face-to-face contact between our volunteers and the children they monitor that makes our intensive probation services effective. 

It is in areas such as these that our volunteers are so essential and their help so needed.  Often it is as much the caring attitude of the volunteer as it is the services given that allow the person in need to benefit.  It is for this help that we so greatly appreciate and need the assistance of our volunteers.  

Joseph E. Deegan

Probate/Family Court Judge