Hon. Janet M. Allen, 46th Circuit Court Chief Judge

As Chief Judge, Judge Allen is responsible for all administrative, personnel and policy matters involving the circuit court. Judge Allen also maintains a full case schedule.


Janet M. Allen was appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm to the Circuit Court bench in September 2005. She successfully stood for election in 2006 and was appointed as the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court in July 2008.


Judge Allen received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 1973 and her Juris Doctor degree from the Detroit College of Law in 1979.


Judge Allen clerked for the late Honorable Blair Moody, Jr., on the Michigan Supreme Court from 1979 to 1982. Since 1982, she had a private practice in Gaylord, which encompassed domestic relations cases involving divorce, custody and paternity, as well as plaintiff personal injury and general civil litigation and and practiced in all three counties of the 46th Circuit.


Judge Allen has served on the following Michigan Supreme Court Committees – Dispute Resolution Court Rule Committee and the Trial Court Performance Committee. She is a member of several professional associations and has served on several State Bar of Michigan Committees throughout her legal career. She remains actively involved in community boards and activities and resides in Gaylord with her husband, James C. Smith, Jr.

Hon. Monte J. Burmeister, Chief Probate & District Judge

Judge Burmeister received his Bachelor of Arts in Social Science-Law & Democracy from James Madison College, Michigan State University. He received his Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University.


Judge Burmeister engaged in general civil and criminal practice for 12 years, the latter seven of which involved successfully operating his own solo firm. He is a graduate of the Trial Lawyers College and a Paul Harris Fellow.


Judge Burmeister was elected to the Bench in 2007.


Presently, Judge Burmeister is the Chief Judge of Probate and District Court for Crawford County. He presides over a variety of cases, including Criminal Misdemeanors and Civil Cases under $25,000.00; Felony Preliminary Examinations; Decedent’s Estates; Child Custody disputes; and Abuse and Neglect of Children cases.


Judge Burmeister is married and has two children.

Hon. Dennis F. Murphy, Circuit Judge

Dennis F. Murphy is a Trial Court Judge serving Crawford, Kalkaska and Otsego Counties. He primarily hears cases in the Circuit Division, and he regularly assists with the dockets in the District Division, Probate Division, and Family Division in Grayling, Kalkaska and Gaylord. In addition, he is often appointed to assist judges in other counties throughout Northern Michigan. Dennis Murphy is a graduate of the Detroit College of Law.


Judge Murphy is married and has three children.