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40th District Court Judges
Honorable Chief Judge
Joseph Craigen Oster
The Honorable Joseph Craigen Oster was elected to the 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores, Michigan in November 1996 and has been reelected every year since. He received an B.A. in History from the University of Michigan in 1986 and his law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1992.
Judge Oster served on the inaugural Macomb County Domestic Violence Fatality Review team. He received the 2007 Tracy Minnella award for his work and leadership on domestic violence issues. He has served as the president of the Macomb Community Domestic Violence Council since 2008. He wrote the article “Stop the Blaming: Rethinking Responsibility in Domestic Violence Cases” which appeared in May 2012 in the State Bar of Michigan’s Family Law Journal.
Judge Oster is also a member of the Macomb County Community Corrections advisory board. The judge is the current president of the Macomb District Judges Association.
Honorable Mark A. Fratarcangeli
Judge Mark Fratarcangeli was elected in November 2000 and had previously worked as an attorney in private practice for 9 years. He is a graduate of Notre Dame High School class of 1985, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Kalamazoo College and his law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law. He and his wife, Amy have three children.
Since taking office, Judge Fratarcangeli has initiated numerous programs at the 40th District Court, including Court/School initiatives, the Interactive Courtroom Video program, Driving While License Suspended Court and Drug Court.
Judge Fratarcangeli was previously elected by his peers as President of the Macomb County District Court Judges Association and served two terms
Magistrate Taylor
Magistrate Genevieve Taylor is the newest judicial addition to the 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores, officially taking the Oath of Office on October 19, 2021. She is also a private practice attorney, focusing her work on criminal defense and driver’s license restoration. Genevieve has been in private practice since being admitted to the bar in 2008. She is a graduate of St. Clair High School class of 1990, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan, and her Juris Doctorate from Thomas Cooley Law School. Genevieve resides in St. Clair Shores and has two daughters.
Magistrate Leija
Mary Beth Leija was appointed as a Part Time Magistrate to the 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores, Michigan in 1992. She obtained her B.A. in Political Science and Sociology in 1975, graduating Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and her law degree in 1978 from Wayne State University. In addition to being in private practice since 1978, Magistrate Leija has worked as a case evaluator in the 40th District Court since 2001.
Magistrate Leija is a member of the Macomb County Bar Association and Wayne County Family Law Bar Association. She has also Been honored for her pro bono work by the Legal Aid and Defender Association and received the Pro Bono Spirit Award in 2012 and the Pro Bono Service Award in 2020.
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40th District Court
Physical Address
27701 Jefferson Ave.
St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
Phone: 586-445-5280
Hours
Monday - Friday
8 AM - 4 PM
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Andrea R. Strassburg
40th District Court Administrator
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Joseph C. Oster
Chief Judge 40th District Court
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Jennifer Rent, Judicial Assistant/Court RecorderPhone: 586-445-5385
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Mark A. Fratarcangeli
Judge 40th District Court
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Michelle Maltagliati, Judicial Assistant/Court RecorderPhone: 586-445-5383
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Corey Keelan
Probation OfficerPhone: 586-445-5285
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Brianne Scaglione
Probation OfficerPhone: 586-445-5294