[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 24, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E189-E190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE MICHAEL ANDEREGG

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 24, 2007

  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to one of my 
constituents who has dedicated more than thirty years of his life to 
serving our justice system, Marquette County and the entire Upper 
Peninsula of Michigan.
  The Honorable Michael Anderegg began his service to the Upper 
Peninsula in 1972 as a Staff Attorney for Upper Peninsula Legal 
Services. After a two-year stint with Upper Peninsula Legal Services, 
Judge Anderegg went on to become Assistant Prosecutor and Chief 
Assistant Prosecutor of Marquette County. In seeking his first elected 
office, Michael Anderegg was chosen as Marquette County Probate Judge 
in 1977.
  Twenty years later, Michigan eliminated the Probate Court and Judge 
Anderegg became the Presiding Judge of the Family Division of the 
Marquette County Circuit Court. Judge Anderegg has become a national 
leader in developing new approaches to the closely linked problems of 
substance abuse, juvenile delinquency and repeat offenders.
  In Marquette, Judge Anderegg has been one of the driving forces 
behind Reclaiming Futures Project WEAVE. WEAVE stands for Willingness 
to Explore Approaches that Validate and Embrace youth. Reclaiming 
Futures Project WEAVE is a unique program that is working in Marquette 
to improve the quality of alcohol and drug treatment services available 
to youth who are in the justice system. Reclaiming Futures Project 
WEAVE's cross-disciplinary approach pulls together varied partners from 
recovery and treatment centers, the Marquette Area Public Schools, law 
enforcement, the juvenile justice system and other cornerstones of the 
Marquette community to assist youthful offenders to become a 
contributing adult in our society. Together, through Project WEAVE, 
these institutions identify, assist, encourage and reclaim children 
struggling at home, in schools and in our communities.
  Reclaiming Futures Project WEAVE's successes have become a model for 
other juvenile delinquency systems around the country. As Judge 
Anderegg and the Project WEAVE staff joke: ``What happens in Alaska 
stays in Alaska and what happens in San Antonio stays in San Antonio, 
but what happens in Marquette is disseminated across the nation!''
  The Michigan legal community, indeed legal professionals across the 
country, have benefited immensely from Judge Anderegg's sharp 
intellect, vast knowledge and wealth of experience. A graduate of 
Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Judge 
Anderegg has served on Michigan Supreme Court Committees on: Juvenile 
Court Rules; Family Division Rules; and the Probate Court Academic 
Advisory Benchbook. He has lectured extensively, addressing the 
Michigan Supreme Court's Michigan Judicial Institute; the Federal Bar 
Association's Indian Law Section; and the Colorado Juvenile and 
Delinquency Prevention Council, to name only a few of the prominent 
organizations that have benefited from his insights. In 2001, he 
received the President's Award for meritorious service as a trustee of 
the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
  Judge Anderegg spends a great deal of personal time traveling across 
the country in order to share his insights. The Project WEAVE staff 
estimate that he has easily traveled 150,000 miles in his quest to 
learn more, share more and improve America's juvenile justice system.
  In many pursuits and professions it is often easy to accept the 
status quo and to resist new thinking. It is rare to find individuals 
who constantly challenge pre-conceived notions and basic assumptions in 
order to perfect more effective solutions to long standing problems. An 
outspoken advocate for bold, new approaches to solving juvenile 
delinquency, Judge Michael Anderegg is one of those rare individuals 
who embraces change.
  Madam Speaker, Judge Anderegg has accomplished much in his thirty 
years of service. His parents, Robert and Anita were proud that he was 
elected a judge at the relatively young age of thirty. During his early 
years on the

[[Page E190]]

bench, his parents were known to refer to him as ``boy judge.'' 
Clearly, Madam Speaker, Robert and Anita's ``boy judge'' has come a 
long way and his parents have given Marquette County, the Upper 
Peninsula of Michigan and, indeed, the nation, a judge who is a 
national leader in reclaiming young lives.
  As Judge Anderegg himself has noted, ``The money we spend now on 
locating and providing the best possible treatment is money we will not 
need to spend later on prosecuting and incarcerating adult criminals. 
The financial and social costs of substance abuse are enormous, but 
they are avoidable.'' No truer words have ever been spoken.
  This weekend, the people of Marquette come together to honor Judge 
Michael Anderegg. During this momentous occasion, I would ask the 
entire U.S. House of Representatives to join me in saluting Judge 
Michael Anderegg and in wishing him, his wife, Cheryl, and their 
children all the best for many years to come.

                          ____________________