Tracy E. Van den Bergh

Before practicing law, Judge Van den Bergh first earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in social work from New York University. As a clinical social worker and Mental Health Director, she diagnosed and treated children, adults, and families struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues. Motivated to address related issues in the legal system, Judge Van den Bergh subsequently earned her Juris Doctor from Michigan State College of Law.

As an attorney, Judge Van den Bergh handled cases in a broad number of practice areas, while focusing on high-conflict domestic litigation and serving particularly vulnerable individuals and families. Prior to being seated on the circuit court, she served in the office of the Michigan Attorney General, where she managed complex litigation in the Health, Education, and Family Services Division. For eight years, she also provided comprehensive legal services to over 1,000 disadvantaged Washtenaw County residents as a staff, and later a supervising attorney at Legal Services of South Central Michigan. At LSSCM, she simultaneously served as a Field Instructor for Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work.

Judge Van den Bergh is active in several community organizations. She belongs to the Michigan Association for Justice, Michigan Judges Association, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Women Lawyers Association, and NAACP-Willow Run Branch.

Before taking office, Judge Van den Bergh served as Co-Chair of the Washtenaw County Bar Association Public Service Committee. She is also a former member of the Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative Steering Committee, Michigan Justice Caucus, Jim Toy Community Center, and National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Judge Van den Bergh currently hears family law and personal protection cases. Her current interests involve developing better screening for domestic violence survivors in family court, and interdisciplinary approaches to family law proceedings.