Jessica Testolin-Reinke has spent more than 17 years serving Huron County from the bench as Magistrate and Referee, bringing experience, fairness, and compassion to the courtroom. A lifelong advocate for her community, she is committed to making the courts accessible, respectful, and responsive to the people of Huron County.
Huron County's Choice
About Jessica
Jessica Testolin-Reinke, 44 of Harbor Beach
Jessica graduated Valedictorian in 2000 from Port Hope High School and lives in Harbor Beach with her husband, Jeremy Reinke, also a Port Hope High School graduate. The couple has two young sons who attend Zion Lutheran School.
Proud Graduate of Michigan Schools
At Port Hope High School, Jessica was a student athlete in soccer, softball, and cheerleading, and participated in Quiz Bowl, Oceanography Quiz Bowl, Student Council, Drama Club, Coir, Cheerleading, Journalism, and FFA. In her senior year, she was Homecoming Queen, Class of 2000 Treasurer and Valedictorian
Jessica worked on summer breaks at Captain Morgan's Bar and Grill, Breakers on the Bay, and the DNR State Docks in Port Austin.
In the summer of 2000, she ran for Michigan Sugar Queen in Sebewaing.
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2004 Albion College, Bachelor of Arts
Magna Cum Laude
Economics & Management Major
An education useful for managing the District Court, which operates similarly to a small business. There are union and non-union staff, an annual budget, technology, and working with the Board of Commissioners, Huron County Treasurer, and the State Court Administrator’s Office. Jessica has been part of all of these management aspects during her time as Magistrate.
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2007 University of Detroit Mercy
During law school, Jessica did an internship at an Immigration Law Clinic in Detroit, meeting with women seeking asylum through the Violence Against Women Act petitions and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
Huron County Attorney Over 17 Years
Legal Experience
Choosing to return home to Huron County right after law school, Jessica was hired by Mark Gaertner as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and shortly thereafter was appointed by Judge Herrington as Huron County’s District Court Magistrate, a position she held for over 16 years, from 2009 – 2025.
During that time, she was also appointed by Judge M. Richard Knoblock as a part-time Circuit Court Referee in 2012 to handle child abuse/neglect and juvenile delinquency cases.
In October 2025, Jessica became a full-time Circuit Court Referee by adding Friend of the Court cases.
Having been sitting on the bench almost every day for the past 17 years as Magistrate and Referee, Jessica is capable and ready to become Judge of Probate and District Court with the smoothest of transitions.
As Magistrate, Jessica presided over many types of criminal and civil cases in District Court—including daily criminal arraignments, small claims, and informal hearings, authorized arrest warrants in criminal cases, and search warrants at all times—including nights, weekends, and holidays.
She met with defendants struggling to pay fines and costs and helped them create payment plans. This helped the court collect money owed, but also assisted defendants in getting their cases resolved.
Jessica conducted research and drafted opinions for the court. These include criminal topics and court procedures, but also the laws for mobile home parks, construction, retail sales, blight, and motor carrier laws, landlord-tenant and contract cases.
Jessica has a personal interest in DNR laws, as hers is an outdoors and hunting family. This has made her very knowledgeable in that area, because the rules and penalties are more complicated, and local attorneys turn to her for her expertise. The DNR laws not only affect a person’s hunting privileges, but also civil penalties, jail time, and going to Canada. She is knowledgeable in ORV,
Making the courts accessible to the general public is important to Jessica. She feels that “the public needs to be able to confidently come to the courthouse to address a conflict. Each person should believe that they will be respected, allowed to explain their side, and be treated fairly by the decisions made in their case.”
In 2013, the State of Michigan created the Indigent Defense Commission. This was to ensure that defendants had an attorney at all times in court. Jessica assisted drafting the procedure in Huron County, and as Magistrate, she was the one putting it into practice—especially at arraignments—the first time a person appears in court. Huron County was doing so well at implementing this statewide change that Jessica co-authored an article for the state agency.
In addition to her Magistrate responsibilities, she has taken on many projects, including working meticulously on the court’s website.
In 2012, Jessica worked with the Sheriff’s Office on a grant for paperless tickets. This was a needed change because hand written tickets were carbon copied and difficult to read. The paperless tickets are processed faster, making it easier for citizens to pay quickly without much hassle—even online.
Jessica also spent some years gathering the local ordinances for all of Huron County’s municipalities and she created a database with suggested fines and costs. In her years as Magistrate, she kept the database updated, as local governments added and changed ordinances. This project has made it easier for municipalities and the court to be fair to individuals charged with local offenses.
In 2012, Jessica was part of a committee that worked on making a self help legal website to assist unrepresented individuals draft legal documents. The website walks a person through the process by asking all the questions needed to fill out the forms and how to process them in the courts. Jessica’s hope is to bring a kiosk to the courthouse for this website because of how much help it would be.
In civil matters, Jessica presided over small claims and informal hearings. There are no attorneys in these cases, and so it was important for Jessica to listen fully to each party, carefully explain the law and court procedures, and make decisions that were fair and the parties understood.
Jessica was a member of the Michigan Association of District Court Magistrates--president for 2 years.
She served as an education chair and was responsible for bringing speakers to the group. She was a Mentor to new Magistrates throughout the state, including to Sanilac and Tuscola County magistrates. She was on a court forms committee to make forms easier for the public to use and included all the points needed to follow the law. Jessica was on the committee that revised the District Court Magistrate Manual, used by magistrates throughout the state.
When Probate Court Judge David L Clabuesch retired in 2021, the District Court Judge also became the Probate Court Judge. Jessica became an integral asset to the Probate Court as well. Most of that court’s caseload does not involve court hearings, but when issues have come up in cases, these were often researched by Jessica, making her knowledgeable about the legal issues in Probate Court.
Recognized by the Huron Daily in their "20 Under 40" in 2019.
As Referee, Jessica handles juvenile delinquency cases and those brought by the DHHS involving children being abused or neglected. These cases are non-public, highly emotional for the families, and require Jessica to take a strong but careful approach when she is on the bench. She has handled emergency hearings and made recommendations for the removal of children and placement with other family or foster care. She holds the hearings to review how parents are doing improving their parenting skills. Jessica has sadly also handled the cases of termination of parental rights. She is a member of the Referees Association of Michigan.
Jessica works with Huron County’s CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program. The CASA program is a group of trained community volunteers who meet with children in the abuse/neglect cases to help their needs be met and their voice be heard in court. Jessica has attended that group’s state convention. She is also active with the Huron County Child Abuse/Neglect Council.
Included in her cases are juveniles who struggle in their homes, schools, and community. She handles the petitions brought by school officials, parents, and the Huron County Prosecuting Attorney. These cases can end up with juveniles being sent temporarily to detention or long term out of their homes.
As Friend of the Court Referee, Jessica works with Circuit Court Judge Gerald M Prill, handling cases he assigns her.
Jessica is part of the Huron County Judicial Council and an active member of the Huron County Bar Association.
Right after law school, jessica came home to huron county
“It is a good place to live because Huron County is gorgeous. Seeing the Milky Way at night or the sunset over a field or the sunrise over the lake is not something many people get to experience. If I was working in the Detroit area, it is likely I would only get to see those things when on vacation. I can see the splendor of Michigan each and every day.”
Huron County is a destination for hunters, fishermen, and recreational vehicles with 90 miles of shore and several hundred acres of woods. Jessica has been hunting with her father for years, shares that interest with her husband, and is proudly passing down the tradition to her boys. The family is also avid ORV riders.
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Member, Gun Owners of Michigan
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Concealed Pistol License (since 2014)
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Member, White Tails Unlimited
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Volunteer, Verona Guns & Gear
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Member, National Wild Turkey Federation
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Member, Harbor Beach Gun Club
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Attends Wild Game Dinners throughout the Thumb
Jessica is a sixth generation Huron County Resident
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Jessica’s mother’s family line can be traced back at least 6 generations in Huron County.
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Her great-great-grandmother’s maiden name was Stambaugh in 1875. Jessica’s great-grandmother’s maiden name was Hurford, her grandmother’s maiden name was Schantz, and her mother’s maiden name was Suprenant.
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Other ancestors in the area include Jurges, Tibbits, and Miller. Most of Jessica’s ancestors were from the Bingham Township area.
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Jessica takes Grandma Berdean Suprenant to lunch every week. Grandma is 94 years young.
A family of service leads to community service
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Grandfather Eugene Supreant - Army Sergeant, WWII
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Aunt Sharon Suprenant Traux was an E3 in the Air Force
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Uncle Ray Guza
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Jessica has volunteered for "Fishing with a Vet" in Harbor Beach with Jeremy.
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5K Color Run for Vets in Port Austin
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Jessica was the team captain for many years at the Port Hope ABC Days' kickball - proceeds were for the Wounded Warrior Project
Community Involvement...a way of life
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Jessica’s parents, Gene and Kathryn Testolin, are members of the Port Hope Historical Society, and her mother is a member of the Port Hope Retirees, which meets at the Amvets Post 115 Hall.
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Jeremy has been a volunteer firefighter for Port Hope and Bad Axe for over 17 years, and his family is from the Lewisville area.
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Jessica and Jeremy’s boys are active in baseball, flag football, and soccer. Jessica has coached their soccer AYSO team.
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Jessica has been on the Parent Teacher League at Zion Lutheran School. She helps with that group’s German Dinner, Spring Auction, Apple Pie Fundraiser, and their activities during the Harbor Beach Maritime Festival.
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Jessica and Jeremy were proud to see the Harbor Beach Pirates football team win the State Championship at Ford Field on November 28, 2025