---
title: "Mark Cleary | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/mark-cleary-ga-probate-58af020ece9168f520c4d695"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-08-25"
---

# Mark Cleary

Columbia County Probate Court · Associate Judge

## Profile

- Court: Columbia County Probate Court
- State: Georgia
- Role: Associate Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-08-25

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Courtroom Rules

### electronic devices and recording

Scope: statewide

Georgia's class-specific Uniform Court Rules govern electronic devices and recording in state trial courts. Before using recording, photography, livestreaming, or similar courtroom technology, confirm the governing rule and the assigned court's procedure.

Evidence excerpt: Uniform Superior, Juvenile, Magistrate, Municipal and Probate Court Rules

[Supreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules](https://www.gasupreme.us/rules/amendments-to-rules)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://georgiacourts.knack.com/gcd2/#directory-entries/entry-details/58af020ece9168f520c4d695/)
- [Official roster](https://georgiacourts.knack.com/gcd2/#directory-entries/entry-details/58af020ece9168f520c4d695/)
- [Supreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules](https://www.gasupreme.us/rules/amendments-to-rules)
- [Judicial Council of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts official judicial roster](https://georgiacourts.knack.com/gcd2/#directory-entries/entry-details/58af020ece9168f520c4d695/)

## JSON-LD

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "WebPage",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/mark-cleary-ga-probate-58af020ece9168f520c4d695",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/mark-cleary-ga-probate-58af020ece9168f520c4d695",
      "name": "Mark Cleary | KnowJudges",
      "description": "Mark Cleary, Columbia County Probate Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.",
      "dateModified": "2026-08-25",
      "isPartOf": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website"
      },
      "mainEntity": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/mark-cleary-ga-probate-58af020ece9168f520c4d695#judge"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/mark-cleary-ga-probate-58af020ece9168f520c4d695#judge",
      "name": "Mark Cleary",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/mark-cleary-ga-probate-58af020ece9168f520c4d695",
      "jobTitle": "Associate Judge",
      "worksFor": {
        "@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
        "name": "Columbia County Probate Court"
      },
      "sameAs": [
        "https://georgiacourts.knack.com/gcd2/#directory-entries/entry-details/58af020ece9168f520c4d695/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
      "itemListElement": [
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 1,
          "name": "KnowJudges",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 2,
          "name": "Georgia",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/georgia"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 3,
          "name": "Mark Cleary",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/mark-cleary-ga-probate-58af020ece9168f520c4d695"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

## Biography

### Professional career

- Substantive judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2), appointed on 1 April 2025, with a tenure set to run until 2041

### Education



### Additional information

- His appointment was formally recorded in the Australian Government’s judicial directory, with an end date of 2041.
- Sworn in on 1 April 2025 alongside three other colleagues, marking the start of his judicial career in the FCFCOA (Division 2).
- Notably, he was involved in urgent injunctions in complex cases, such as the 2021 Suez Canal blockage dispute
- Before becoming a judge, Mark Cleary had over 24 years as a barrister in equity, commercial, employment, human rights, constitutional, and administrative law.
- He developed extensive experience in commercial litigation, administrative law, immigration cases, fair work matters, and was frequently briefed by the Commonwealth government.
- The ceremonial sitting to welcome him was presided over by Chief Justice Alstergren, with fellow judges including his former reader, Judge Natasha Laing, and other senior legal figures
- Judge Cleary’s appointment reflects both the breadth and depth of his legal experience and his personal qualities, including an unflappable temperament and a strong sense of fair play



## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [Georgia Probate Court Rule 11 — virtual proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-fd6e1558b530329a117d6f9d) — Georgia Probate Courts only. Virtual proceedings; consent, exceptions and judicial orders control. Dated 2023 source, later amendments not exhaustively certified. [Official source](https://www.gasupreme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Rule-11-Order_approved.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.