52nd District Court - 1st Division is located in Novi and serves
a population of approximately 175,000 in the Townships of White
Lake, Rose, Highland, Milford, Lyon, Novi and Commerce; Cities of
Novi, South Lyon, Wixom and Walled Lake; and Villages of Milford and
Wolverine Lake. Click here to visit the
52nd District Court website or read the judges' biographies
below.
The
52nd District Court is now offering a service to the public in an
effort to make paying tickets more convenient. Civil Infraction
tickets (some exceptions apply) may be paid by VISA or MasterCard at
the Oakland County website.
Hon. Brian W. MacKenzie
Judge MacKenzie is Chief Judge Pro Tem for
the four divisions of the 52nd District Court, as well as being the
Presiding Judge of the 1st Division. In 2001, he was honored by the
Foundation for the Improvement of Justice with its annual award for
significant contributions to the American criminal justice system.
He has also received several other awards for his domestic violence
and drunk driving prevention programs. In addition to these
award-winning programs, he started a program designed to reduce
adolescent alcohol and tobacco use. He planned the 52-1 District
Court's new Sobriety Court. The Judge originated a program designed
to educate students about the courts by conducting sessions of court
in the high school and directed the creation of the Court's web
site. He inaugurated the first Judicial Town Hall meetings in the
State of Michigan. In 2000, Judge MacKenzie was appointed by The
Michigan Supreme Court as coordinating judge for a pilot project
involving community outreach and trial court performance standards.
Judge MacKenzie received his Juris Doctorate from Wayne State
University Law School in 1974. He began serving the public as a Law
Clerk at the Michigan Attorney General's Office, Organized Crime
Division. Upon graduation and admittance to the practice of law in
1974, he joined the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office as an Assistant
Prosecuting Attorney. In 1979, he returned to the Michigan Attorney
General's Office as an Assistant Attorney General were he remained
until he was appointed to the 52nd District Court, 1st Division, in
March of 1988.
During his term at the District Court, Judge MacKenzie has
remained active within the community. He has or is serving as a
member of the Novi Library Board, Board of the Novi Land
Conservancy, Novi Chamber of Commerce, Huron Valley Network, Lakes
Area Chamber of Commerce, Huron Valley Chamber of Commerce, Chair of
Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club and Chair of Michigan League of
Conservation Voters.
Judge MacKenzie is married to Karen MacKenzie. He has three
children: Kate, David and Breanna.
Hon. Dennis N. Powers
Judge Dennis N. Powers was appointed to the
1st Division of the 52nd District Court by then Governor John Engler.
He began a two-year term as Presiding Judge on January 1, 2000 and
was appointed to a second two-year term beginning Jan 1, 2006.
Judge Powers received his law degree from Detroit College of Law
in 1974. He also received AB and MA degrees from the University of
Detroit and completed courses at both Harvard Business School and
Wharton School of Finance.
Prior to Judge Powers' appointment to the District Court bench he
served as a Commissioner for Oakland County from 1992 through
January of 1998. During his term as a Commissioner he served as Vice
Chairperson of the Public Services Committee, Chairperson of
Strategic Planning and Personnel Appeal Board, member of the
Planning and Building Committee, General Government Committee, and
Zoning Coordinating Committee, and was also a delegate to the
Emergency Medical Services Council.
On March 30, 1981, Judge Dennis N. Powers was admitted and
qualified as an attorney and counselor of the Supreme Court of the
United States of America.
In 1992, Judge Powers received the Governor's "Keep Michigan
Beautiful" Award.
Judge Powers is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Women
Lawyers Association of Michigan, Oakland County Bar Association,
Oakland County District Judges' Association, and is serving as a
member of the Legislative Committee for both the state and county
District Judges' associations. Additionally, Judge Powers is part of
a pilot program entitled "Teen Court."
Judge Powers has remained an active member of his community and
is a past President of the Huron Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Hon. Robert Bondy
As a result of Judge Batchik moving to the
2nd Division of the 52nd District Court, an open judgeship was made
available in the 1st Division District Court. An election was held
and we are very happy to introduce our newest judge, Robert Bondy.
Judge Bondy received his Juris Doctorate Degree, cum laude, from
the Detroit College of Law (now at Michigan State University) on
January 28, 1985. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree, with honors,
in Criminal Justice, from Michigan State University, June 6, 1980.
He has also completed other graduate study courses in public
administration at Wayne State University. Judge Bondy was admitted
to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States of
America on May 15, 1989.
Judge Bondy has been a member of the State Bar of Michigan since
1985 and served as a hearing panelist on the District J Committee
for Character for Fitness for 12 years. Prior to being elected
Judge, he was involved in the creation of the Small Claims Mediation
Program at the 52-1 District Court, the Day of Court in School
Program, a board member of Sobriety Court and participated in the
District Court Town Hall Meeting Program. He is a long time member
of the Milford Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus and currently sits
on the Board of Directors of the Carls Family (Huron Valley) YMCA.
Judge Bondy is a current member of the Michigan District Court
Judgesí Association and Oakland County District Court Judges
Association.
As an attorney, Judge Bondy was rated outstanding by the Oakland
County Bar Association, the highest rating given to judicial
candidates in the year, 2002, and is an AV rated attorney (the
highest rating given for ethical standards and legal ability) by
Martindale-Hubbell, a preeminent national rating service of
attorneys.
Judge Bondy is a former law clerk to the Honorable Gene Schnelz
at the Oakland County Circuit Court and practiced law from 1985
until 2002 with the law firm of Schnelz, Bondy and Wells and in
private practice. Judge Bondy has been active with the community as
a member of the Novi, Huron Valley, South Lyon, and the Lakes Area
Chambers of Commerce.
Judge Bondy is married to Denise Bondy and they have twin sons,
Spencer and Tyler, age 12.
