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52nd District Court 48150 Grand River Ave. Novi, MI 48374-1222 248-305-6460 Fax: 248-305-6118

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.