Novi Judge Asked to Explain His Dismissed Cases

Judge Brian W. MacKenzie, of Novi's 52-1 District Court, is under scrutiny after a request from the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office to explain why he is dismissing cases, according to an article in The Detroit News. 

The prosecutor's office wants Oakland County Circuit Court to order MacKenzie, who has sat on the district bench since 1988, to explain why he is dismissing cases and deferring sentences when prosecutors aren’t present, the article said.

For the last 10 years, MacKenzie has routinely taken pleas on misdemeanor cases, including domestic violence and road rage incidents, and sentenced defendants when no assistant prosecutor was scheduled to be present in court, The Detroit News reported.

MacKenzie is better known for his programs like “Veterans Court," which helps veterans overcome addiction and mental health issues, for which he was featured in a documentary on Detroit Public TV.

Read more about the allegations that MacKenzie “secretly” dismissed convictions in cases in the article from The Detroit News.