Novi District Court (52-1 District Court)

The Oakland County 52-1 District Court in Novi handles drunk driving offenses, minor criminal cases, probation, and a variety of other legal issues. This court is one of the four Oakland County District Courts and is divided into several divisions. The criminal division of the 52-1 District Court handles minor crimes committed within the City of Novi and surrounding areas such as Walled Lake, Wixom, etc.

If you’ve been arrested for drunk driving in Oakland County or are being charged with another criminal offense. It’s advised to consult with a defense attorney that understands this Novi court system.

DUI & OWI Charges At Novi’s 52-1 District Court

The 52-1 District Court in Novi is well known to give strict sentencing and jail time even for first offenders. Oakland County is nationally recognized as one of the toughest areas in the entire county for enforcing drunk driving laws and penalties and this specific court system leads the charge in this enforcement.

If you’re charged with a first offense OWI (Operating While Intoxicated), you may receive up to 93 days in jail, fines of up to $500, up to 360 hours of community service, and potential vehicle immobilization possibly requiring the installation of an ignition interlock device during the probationary period. You will also receive a misdemeanor on your criminal record. These penalties increase with a second offense OWI, and for three or more OWI charges you may receive a felony conviction in addition to harsher punishments.

When someone is arrested for drunk driving in Novi or a surrounding community, their case will be eligible to be presented at the 52-1 Novi District Court. Due to the strict nature of this court’s enforcement for drunk driving offenses, it’s vital to have an attorney specializing in DUI cases represent your interests.

Court Jurisdiction

Division one of this court is the largest of the four main divisions, covering a population of approximately 175,000 people spanning over the following areas:

• Commerce Township
• Highland Township
• Lyon Township
• Milford Township
• ​Novi
• Novi Township
• South Lyon
• Village of Milford
• ​Village of Wolverine Lake
• Walled Lake
• Wixom

Those who are arrested for both felonies and misdemeanors in any of these communities will have their cases handled by this division of the 52nd district court, located in Novi. By far the busiest of all the divisions, the majority of cases involve drunk driving, domestic violence and drug related charges.

Novi District Court Location

The 52nd District Court (Division 1) is located in the City of Novi. Novi is a small northern suburb of Metro Detroit spanning about 8 miles long and bordering Northville and Walled Lake. The court itself is located at the crossroads of Grand River Ave and Providence Pkwy. You can obtain the specific address and directions below.

52nd District Court – Division 1 (D52-1)
Address: 48150 Grand River Ave.
Novi, MI 48374
Get Directions
Phone: 248-305-6511
Website: www.oakgov.com/courts/district-courts/52-1/

52-1 Novi District Court Judges

This section has information on judges within the 52-1 Novi District Court System. This information is publicly available information on the court’s official website in the about section.

Robert Bondy – The Honorable Judge Robert Bondy was elected as a District Court Judge in the years 2002, 2006, and 2012. Throughout his time serving on the judicial panel, Bondy assisted with the creation of the Minor in Possession/Consuming Alcohol Court/Program. Judge Bondy remains active in helping manage the 52-1 Sobriety Court and Drug Court Programs.

Travis Reeds – The Honorable Judge Travis Reeds was elected as a District Court Judge in 2014. Receiving his Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School in 1997, he practiced law for years prior to entering into his current position in the 52nd District Court. As a judge, Reeds has contributed to revisions to the Michigan Judicial Institute’s Contempt of Court Benchbook. He also currently serves on the Court Rules and Criminal Forms Committees for the Michigan District Judges Association.

David Law – The Honorable Judge David Law was appointed Division 1 of the 52nd District Court in February 2015, retaining that seat in the following 2016 election with overwhelming support. Receiving his Juris Doctor degree from the Detroit College of Law in 1995, he has several decades of experience working in both the private and public law sectors. This experience includes time as Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor (1998-2004) and Assistant Attorney General for the Michigan Department of the Attorney General (2009-2015).

Court Process

First Court Appearance
Those charged with felony or misdemeanor crimes in this district such as DUI or assault and battery must first first go through the pretrial process in order to determine whether any assistance is required during the discovery on their case, which includes things such as police reports or blood testing logs and video recordings. Technically referred to as an arraignment, during this stage the charges against the defendant will be laid out and the court will schedule their bond.

Oftentimes, this bond does not require any money to be posted but instead is considered a personal bond, meaning that the defendant is giving their word that they will appear as required for all future court appearances. As part of the bond process, the court will also order an individual to comply with conditions such as alcohol testing. Also, the defendant will not be allowed to leave the state without express permission from the court.

Pretrial
This stage serves to allow the court to determine if any assistance is required for the purposes of obtaining discovery on a case. Commonly included are things such as police reports, breath or blood testing logs and video recordings. The pretrial process also gives the court the opportunity to explore any issues that may or may not be present with evidence before the case is set for trial. The court will also look into whether or not the case can be resolved through plea or sentencing negotiations.

Generally speaking there are two to four pretrials before a case is set for trial or an individual enters a plea of guilt. Although a case can be resolved at the first pretrial, it is unwise to do so because there is a very low likelihood that the defendant’s attorney will have obtained and reviewed all discovery. Without this information, it is nearly impossible for a defense attorney to properly pursue all possible defenses and/or engage in plea negotiations on behalf of their client.

52-1 District Court Resources

Teen Court – The 52-1 District Court is one of three court systems involved in a pilot program created with the intention of keeping juvenile offenders away from the criminal justice system. Teen Court is a juvenile diversion program that has shown a great deal of promise in accomplishing its objective.

Drug Court – Established in 2001, this court system implemented a program that uses a panel to address the issues of repeat drunk drivers and other substance abuse related issues. This panel consists of the court’s judicial staff as well as lawyers, counselors, and other members of the community.

Probation Officers – This is a list of probation officers operating within the 52-1 Novi court system. The list is publically available on the court’s website and has the emails/phone numbers of each individual officer including the Chief Probation Officer David Campbell.

Advice Of Rights (English) – The Advice of Rights provides someone with their legal rights in court as well as information on entering a Plea.

Advice Of Rights (Espanol) – The Advice of Rights is also available in Espanol.