Judge Brian MacKenzie

I used to support judges who were tough on crime. But this judge gave my son 90 days for climbing a building -- no drugs, no alcohol, no graffiti, just climbing. I think the maximum sentence should be reserved for the maximum offenders instead of turning trivial offenses into unjust burdens for good kids who did a stupid thing.

Perhaps it is time for me and others on this blog to move on with the real purpose and joys of life, instead of this negative blogging.

The technology is getting better for alcohol testing machines. If the court orders that you get an Interlock device on your car, you might be able to ask to use a portable smartstart machine instead.

The smartstart machine does not go on your car at all. It is a portable machine about the size of a couple of dvd players. It can be programmed to require a blow test at any time of the day. For example, it can require a blow between 7 am and 9 am. and 7 pm and 9 pm. The machine has a camera in it so that it takes the picture of who ever is blowing. The company requires about a $900 refundable deposit and then about $90 a month for the reporting.

I have had an interlock and a smartstart. I would highly recommend the smartstart machine over an interlock device. Interlocks make it very difficult to have repairs done on your car and can incorrectly disable your car. Plus, it makes your car unusable, undesireable to drive by other people.

There are many good MSW therapists in oakland county. You have the right to choose the therapist for your required counseling. You should not be required to see a particular therapist. There are possible ethical problems with a probation officer who requires someone to see a particular therapist.

I know district court's staff read these blogs, so please instruct your staff to refrain from this practice, in order to avoid any possible unethical practices.

Devin wrote:

I went through Judge MacKenzie's program of BS myself. In Feb 2006 I was arrested for a DUI, no accidents, first time offense for anything. I didn't smart off to the judge and told him I'd cooperate.
*I got $1800.00 fine
*50 hours community service - they picked it, I didn't - I had to do farming - yes with shovels, hoes, and picks.
*$325.00 alcohl awareness weekend in some jesus freak camp in Howell
*Sent to AA three times a week for the length of the probation
*No alcohol consumption the length of my probation
*Jams alcohol and drug testing 4x a week for two months -$12 a piss and blow.
*Jams holiday testing for the length of probation: includes testing twice a day often two days before and after the actual holiday
*Monthly probation officer visits
*I'm finishing my probation next week.
I here Judge MacKenzie's wife OWNS Jams. Is that true? Mr. MacKenzie's called me an alcoholic. After going to AA I know I'm not one of them. I also here the judge likes to go golfing, get hammered drunk, and try and drive on every Sunday. I Novi cop I used to work out with told me this. I don't know about the Jams thing but I do know that the Judge is an alcoholic in projection.
-D.

I had basically the exact same thing happen to me...except he decided that I was some kind of heroin addict (which I of course am not). He told me I was trying to dilute me urine tests to cover up my drug use...it was later discovered that a lifetime kidney issue was cosing the dilution of the tests! I have heard the same things about his family owning JAMS and I worked for three years at one of these Novi golf coursee, I served him drinks many, many times and watched him get beyond wasted. He claimed I was an alcoholic bc I had a few beers....I had no problem paying my dues as I did make a mistake, fine...but I had a serious problem with his behavior. By the way, the day I was in court, he let REPEAT sex offenders and child abusers off with a warning!!!

watcher wrote:

it amazes me to read this forum. There are so many complaints about how this judge supposedly treats defendants badly and yet the level of rudeness displayed here is greater then anything complained of. The claims about the judge being a drunk lack any proof and sound like wishful thinking that he is a bad as the person who is writing. Finally, this claim that it is all about money, the posting by Ron shows how it once was and Ron still appears to be abusing alcohol. So what was being done did not work. i don't see anyone else who has been in front of this judge who still makes that claim.

Drinking alcohol is not a crime! I can serve as your proof of this judge's drinking issues...I worked for three years at a business that he frequented...drinking himself into a foolish mess. Then I watch him attempt to enforce prohibition in court...THe punishments are not the problem, it is his behavior in court, which is a public setting. I had 50 people watch me be wrongly accused of drug use (not at all having to do with what I was there for). I have never been so humiliated, it's been ten years and I still have nightmares about that.

He dishonors Judges across the nations and removes completely the "honorable" that comes before their title.

What a disgrace. HE says he likes throwing people in jail. Good cause I told Him to send me to jail because jail is less of a punishment then hearing your ramblings with no honest bias whatsoever.

Again a joke. And one hell of a revenue generator for the courts. After that he is a B.U.M in every aspect of the word.

Is it the private golf course right across from where he lives that he is drinking at?

I have read all these posts and I am also appaled by Judge Brian Mckenzie's discriminatory behavior. I have had the unfortunate oppotunity of sitting in his court room both for my self and in support of others. It is one thing to uphold the law and perform the job he was elected to do, but I have yet to see any judge behave so unjustly and unfairly. It is painfully clear that Judge Mckenzie butters the bread of his favorite attorneys, and GOD HELP YOU if you are not fortunate enough to afford an attorney. This is the kind of being that gives the United States Court Sytem a terribly bad name. I believe that a system should be in place and that people need to be corrected for their wrong doing, but Judge McKenzie takes it upon himself to interpret people as thouhg he were GOD. In one case, a woman with an attorney stands before him with a 2nd offense drunk driving with an alcohol level of 1.7 and he let he have probation and drug /alcohol testing. Another case with no attorney that was a probation violation where the woman forgot to MAIL her last probation report to her PO got sent to jail for 93 days. HOW IS THAT JUSTICE.....HOW IS THAT FAIR??? I have seen him accuse people of being addicts many times. I have heard his lecture and could probably repeat it in my sleep. It would not surprise me if he was elected by the MADD organizations money. Those of you who like to defend him, you have probably never been before him or had a loved one before him. I will be investigating options to report his abhorrent behavior.

What? No MacKenzie comments since 2008. Obviously the judge must have mellowed quite a bit.

I take it back --- the guy has not changed according to the recent comments. He would be more at home in some southern district _ "You in a heap of trouble boy".

That judge is as bad as Judge Hayley here in Traverse City MI!! On the very first page, someone commented about how the PO tells the Defense Attorney one thing and when you get in front of the Judge it totally switches up. The same thing of belittling people by the PO, all their bullshit programs, and my hub has been in their so called Sobriety Court for over 8 months. Ramdom piss 4 to 6 times a month, blow everyday, AA, their idiotic "THERAPY" and on and on. He got a probation violation for a "DILUTE" come on, he has been on the damn thing for 8 months, I am sure he just WANTS to get in trouble. Their is no way to prove "THEY" are wrong. You are guilty NO MATTER WHAT. We are over 55, limited income. The attorney assured him he would not do jail but low and behold, he not only had to go to jail, but the Judge said NO BOND!!!!! WTF WTF WTF!!!! He said "new policy. no bond period. Said, OTHER PEOPLE have run away. My husband is not other people, and besides where is he running too, with no $$$$ and no where to go??? Another poster was also right, there are NO CHECKS AND BALANCES when it comes to that club. I am ashamed to be here, if I did have cash and lots of it, would move immediately!!!! Justice, more like rules for some and NONE FOR OTHERS!!!! Have no idea how I am going to make it, but do you think THEY care how they ruin other family members lives in the FU process, hell no, just sheeps following along. I wish there would be an uprising soon. This just cannot keep going on. So, I feel for each and everyone of you that have had your dignity, intelligence, and human rights just GD stomped and trampled on. Also, this is the only board I have found concerning these crooked bastards, I am not afraid to take the Judge to the Michigan Supreme Court Judicial Tenure Commission, but then again, I have read that once again, they do no check and balance either, just protect the inner sanctum, so what is the use. Will try anyway.

Thanks for this board! I TRUST NOT A ONE who works for any type of gubment agency, no a ONE!!

I dislike how the judge uses the line "I can put you in jail and then forget your name within 30 seconds". The judge was wrong on one case. My Case. Even though I didn't go to jail, he will never forget my name. ultimately true justice usually provails. see you in court 52-1.

MEG wrote:

That judge is as bad as Judge Hayley here in Traverse City MI!! On the very first page, someone commented about how the PO tells the Defense Attorney one thing and when you get in front of the Judge it totally switches up. The same thing of belittling people by the PO, all their bullshit programs, and my hub has been in their so called Sobriety Court for over 8 months. Ramdom piss 4 to 6 times a month, blow everyday, AA, their idiotic "THERAPY" and on and on. He got a probation violation for a "DILUTE" come on, he has been on the damn thing for 8 months, I am sure he just WANTS to get in trouble. Their is no way to prove "THEY" are wrong. You are guilty NO MATTER WHAT. We are over 55, limited income. The attorney assured him he would not do jail but low and behold, he not only had to go to jail, but the Judge said NO BOND!!!!! WTF WTF WTF!!!! He said "new policy. no bond period. Said, OTHER PEOPLE have run away. My husband is not other people, and besides where is he running too, with no $$$$ and no where to go??? Another poster was also right, there are NO CHECKS AND BALANCES when it comes to that club. I am ashamed to be here, if I did have cash and lots of it, would move immediately!!!! Justice, more like rules for some and NONE FOR OTHERS!!!! Have no idea how I am going to make it, but do you think THEY care how they ruin other family members lives in the FU process, hell no, just sheeps following along. I wish there would be an uprising soon. This just cannot keep going on. So, I feel for each and everyone of you that have had your dignity, intelligence, and human rights just GD stomped and trampled on. Also, this is the only board I have found concerning these crooked bastards, I am not afraid to take the Judge to the Michigan Supreme Court Judicial Tenure Commission, but then again, I have read that once again, they do no check and balance either, just protect the inner sanctum, so what is the use. Will try anyway.
Thanks for this board! I TRUST NOT A ONE who works for any type of gubment agency, no a ONE!!

Thank you for posting your message. The more that "defendents" know, the better.

This judge is well-known as a buffoon who thinks very highly of himself and has been in office for far too long. I remember the first time he sought his judgeship - arrogant, conceited, quite full of himself indeed. Once many of these judges get their robes on, they become petty tyrants, thinking they are all-powerful of something. The guy thinks he's really special and yet he is a freaking traffic court judge - what a joke. Notice that in over two decades of being a traffic court judge he has never been appointed or elected to anything higher in the judiciary - that tells you everything you need to know. Total buffoon.

First, I have to say that the spelling and grammar in this thread is atrocious.

Second, the stories that you've all concocted regarding the Judge's substance abuse, while creative, are patently false. To clarify: If you've posted that you've seen the Judge passed out a bar or something similar, you're either mistaken, or, you're a liar.

Third, the Judge has very little authority to sentence anyone outside of the established guidelines for the crime committed. If you don't like the guidelines, direct you're frustration to the charging authority or to your respective law makers.

Finally, some of you have an unhealthy obsession with the man. Apparently alcohol treatment isn't all that you need. Seek a professional to assist you with the delusions that are, apparently, ruining your life.

Guess who is gay at the court house.

I am on my second round of probation with Mackenzie. I fled the state while on my original probation from my DUI years back. I fled because I truly felt like the terms of my probation were setting me up for failure. In fact, I violated once during my original probation ( positive random pbt at Jams) and he put me in jail for a couple days and increased my probation even MORE. So I moved out of state. Living with a bench warrant out for your arrest is no fun. So, I eventually hired an attorney and turned myself in. I actually did not get any jail time, but back in the incredibly time consuming cycle. However, this time around it is not as hard as I remember. It is wise to keep a log of everything you are completing. Never underestimate human error. I have a calendar planner solely for probation. Most importantly, DON'T DRINK/DRUG!! His system is specifically designed to fail you if you do. Plus, it just adds a ton more stress to your life. Years from now it will be a distant memory. This to shall pass. Good luck!

Very Good for you Mr. Twice. Another tip (besides not drinking) is to when sending monthly PO reports to the probation officer, pay the extra buck or so and have the letter be signature guaranteed. Then when the PO says you didn't send it it, you have proof that you did.

Mackenzie's former staffer opened his own version of jams a few years back. follow the money trail folks.