About Michael Sawicky
Experience. Perspective. A Commitment to Fairness.
For more than 30 years, Michael E. Sawicky has practiced law in Michigan and served the Farmington and Farmington Hills community. Today, he serves as a Magistrate in the 47th District Court, bringing to that role decades of experience as a criminal defense lawyer and public defender, a defense advocate in sobriety, drug treatment and mental health courts, and a former Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor.
Michael's career has allowed him to see the justice system from distinctly different perspectives—advocating for people accused of crimes, working with individuals facing addiction and mental health challenges, representing the prosecution, and now serving in a judicial role where his responsibility is to listen rather than advocate.
Those experiences have shaped his approach to justice: uphold the law, consider every case on its facts, protect the rights of those who come before the court, and recognize that accountability and the opportunity for meaningful change can both matter. Above all, Michael believes every person who enters a courtroom deserves to be heard and treated with dignity and respect.
Judicial & Legal Experience
Magistrate, 47th District Court
Conducts misdemeanor and felony arraignments, authorizes arrest and search warrants, presides over small-claims cases, and handles traffic and informal hearings.
Former Assistant Prosecuting Attorney,
Represented the people of Oakland County, Michigan and handled complex criminal matters.
Criminal Defense Attorney
President, Michael E. Sawicky, P.L.L.C.
Criminal defense, civil litigation, and appellate practice with regular appearances in district, circuit, and federal courts. Ethics Officer, Art Therapy Credentials Board (Greensboro, NC)
Qualifications
- 47TH District Court Magistrate
- Authored Chapter10 in Michigan Criminal Procedure Handbook in 2010 (Arrest & Arraignment)
- Graduated from the 1999 National College of District Attorneys’ Career Prosecutor Course in Houston, Texas
- Graduated from the 1998 Advanced Felony Trial Practice Course in Port Huron, Michigan (Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan)
- Graduated from the 1996 Prosecutor’s Basic Training Course in Roscommon, Michigan (Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan)
Committed to His Community
For more than 30 years, Michael Sawicky has been part of the Farmington and Farmington Hills community—not only through his legal career, but as a neighbor, volunteer, board & committee member, and coach.
Community service has never been limited to one role. It has meant showing up, getting involved, and giving his time to the community he has called home and served for more than 30 years.
Michael is serving or has served in the following roles in the community:
- Current President of my Homeowner's Association
- Former President and current Board Member of the Xemplar Club of Farmington & Farmington Hills
- Plast, Ukrainian Scouting Organization
- Board of Directors, Ukrainian Archives & Museum
- Former Baseball Coach - South Farmington Baseball Club
- Former Soccer Coach - Farmington Soccer Club
Michael and Wife
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Dedicated Family Man
My wife, Dianna, and I have been happily married for more than 32 years. We are both proud Ukrainian Americans and children of Ukrainian immigrants, and together we've built our life and raised our family in Farmington and Farmington Hills. Dianna is an engineer with Ford Motor Company, and we are incredibly proud of our two adult children, Catherine and Daniel.
Both of our children attended Farmington Public Schools through eighth grade and grew up participating in local programs and youth sports, including Junior Great Books, Math Pentathlon, the Farmington Soccer Club, and Farmington Falcons football.
Catherine went on to attend Mercy High School and earned her degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University. She now works for Henry Ford Health. Daniel attended University of Detroit Jesuit High School before graduating from the University of Michigan, where he is currently pursuing his master's degree in epidemiology through the School of Public Health.
Farmington and Farmington Hills are more than the communities where I've practiced law and served the court. This is where Dianna and I raised our family, built lifelong relationships, and became part of a community we deeply love and are grateful to call home.
A Heritage Passed from One Generation to the Next
Dianna and I are both children of Ukrainian immigrants, and our Ukrainian heritage has always been an important part of who we are and the values we've passed along to our children. Keeping Catherine and Daniel connected to that heritage was important to us as they grew up, and both became dedicated members of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, ultimately earning its highest rank—the equivalent of an Eagle Scout.
That commitment continues to be an important part of our lives today. I currently serve on both the Detroit Branch Board and the National Board of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, and I previously served on the Board of Directors of the Ukrainian American Archives and History Museum. Dianna is also active in the Ukrainian-American community as a member of the Society of Ukrainian Engineers, Detroit Branch, and the Society of Ukrainian Women.
For our family, preserving our Ukrainian heritage isn't simply about remembering where our parents came from. It's about carrying forward the traditions, values, and sense of community they gave us—and helping ensure another generation has the opportunity to do the same.
Bar Admissions
- All State of Michigan courts
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Education
- University of Detroit Mercy School of Law (J.D. 1994)
- Fordham University (B.A. 1991)
Professional Organizations
Past & Present
- Representative for the 6th Circuit (Oakland County) on the State Bar Representative Assembly (elected position),
- Member of the Michigan Indigent Defense Counsel Advisory Group of the Oakland County Bar Association.
- Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 128
- Oakland County Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- American Immigration Lawyers’ Association
- Prosecuting Attorneys’ Association of Michigan
- National College of District Attorneys Association