DEARBORN — Last week, the city of Dearborn announced the appointment of Mohamad Ihssan Bazzi as a magistrate at the 19th District Court, succeeding Rula Aoun, whom Gov. Whitmer recently appointed to the Wayne County Circuit Court. She had served as a magistrate at the 19th District Court since 2019.

Bazzi’s appointment will complete the city court’s judicial roster, which consists of three judges and three magistrates.

The Dearborn City Council unanimously approved Bazzi’s appointment. He is expected to be formally sworn in by Chief Judge Sam Salamey in the coming days.

Bazzi, who has practiced law for seven years, operates a private practice handling a wide range of legal matters, including estates and wills, civil litigation, criminal cases, business transactions and other areas.

Throughout his career, Bazzi has gained extensive courtroom experience representing individuals, families and businesses in various legal proceedings.

In addition to Bazzi, the 19th District Court has two other magistrates, Ali Hammoud and Doraid B. Elder, alongside its elected judges, Sam Salamey, Gene Hunt and Mark Somers.

The 19th District Court hears misdemeanor cases, traffic violations and civil infractions, while also overseeing specialized programs addressing substance use treatment and veterans’ needs. The city court also conducts arraignments in felony cases that are referred to the Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit.

Bazzi was born in Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon and moved to the United States with his family at age 7. He grew up in Dearborn and attended its public schools from elementary through high school.

Bazzi told The Arab American News that he continued his education at Wayne State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, before attending Western Michigan University and then Cooley Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor.

Bazzi was licensed to practice law in Michigan in 2019. Since then, he has worked in several legal fields, including civil and criminal cases, inheritance and guardianship matters, representing individuals, families and businesses throughout his career.

He expressed gratitude for the guidance and mentorship he has received throughout his professional career, as well as his family’s continued support.

“My appointment to a judicial position is a responsibility I take very seriously, and I am grateful for this opportunity to serve the court and the residents of Dearborn,” he said.

Bazzi told The Arab American News that he takes his appointment very seriously, noting that he had long aspired to assume this role and serve the community through his legal experience.

He added that much of his career has focused on probate and guardianship matters. He has participated in more than 1,000 court hearings and handled cases involving guardianships, conservatorships overseeing the affairs and finances of people unable to manage them and litigation involving inheritance, estates and trusts.

Discussing his approach to his new position, Bazzi explained that the city court often represents people’s first direct encounter with the judicial system, whether through a traffic violation or a small claims case.

Some people, he noted, may enter a courtroom for the first time with no prior knowledge of its procedures beyond what they have seen in films, on television or in the media.

He emphasized that he will treat everyone appearing before him fairly and respectfully and give them sufficient opportunity to explain their position. Above all, he said, litigants should feel comfortable and understand the proceedings, particularly those experiencing the judicial system for the first time.