Hon. Preston G. Thomas -
Chief Judge
Judge Preston G. Thomas was elected to the bench of the 50th District Court in November of 1998. He was appointed Chief Judge in 2007. Judge Thomas was formerly employed as Deputy City Attorney for the city of Pontiac and Legislative Auditor for the Pontiac City Council. He is a 1982 graduate of Wayne State University Law School.

Judge Thomas is a member and President of the Oakland County District Judges Association, Pontiac Hometown Security Task Force, National Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Judges Association, Wolverine Bar Association, Associated Trial Lawyers of America, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Phi Alpha theta Fraternity.

Having raised his children in the Pontiac area, he stays connected to the community. To engage and educate students about our justice system, he takes his courtroom to area high schools where actual court proceedings are conducted. By the students experiencing the process first hand, they gain a better understanding and respect for the law.

Hon. Michael C. Martinez -
Chief Judge Pro-Tempore
Judge Michael C. Martinez was appointed as a judge to the 50th District Court in Pontiac by Governor Jennifer Granholm on March 19, 2004 and was elected in November 2004.

Judge Martinez is a native of Pontiac, a University of Michigan graduate, as well as a Wayne State University Law School graduate. Before his appointment, he served seven years as a Deputy City Attorney for the City of Pontiac. Prior to working for the City of Pontiac, Judge Martinez was an attorney in private practice and also worked as a Staff Attorney for the Legal Aid Society of New York-Criminal Defense Division. Judge Martinez is a member of numerous bar associations, including the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association, and the Oakland County Bar Association. Residing in Pontiac with his wife and their two children, Judge Martinez is active in the community and frequently meets with local residents and seniors to listen to their concerns first hand.

Hon. Cynthia Walker -
District Judge
Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Judge Cynthia Walker to the 50th District Court in September 2003 and was elected in November 2004. She is the first woman ever to serve in this capacity in the 50th District. During her 20 years as an attorney prior to becoming a judge, Judge Walker held a variety of civil, criminal, and administrative positions, having previously served as Court Administrator for the 50th District Court, as City Attorney for Pontiac, and as an instructor for the American Institute of Paralegal Studies. She also worked as a staff attorney for the UAW Legal Services and Legal Services of Eastern Michigan.

Judge Walker is a 1982 graduate of Valparaiso University Law School. She serves on the board of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association and is a member of numerous organizations including the National Association of Women

Judges, Michigan and Oakland County District Judges Associations and the Women Officials Network. Judge Walker enjoys reaching out to young people. She likes to introduce them to careers and positive experiences in the legal profession so they start out on the right side of the law.

Hon. Ronda M. Fowlkes Gross
District Judge
Judge Ronda M. Fowlkes Gross was elected to the 50th District Court in November 2008. She is the first non-incumbent woman elected to the 50th District Court.

Judge Gross brings 19 years of legal experience to the bench. She served 13 years as an Oakland County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney prior to her election. But prior to becoming an attorney, she served as a law clerk for the City of Pontiac’s Law Department, a probation officer for the 50th District Court, and a social worker and counselor for area social service agencies.

Judge Gross is a 1994 graduate of the University Of Detroit Mercy School Of Law. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University in 1983 and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University in 1989.

Judge Gross is active with the Michigan District Judges Association and the Oakland County District Court Judges Association. She is active with many local organizations and associations servicing the Pontiac area community. She enjoys mentoring to Pontiac area youth. Her greatest pleasure is being a mother to her son.