St. Clair Shores and the 40th District Court

40^th District Court Jurisdiction in St. Clair Shores

Located about 15 miles northeast of downtown Detroit, the city of St. Clair Shores is home to some 63,000 people. Lake St. Clair, the lake from which the city derives its name, provides shoreline along the entire east coast of St. Clair Shores. Until the 1950s, St. Clair Shores was a resort community and home to an amusement park named Jefferson Beach. After much of the park was destroyed by a fire St. Clair Shores was rebuilt as a suburban city with rapid growth after World War II. St. Clair Shores is the hometown of ABDO LAW partner, Cy M. Abdo. Cy attended Harmon Elementary School, Chippewa Junior High School and Lakeview High School (class of 1973). He lived there from 1955 until he graduated from law school in 1980.

An aerial view of St. Clair Shores would reveal three things: the I-94 expressway on one end, the shoreline of Lake St. Clair on the other end, and rows of 1950’s style residential dwellings in between. SCS has an excellent reputation for its school systems (Lakeview, Lakeshore and Southlake), boating recreation/access to the lake, well maintained parks and being a safe place to live. Its close proximity to Detroit also makes SCS an good fit for commuters.

40^th District Court of St. Clair Shores

The 40^th District Court has jurisdiction over criminal, drunk driving and traffic matters that arise in the City of St. Clair Shores. It is relatively small district (14.2 square miles) in comparison to the 42-1 District Court, located in Romeo, which has jurisdiction over 180 square miles in northern Macomb County and is the largest district Macomb’s largest district. The 40^th District Court is located at 27701 Jefferson, St. Clair Shores, Michigan 48081 in a newly dedicated building. The Court is presided over by the Honorable Joseph Craigen Oster and Mark A. Fratarcangeli.

40^th District Court Orders Random Testing in Every Case Involving Alcohol or Drugs

• The judges use alcohol and drug testing extensively for those charged with drunk driving (DUI, OWI, High BAC), and other alcohol or drug crimes.
• The probation department is located inside of the 40^th District Court and will not hesitate to lodge a probation violation when someone is not compliant or fails an alcohol or drug test.

Strict Enforcement of Laws by St. Clair Shores Police

St. Clair Shores is not an area known for traffic congestion. Its main roads of Jefferson and Harper are used mostly for local traffic and access to the Nautical Mile, marinas and as a gateway to the Grosse Pointes and Detroit. The St. Clair Shores Police keep close tabs on activity within their jurisdiction and can say that they are on the stricter side of law enforcement; not likely to look the other way if something looks suspicious. It is not an area with mega shopping centers so we don’t see the volume of retail fraud (shoplifting) that are prevalent in the places like Sterling Heights or Chesterfield Township. According to 2017 Michigan crime statistics, St. Clair Shores reported 96 retail fraud cases compared with 265 in Chesterfield Township.

The types of cases that we see most in the 40^th District Court consist of drunk driving, domestic violence, disorderly conduct, drug crimes, DNR/watercraft violations and traffic matters (DWLS, leaving scene of accident, reckless driving). Reports indicate that 124 individuals suspected of DUI were tested for alcohol or drugs. We are seeing more individuals everywhere being charged with driving under the influence of illegal drugs as well as prescription drugs. If you get a Boating Under the Influence (BUI) in St. Clair Shores, the case may be handled in the 40^th District Court or another court with shared jurisdiction. As I have mentioned, the Judges will use probation and alcohol substance abuse testing extensively as a means to monitor those in the court system. Jail is rarely imposed and is reserved for those with criminal histories, have failed miserably to comply with conditions of probation or have committed criminal offense with significant consequences.

Court personnel are forbidden by law to give legal advice in St. Clair Shores and in every court in Macomb County. Contacting a skilled criminal defense attorney is always your best option if you are being investigated or charged with a criminal offense.

ABDO LAW has more than 35 years of expertise in defending clients charged with criminal and drunk driving cases in the 40^th District Court, longer than most other Macomb County law firms.

Email or Call Abdo Law for a Free Consultation. Phone messages after business hours are forwarded to our attorneys. We offer same day, evening, weekend appointments and the ability to retain us over the internet. Payment plans and all credit cards accepted.

CALL: Metro Detroit: 586-412-5555