The 44th District Court and Royal Oak

The City of Royal Oak and the 44^th District Court

The City of Royal Oak was incorporated in 1921 and is located in southeastern Oakland County approximately 3 miles north of Detroit. Royal Oak is home to approximately 60,000 residents and the city covers a geographical area of 11.8 square miles. Royal Oak is a city on the Woodward Corridor and is also accessible by Interstate 75 and Interstate 696. Royal Oak has charming residential neighborhoods and an abundant nightlife and restaurants. The cities of Clawson, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, and Birmingham are on the borders of Royal Oak. Major Royal Oak attractions include the Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak Farmers Market, National Shrine of the Little Flower and the annual Woodward Dream Cruise.

The Woodward Dream Cruise, which is held every year in the month of August, takes over the areas on both sides of Woodward in Oakland County, including Ferndale, Royal Oak and Birmingham. The event draws over 1.5 million people to the cities that border Woodward Avenue, and 40,000 classic cars that come from all over the world. Duggan’s Irish Pub in Royal Oak is just one of hundreds of popular spots to enjoy the Woodward Dream Cruise.

The 44^th District Court

The Court system for the City of Royal Oak is the 44^th District Court. The following is current contact information for the 44^th District Court:

400 E 11 Mile Road
Royal Oak, MI 48067
Phone: 248-246-3600
Fax: 248-246-3601
Email: Royal Oak – Form Center

The 44^th District Court has jurisdiction for the following matters: misdemeanors, felony cases through probable cause conference and preliminary examination, traffic matters, civil matters with claims up to $25,000.00 and landlord tenant matters.

Criminal Caseload of the 44^th District Court

In Michigan, district courts handle a variety of criminal proceedings. A misdemeanor can be handled from beginning to end in the district court. A felony also begins in the district court and is transferred to the circuit court after the probable cause conference or preliminary examination. A felony case that is reduced to a misdemeanor can remain in the district court for final resolution and not be transferred to the circuit court. A misdemeanor is an offense for which the maximum possible penalty does not exceed one year in jail. In misdemeanor cases, the accused party is arraigned, the judge sets bond and the case is scheduled for a pretrial conference. More than 90% of all criminal cases are resolved by a plea bargain and do not go to trial. In the federal court system, more than 95% of cases are resolved by a plea rather than a trial verdict. Contacting a Metro Detroit criminal defense lawyer is essential if you find yourself facing any drunk driving or criminal matter to get the best resolution possible in a criminal matter that is almost 100% likely to get resolved by means of negotiations and not by trial. There are always ways to get you out of the system with lower charges, no jail, and no loss of your driver’s license. You cannot count on the clerks of the court to help you because it is illegal for court employees to provide you with legal advice.

Typical district court misdemeanors in the 44^th District Court offenses include:

Drunk Driving: If you are suspected of drunk driving, the police officer will ask you to take a test at the police station. If the result registers a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or more, you face drunk driving charges as follows: OWI (BAC of .08 to .16) and OWI with a high BAC (BAC of .17 or higher). A BAC test such as a breathalyzer or blood test are the most common methods to test for alcohol. If you get charged with OWI Third Offense, a combination of 3 offenses in your lifetime, you face a felony which can carry up to 5 years in prison. Find out how you are probably eligible to get a drunk driving charged reduced, keep your driver’s license, and avoid any jail time.

Disorderly Conduct/Public Intoxication: This is probably one of the most prevalent cases that we see in the 44^th District Court. A disorderly conduct case can involve various offensive conduct including urinating in a public place or public intoxication. Strangely enough, many disorderly conduct cases involve an intoxicated person that goes to the wrong residence after leaving an establishment at nighttime in downtown Royal Oak. Pursuant to MCL 750.167, the following behavior can constitute disorderly conduct:

1. A person of sufficient ability who refuses or neglects to support his or her family.
2. A common prostitute.
3. A window peeper.
4. A person who engages in an illegal occupation or business.
5. A person who is intoxicated in a public place and who is either endangering directly the safety of another person or of property or is acting in a manner that causes a public disturbance.
6. A person who is engaged in indecent or obscene conduct in a public place.
7. A vagrant.
8. A person found begging in a public place.
9. A person found loitering in a house of ill fame or prostitution or place where prostitution or lewdness is practiced, encouraged, or allowed.
10. A person who knowingly loiters in or about a place where an illegal occupation or business is being conducted.
11. A person who loiters in or about a police station, police headquarters building, county jail, hospital, court building, or other public building or place for the purpose of soliciting employment of legal services or the services of sureties upon criminal recognizances.
12. A person who is found jostling or roughly crowding people unnecessarily in a public place.

Misdemeanor Traffic Offenses: The Royal Oak Police do not hesitate to write tickets for any violation of the motor vehicle code. Police presence is especially prevalent during the Woodward Dream Cruise. Some traffic tickets are classified as misdemeanors and are treated as a crime. Drag racing, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and drunk driving are just some examples of traffic offenses that are treated as misdemeanors in Michigan. Other than drunk driving, most misdemeanor driving violations can be reduced to a civil infraction. We recommend that you fight every traffic ticket.

Domestic Violence: Domestic violence makes it a crime to engage in assaultive conduct with another party to a relationship (spouse, significant other, roommate). Domestic violence cases can be dismissed after a period of probation under MCL 769.4a.

Retail Fraud: Retail fraud is the name given for the offense of shoplifting. Retail fraud makes it a crime to take merchandise from a retail establishment with the intent to steal. Retail fraud can occur by concealing property with the intent to steal, failing to scan merchandise, or changing price tags. Retail fraud can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. When the offense involves goods or merchandise that is valued at more than $1,000.00, it is classified as a felony. Retail Fraud 1^st Degree carries a a maximum penalty of up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to three (3) times the value of the property stolen. Hire a lawyer to find out if you can avoid getting a retail fraud conviction on your record or if you can get a felony retail fraud charge reduced to a misdemeanor.

Assault and Battery: Physical contact with another person without the other person’s consent can constitute assault and battery. Touching another person by accident or in a crowded elevator is not considered an assault and battery.

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