Menu
The Oakland County 44th District Court in Royal Oak handles a wide range of criminal, drunk driving and related cases. This court specifically covers the communities of Royal Oak and Berkley in order to provide optimal service to the far southeastern corner of the county.
If you are facing drunk driving or any other criminal charges within the jurisdiction of the 4th Division of Oakland County’s 52nd District Court, it is very important to work with an experienced drunk driving defense attorney with a good working relationship with the Royal Oak court system.
DUI & OWI Charges At Royal Oak’s 44th District Court
As part of Oakland County, Royal Oak is known for their strict enforcement of drunk driving laws, oftentimes charging first time offenders with the full force of the law. This includes possible jail time even for a first offense OWI or lower level criminal offenses where it is not mandatory per statute.
For those facing criminal charges within the jurisdiction of the Oakland County 44th District Court, there is a very good chance they will be charged to the fullest extent of the law.
Court Jurisdiction
The 44th District Court serves the southeastern corner of Oakland County, including the communities of Royal Oak and Berkley. This densely populated area of the county keeps the court busy despite its relatively small geographical area.
Royal Oak District Court Location
The 44th District Court is located in the City of Royal Oak. This northern suburb of Metro Detroit spans about 3 miles long and is located along Woodward Corridor, Interstate 75 and Interstate 696. The court itself is located at the crossroads of 11 Mile Rd and Woodward Avenue right next to the city hall and police station. You can obtain the specific address and directions below.
44th District Court
Address: 400 E Eleven Mile Rd,
Royal Oak, MI 48067
Get Directions
Phone: 248-246-3600
Website: https://www.romi.gov/307/44th-District-Court
Court Hours
Monday – Friday
8AM – 4:30PM
The Royal Oak District Court is open Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. excluding national holidays. Any changes to these standard operating hours are typically posted on the homepage of the court’s website.
44th Royal Oak District Court Judges
The Honorable Magistrate Donald Chisholm – Graduating cum laude from the Detroit College of Law after earning his bachelors and masters degrees from Wayne State University, Chisholm has years of experience. This includes working as both a magistrate as well as running a private law practice focused in the southeastern Michigan area. As a private attorney, he specialized in civil litigation in District and Circuit Courts, as well as Family and Probate Court matters, in addition to criminal law in both district and circuit courts.
The Honorable Judge Derek Meinecke – Elected to the 44th District Court in 2012, Meinecke has implemented numerous initiatives which include the Justice 101 program, as well as pursuing the expansion of the Sobriety Court program. In addition to this, he founded a DWLS (Driving While License Suspended) program with the aim to encourage individuals to actively attempt to restore their licenses. His work in domestic violence and sexual assault cases has earned him the nomination by HAVEN for the Domestic Violence Prevention Award, which was presented to him by the Oakland County Coordinating Council Against Domestic Violence.
The Honorable Judge Jamie Wittenberg – Graduating with his Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School in 2002, Wittenberg was elected to the court system in 2009 was reelected in 2014. Prior to his election to the 44th District Court, he worked as an Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor under Kym Worthy, as well as at the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office under Eric Smith.
44th District Court Pay Ticket
When someone receives a traffic ticket, it not only puts points on their license but it also carries with it fines that must be paid. These tickets can even carry with them jail time if the driving infraction was a misdemeanor. Non-misdemeanor infractions such as moving and mechanical violations are considered civil infractions and are handled by the traffic division.
The fines for these infractions are required to be paid within 14 days of the infraction date unless a court date has been requested. Failure to act within this time period will result in the ticket being defaulted, and a $45 cost assessed for each charge on the ticket, and ultimately result in a suspended license if it is not handled in a timely manner.
Parking tickets have a significantly shorter time period in which they must be paid. In Royal Oak, these tickets are required to be paid within 72 hours after their issuance unless the court is contacted to request a formal court date. Like a non-misdemeanor traffic violation, failure to act within the allotted time period will result in a default judgement being issued against the offender. The costs associated with default judgements vary depending on the type of parking violation in question.
There are multiple options to pay your ticket that was issued under the jurisdiction of the 44th District Court. The court accepts payments via cash, credit card, money order or personal check. It should be noted that checks are not accepted if the offender’s license is suspended. Payments are accepted in person at the courthouse, through mail, by telephone or online through the courts Clemis payment portal.
For payments that are made after 14 days, a credit or debit card payment option is available through the Government Payment Services portal or by calling (888) 604-7888. It should be noted that in addition to the ticket number, the courts pay location code is required in order to use this option. The code for the 44th District Court is 3031.
44th District Court Case Lookup
Royal Oaks 44th District Court offers a case lookup system through the state’s MiCOURT case search system. It should be noted that this system will not display whether the case is in warrant status or if an arrest warrant has been issued. Additionally, the case search system will not display information on non-public cases, and information on these cases cannot be requested. In fact, court personnel are not allowed to acknowledge that a non-public case even exists except to authorized individuals who are present in person at the courthouse.
For those who think that their case may be in warrant status, they are advised to contact the court at (248) 246-3600 during business hours. The court does accept walk-ins for those in warrant status, which will result in the warrant being recalled and the individual being brought before a judge. Anyone doing a walk-in should be aware that a cash bond may be required so they should come prepared accordingly.
Court Resources
Parking Guide – Parking can be quite an adventure in The City of Royal Oak. As a result, the court prepared a parking guide in order to assist visitors of this court system. The guide includes information on metered parking, free hanidcapped parking, walking routes, and biking routes.
Teen Court – This is a court sponsored juvenile diversion program established by the honorable Judge Wittenberg. The program operates in conjunction with the Oakland County Prosecutor’s office in order to help juvenile offenders stay out of jail. Teen Court is primarily focused on first time juvenile offenders who have been convicted of a misdemeanor.
Traffic Fines – The Royal Oak District Court has information on different traffic fines in their jurisdiction and how to pay them. Checks must be in U.S. funds, drawn on a U.S. bank, payable to the 44th District Court. No personal checks accepted if the driver’s license is suspended. You may pay online through CLEMIS the first 14 days. You will need your last name as it appears on the ticket and the ticket number.
These fines range from $65 on the low end for driving without a seatbelt up to $330 on the high end for a second offense texting while driving. Here are some additional key points to note:
– A late fee of $45 is added for not paying the ticket on time
– An additional $45 is added if an accident is involved
– Fines are doubled in a construction zone
Royal Oak Criminal Defense Attorney
As an experienced Royal Oak law firm specializing in criminal defense and litigation, George Law has a deep understanding of Royal Oak and Oakland County court systems. This includes representing clients through matters related to DUI and OWI charges as well as other criminal and civil litigation matters.
If you’ve been arrested or have other legal issues within this jurisdiction, our lawyers can offer top quality representation to ensure your rights are protected and that a simple mistake doesn’t land you in jail or cost you your future. For more information and a free consultation, contact our offices today.