Arrested for an OWI?
If you were arrested for OWI or DUI in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, or Sylvan Lake, your case may be handled in the 48th District Court in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
An OWI arrest does not mean you will automatically be convicted. What you do immediately after the arrest can affect your driver’s license, bond conditions, available defenses, and ultimately the outcome of your case.
Quick Answer: What Should I Do After an OWI Arrest in the 48th District Court?
After an OWI arrest in the 48th District Court, you should:
- Follow all bond and testing requirements.
- Do not miss your arraignment or other court dates.
- Preserve paperwork, videos, receipts, witness information, and other potential evidence.
- Determine whether there is an immediate driver’s-license deadline.
- Avoid discussing the facts of your case on social media.
- Have an experienced Michigan OWI defense attorney review the traffic stop, police reports, body-camera and dash-camera recordings, field sobriety tests, and breath or blood evidence.
- Begin preparing your defense before the first substantive court proceeding.
The earlier the evidence is reviewed, the earlier potential factual, scientific, procedural, and constitutional issues can be identified.
Where Is the 48th District Court?
The 48th District Court is located at 4280 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302.
The court serves seven Oakland County communities:
- Birmingham
- Bloomfield Hills
- Bloomfield Township
- West Bloomfield Township
- Keego Harbor
- Orchard Lake Village
- Sylvan Lake
An OWI arising in one of these communities may therefore be prosecuted in the 48th District Court.
What Happens After an OWI Arrest in the 48th District Court?
Every case is different, but a misdemeanor OWI case generally proceeds through several stages.
Arraignment
At arraignment, you are advised of the charge and the court addresses bond and conditions of release.
Bond conditions may affect alcohol or drug use, testing, travel, and other aspects of your daily life. Read your bond paperwork carefully and comply with every condition unless the court modifies it.
The 48th District Court currently conducts criminal arraignments in person. Always check your actual Notice to Appear because court procedures and hearing formats can change.
Pretrial Proceedings
The defense can obtain and analyze the prosecution’s evidence. This is an important stage of an OWI case because the police report alone does not necessarily tell the entire story.
A thorough OWI investigation may include reviewing:
- Police body-camera video
- Dash-camera video
- Reason for the traffic stop
- Driving observations
- Field sobriety testing
- Preliminary breath testing
- Datamaster or other chemical-test evidence
- Blood-draw procedures and laboratory results
- Witness statements
- 911 or dispatch recordings
- Police compliance with constitutional requirements
The defense can then determine whether there are grounds for motions, negotiations, trial, or another resolution.
What Does Michigan Consider OWI?
Michigan’s OWI statute, MCL 257.625, prohibits operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
Michigan law includes several different alcohol- and drug-related driving offenses. An OWI allegation may involve evidence that the driver was under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, another intoxicating substance, or a combination of substances.
Michigan law also generally prohibits operating with a bodily alcohol content of 0.08 or greater and separately recognizes the 0.17 or greater High BAC offense.
The exact charge matters because the potential criminal penalties and driver’s-license consequences can differ.
What Evidence Should an OWI Lawyer Examine?
An effective OWI defense should go beyond simply reading the police report.
Was the Traffic Stop Lawful?
Police generally need a legally sufficient basis for stopping a vehicle. Video evidence can sometimes be compared with the officer’s written description of the driving.
What Does the Video Actually Show?
Body-camera and dash-camera recordings can be particularly important.
Video may help evaluate:
- Speech
- Balance
- Coordination
- Ability to follow instructions
- Interaction with the officer
- Performance during field sobriety testing
- Whether the written police report accurately reflects what occurred
Were the Field Sobriety Tests Properly Administered?
Field sobriety testing should be evaluated in context. Road surface, weather, footwear, lighting, physical conditions, instructions and the manner in which the tests were administered can all matter.
Is the Breath or Blood Evidence Reliable?
A chemical-test result should not simply be accepted without review.
Depending upon the case, the defense may examine testing procedures, records, timing, equipment, laboratory analysis, chain of custody and whether legal requirements were satisfied.
What If I Refused a Chemical Test?
A chemical-test refusal can create a separate driver’s-license issue under Michigan’s implied-consent law.
These matters can involve short deadlines, so someone accused of refusing a chemical test should address the license issue promptly rather than waiting for the criminal OWI case to finish.
The criminal prosecution and the driver’s-license proceeding are related but distinct matters.
Can an OWI Be Reduced or Dismissed in the 48th District Court?
Potential outcomes depend on the evidence, prior record, charge, prosecution, legal issues and individual circumstances.
An OWI charge is not automatically reduced or dismissed simply because someone hires an attorney.
However, an experienced OWI lawyer can investigate whether there are legitimate issues involving the stop, arrest, field sobriety testing, chemical evidence, constitutional violations or other weaknesses in the prosecution’s case.
Those issues can sometimes affect motions, negotiations and the ultimate disposition.
Who Are Fraiberg & Pernie?
Fraiberg & Pernie is a Michigan criminal defense and OWI law firm representing clients in the 48th District Court and throughout Oakland County.
Matthew A. Fraiberg has practiced Michigan law since 1997 and has 29 years of legal experience. His background includes service as a City Prosecutor, judicial clerk, and assistant legal research clerk with the Oakland County Circuit Court.
Eric L. Pernie is a criminal defense attorney and former Bloomfield Township police officer with more than a decade of prior law-enforcement experience. His background gives the firm an additional perspective when examining police procedures, traffic stops, field sobriety testing and OWI investigations.
Fraiberg & Pernie’s OWI defense practice includes:
- First-offense OWI
- OWVI
- High BAC / Super Drunk
- Second-offense OWI
- Felony third-offense OWI
- Drugged driving
- Breath-test cases
- Blood-test cases
- Implied-consent refusals
- Driver’s-license issues
Why Does Experience in the 48th District Court Matter?
Michigan OWI law applies statewide, but every case is prosecuted in a particular court.
An attorney familiar with the 48th District Court understands its procedures, scheduling practices, courtroom expectations and the way an OWI case moves from arraignment through pretrial proceedings, motions, trial or sentencing.
That local familiarity does not guarantee a particular result. It does allow the defense to prepare for the actual court where the case will be litigated.
Frequently Asked Questions About OWI Cases in the 48th District Court
Where is the 48th District Court?
The 48th District Court is located at 4280 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Does the 48th District Court handle Birmingham OWI cases?
Yes. Birmingham is one of the communities within the jurisdiction of the 48th District Court.
Does the 48th District Court handle West Bloomfield OWI cases?
Yes. West Bloomfield Township is within the 48th District Court’s jurisdiction.
Should I wait for my first court date before contacting an OWI lawyer?
There can be advantages to obtaining legal advice earlier. Evidence may need to be preserved, bond requirements may need clarification, and some driver’s-license matters have separate deadlines.
Should I plead guilty because my breath test was over .08?
A chemical-test result is important evidence, but it should be evaluated together with the legality of the stop and arrest, testing procedures, video evidence and other circumstances. A test result alone should not substitute for a complete review of the case.
Can Fraiberg & Pernie represent me in the 48th District Court?
Fraiberg & Pernie represents clients charged with OWI and other criminal offenses in the 48th District Court and throughout Oakland County.
Charged With OWI in Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham or West Bloomfield?
If you have been arrested for OWI, DUI, High BAC, drugged driving or another alcohol-related driving offense in the 48th District Court, the first step is understanding exactly what the government must prove and what evidence exists.
Fraiberg & Pernie reviews OWI cases for issues involving the traffic stop, police video, field sobriety testing, breath and blood evidence, constitutional requirements and driver’s-license consequences.
Fraiberg & Pernie
Michigan Criminal Defense & OWI Attorneys
Serving Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield and surrounding Oakland County communities
Call (248) 986-2682 for a confidential consultation.
This article is general information about Michigan OWI cases and is not legal advice. Results depend on the facts and circumstances of each case.
Last reviewed and updated: September 2026
