FRAIBERG & PERNIE
If you were arrested for OWI, DUI, OWVI, High BAC or drugged driving in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a misdemeanor case will ordinarily be handled in the 48th District Court.
An arrest is an allegation—not a conviction. The immediate priorities are following every bond condition, completing required alcohol or drug testing, confirming whether you may legally drive and preserving evidence.
Matthew Fraiberg has practiced Michigan law since 1997. He is a former city prosecutor and judicial clerk who represents clients charged with drunk and drugged driving in the 48th District Court and throughout Oakland County.
Call 248-986-2682 for a confidential consultation with Fraiberg & Pernie.
Read every bond and release document. Do not miss a test or court date. Save your citation, temporary driving permit, chemical-test paperwork and any Secretary of State documents. Avoid discussing the case online, and do not delete messages, photographs or location information that may be relevant.
A lawyer should compare the police report with body-camera and dash-camera video, field sobriety testing, breath or blood records, dispatch audio and witness evidence. If you allegedly refused a post-arrest chemical test, prompt action may be required because the driver’s-license process can have a separate deadline.
An OWI case may create three problems at once:
The criminal charge
Driver’s-license and bond consequences
Employment, licensing and other real-world consequences
A defense strategy should consider all three.
| Topic | Key information |
|---|---|
| Law firm | Fraiberg & Pernie |
| Primary court | 48th District Court |
| Court location | Bloomfield Hills, Michigan |
| County | Oakland County |
| Common charges | OWI, OWVI, High BAC, repeat OWI and drugged driving |
| Immediate concerns | Bond, testing, court dates, evidence and license deadlines |
| Defense review | Stop, video, field tests, chemical evidence and probable cause |
| Attorney background | Former city prosecutor and judicial clerk; practicing since 1997 |
Most misdemeanor OWI and DUI cases arising in Bloomfield Hills are handled by the 48th District Court, located at 4280 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills. The court also serves Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield Township, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village and Sylvan Lake.
A misdemeanor OWI generally remains in district court. A felony OWI may begin in the 48th District Court before proceeding to the Oakland County Circuit Court. The location of the alleged offense—not the driver’s home address—ordinarily determines the court.
Local experience can improve preparation, but it cannot guarantee a particular outcome. The evidence and applicable law control each case.
The court advises the accused of the charge, addresses bond and schedules future proceedings. Bond conditions may prohibit alcohol or drugs, require testing, restrict travel or impose reporting requirements.
The written order controls. A work trip, vacation or personal obligation does not automatically create an exception.
The defense may obtain police reports, recordings, witness statements, breath-test records, blood and laboratory documents, warrants and other evidence. These sources should be compared rather than treating the written report as the complete story.
The lawyers discuss evidence, legal issues and potential resolutions. When supported by the facts and law, motions may address the traffic stop, arrest, statements, searches, warrants or chemical evidence.
A case may end through a negotiated plea, dismissal or trial. The proper choice depends on the evidence, legal rulings, possible consequences and the client’s goals. No result can responsibly be promised before the case is evaluated.
A DUI case should not be evaluated solely by looking at a BAC number. A meaningful review may include:
The reason for the traffic stop
Driving shown on video
Body-camera and dash-camera recordings
Officer observations
Field sobriety-test instructions and performance
Preliminary breath testing
Evidentiary breath-test records
Blood-draw and laboratory documentation
Chain of custody
Witness statements
Statements attributed to the driver
Medical conditions or physical limitations
The individual pieces should be compared. Does the video support the report? Were the test instructions clear? Does the driving match the allegation? Were chemical-testing procedures followed? Does the evidence point toward the same conclusion?
Yes. A report may describe someone as confused, unsteady or slurring speech. Video allows the defense to evaluate speech, balance, coordination, officer instructions, responses, roadside testing, weather, lighting and the sequence of events.
The recording may support the report, add important context or reveal meaningful differences. The question is what the evidence actually shows—not merely how it was summarized.
Potentially. A breath result may require review of testing procedures, the observation period, instrument maintenance, accuracy checks, operator conduct, timing and documentation.
A blood result may require review of consent or a warrant, collection, identification, storage, transportation, chain of custody, laboratory methods, quality-control records, timing, measurement uncertainty and interpretation.
A high result does not eliminate the need to determine whether the evidence was lawfully obtained and reliably produced.
| Charge | General distinction |
|---|---|
| OWI | Alleged operation while intoxicated or with a prohibited bodily alcohol content |
| OWVI | Alleged operation while visibly impaired |
| High BAC | Enhanced first-offense allegation involving an alcohol concentration of 0.17 or higher |
Michigan’s principal impaired-driving law is MCL 257.625.
A qualifying High BAC case may carry enhanced criminal, treatment and driver’s-license consequences. The reported number matters, but so do the stop, arrest, video and testing process.
Potentially, depending on the facts and law. Relevant issues may include:
An unlawful traffic stop
Insufficient probable cause
Video inconsistent with written observations
Weak proof of operation
Field sobriety-test problems
Breath- or blood-testing issues
Chain-of-custody problems
Constitutional violations
Witness credibility
Mitigating circumstances
Some cases resolve through negotiations. Others require motions, scientific review or trial preparation. A reduction or dismissal is never automatic.
The criminal case and the driver’s-license process are related, but they are not always controlled by the same proceeding or deadline. Possible consequences depend on the charge, prior history, test result, alleged refusal and final disposition.
If police claim that a post-arrest chemical test was refused, determine promptly whether a separate Secretary of State hearing deadline applies. A roadside preliminary breath test is not the same as a post-arrest evidentiary chemical test.
Do not wait for the criminal case to end before asking about the license issue.
An OWI may create separate concerns for physicians, nurses, attorneys, pharmacists, dentists, accountants, engineers, financial professionals, educators, executives, commercial drivers, government employees and people with security clearances.
Important questions may include:
Does an employer require disclosure?
Is driving an essential job duty?
Does a licensing authority impose a reporting deadline?
Is a commercial driver’s license involved?
Could a security clearance be affected?
Could international travel become more difficult?
Avoid unnecessary statements, but do not ignore a legitimate reporting duty. Professional consequences should be evaluated before an important plea decision whenever possible.
Assuming a first offense is unimportant
Ignoring the written bond order
Missing alcohol or drug testing
Traveling without checking restrictions
Posting about the case online
Deleting potentially relevant evidence
Waiting too long to preserve video
Assuming a BAC number cannot be examined
Driving without confirming license status
Accepting a resolution without considering professional consequences
Yes. People commonly use DUI, but Michigan law primarily uses the term Operating While Intoxicated, or OWI.
Jail is legally possible, but it is not automatic. The outcome depends on the charge, evidence, record, bond compliance, mitigation and final resolution.
Not necessarily. The consequences depend on the charge, test result or refusal, prior history and Secretary of State procedures.
Yes. The stop, probable cause, video, field sobriety testing and chemical-test procedures should still be evaluated.
Sometimes. The evidence, legal issues, chemical result, history, negotiations and prosecutorial evaluation can affect the available resolution.
Potentially, when constitutional, evidentiary, scientific or proof-related problems undermine the prosecution’s case. No result can be guaranteed.
Possibly. Review the written bond order first. If permission is required, obtain it before leaving.
Not necessarily. The answer depends on company policies, contracts, licensing rules, driving duties, clearances and regulatory requirements.
Potentially. Licensing authorities have separate reporting and disciplinary rules that should be evaluated independently of the criminal sentence.
Early review can help preserve evidence, identify license deadlines, address bond issues and begin evaluating the prosecution’s case.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its facts, evidence, prosecutor, judge and applicable law.
Charge: Operating While Intoxicated — First Offense
Court: 48th District Court, Oakland County
Location: Bloomfield Hills
Evidence issue: A hospital blood result was obtained after transportation from the traffic stop, making the collection timeline and documentation important.
Defense approach: Review of the blood-draw timeline, collection, chain of custody, laboratory records, toxicology, police observations, field tests and the client’s recorded behavior.
Outcome: The OWI charge was reduced to OWVI.
Attorney: Matthew Fraiberg
Charge: Larceny
Court: 48th District Court, Oakland County
Location: Bloomfield Hills
Evidence issue: Communications and prior access to the property created disputes over ownership, authorization and intent.
Defense approach: Review of consent, ownership, intent, messages, receipts, witness statements and the history between the parties.
Outcome: The larceny charge was dismissed.
Attorney: Eric L. Pernie
Charge: Failure to stop and identify after a property-damage accident
Court: 48th District Court, Oakland County
Location: Bloomfield Hills
Evidence issue: Circumstantial evidence connected the vehicle to a collision, but knowledge of the impact was disputed.
Defense approach: Review of vehicle damage, photographs, surveillance, witnesses, lighting, roadway conditions and post-incident statements.
Outcome: The criminal charge was reduced to a civil traffic offense.
Attorney: Matthew Fraiberg
Charge: Minor in Possession of Alcohol
Court: 48th District Court, Oakland County
Location: Bloomfield Hills
Evidence issue: Police encountered multiple people at a gathering, raising questions about proof that the client personally possessed or consumed alcohol.
Defense approach: Review of officer observations, possession, statements, preliminary breath-test evidence and the connection between the client and the alcohol.
Outcome: The MIP charge was dismissed.
Attorney: Eric L. Pernie
Matthew Fraiberg is the managing partner of Fraiberg & Pernie and has practiced Michigan law since 1997. His background includes service as a city prosecutor, judicial clerk and assistant legal research clerk working with Oakland County Circuit Court judges.
Eric L. Pernie is a former Bloomfield Township police officer and criminal defense attorney. His law-enforcement background provides practical insight into traffic stops, field sobriety testing, police procedures, reports, video evidence and arrest decisions.
Together, the attorneys bring former prosecution, court and law-enforcement perspectives to the defense of OWI and criminal cases.
If you were arrested for OWI, OWVI, High BAC or drugged driving in Bloomfield Hills, obtain advice based on the evidence and your individual priorities before making important decisions.
Fraiberg & Pernie represents clients in Bloomfield Hills, the 48th District Court and throughout Oakland County. Call 248-986-2682 for a confidential consultation.
Written and reviewed by Matthew Fraiberg, Michigan criminal defense attorney, former city prosecutor and former judicial clerk. Practicing Michigan law since 1997.
Last reviewed and updated: September 2026
Fraiberg & Pernie
1000 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Suite 103
Birmingham, Michigan 48009
248-986-2682
This page provides general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different.