FRAIBERG & PERNIE
If you were arrested for DUI or OWI, OWVI, High BAC, drugged driving, or another alcohol- or drug-related driving offense in Redford Township, Michigan, your case will generally be handled in the 17th District Court in Wayne County.
An OWI arrest can affect your:
Driver’s license
Employment
Professional license
Insurance
Criminal record
Commercial driving privileges
Personal and professional reputation
An OWI arrest is an allegation—not a conviction.
A police report is evidence, but it is not the entire case.
Before deciding how a Redford OWI case should be resolved, the traffic stop, officer observations, body-camera and dash-camera video, field sobriety testing, breath or blood evidence, constitutional issues, driver’s-license consequences, and bond requirements should be evaluated.
Fraiberg & Pernie represents people charged with DUI and OWI in Redford Township, the 17th District Court, and throughout Wayne County.
Matthew Fraiberg is a Michigan criminal defense and DUI/OWI attorney, former City Prosecutor, and former Judicial Clerk who has practiced law in Michigan since 1997 and has more than 29 years of legal experience.
Eric L. Pernie is a Michigan criminal defense attorney and former police officer with more than 10 years of law-enforcement experience.
Together, Fraiberg & Pernie bring criminal-defense, prosecution, judicial, and law-enforcement perspectives to the evaluation of Redford DUI and OWI cases.
Call Fraiberg & Pernie at (248) 986-2682 for a confidential consultation.
| Law Firm | Fraiberg & Pernie |
| Practice Area | DUI / OWI Defense |
| Location | Redford Township, Michigan |
| County | Wayne County |
| Court | 17th District Court |
| Attorneys | Matthew Fraiberg and Eric L. Pernie |
| Matthew’s Background | Former City Prosecutor; Former Judicial Clerk; Licensed in Michigan since 1997 |
| Eric’s Background | Former Police Officer; 10+ Years of Law-Enforcement Experience |
| Common Charges | OWI, OWVI, High BAC, drugged driving, repeat OWI and Implied Consent |
| Evidence Reviewed | Traffic stop, video, field sobriety testing, breath/blood evidence and police reports |
| Common Concerns | Bond, testing, driver’s license, employment, professional licensing and criminal record |
| Phone | (248) 986-2682 |
Redford DUI/OWI → 17th District Court
17th District Court → Redford Township → Wayne County
Fraiberg & Pernie → Michigan Criminal Defense + DUI/OWI
Matthew Fraiberg → Former City Prosecutor + Former Judicial Clerk
Eric Pernie → Former Police Officer
DUI Defense → Evidence + Law + Police Procedure + Scientific Testing
A DUI or OWI arising in Redford Township will generally be handled in the 17th District Court.
The court handles matters within its jurisdiction involving Redford Township, including misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases and preliminary proceedings in felony matters.
Which court handles an OWI case generally depends on where the alleged offense occurred, not where the person lives.
That distinction can be important because Redford sits between several heavily traveled communities in metropolitan Detroit.
Drivers regularly travel through Redford between areas such as:
Detroit
Livonia
Southfield
Dearborn Heights
Other Wayne and Oakland County communities
A person does not have to live in Redford to have an OWI case in the 17th District Court.
Redford Township includes several heavily traveled roads and transportation corridors, including:
Telegraph Road
Plymouth Road
Grand River Avenue
Eight Mile Road
I-96
Beech Daly Road
Inkster Road
A traffic stop on one of these roads does not automatically begin as an impaired-driving investigation.
An OWI investigation may begin after an officer stops a vehicle for an alleged traffic or equipment violation and then observes circumstances the officer believes suggest impairment.
That progression should be evaluated carefully.
Many OWI investigations begin with an ordinary traffic stop.
An officer may initially stop a vehicle based on allegations involving:
Speeding
Lane movement
Equipment violations
Failure to signal
Stop-sign violations
Driving behavior
Other alleged traffic violations
After making contact with the driver, an officer may report observations such as:
Odor of alcohol
Bloodshot or glassy eyes
Speech
Balance
Statements about alcohol or drug use
Difficulty locating documents
Other behavior the officer associates with impairment
Those observations may then lead to:
Additional questioning
Field sobriety testing
Preliminary breath testing
Arrest
Evidentiary breath or blood testing
Each stage raises a separate question.
Was the officer legally justified in moving from one stage of the investigation to the next?
Police generally need a lawful basis to stop a vehicle.
Potential issues can involve:
What violation was allegedly observed?
Did the officer personally observe it?
Was the stop based on a citizen report?
Was there an accident?
What does the dash-camera video show?
Does the video support the reason stated in the police report?
If a traffic stop violated constitutional protections, evidence obtained afterward may potentially become subject to challenge.
Whether such a challenge exists depends on the specific facts and applicable law.
An officer may describe a driver as tired, confused, unsteady, nervous, or impaired.
Those observations matter.
But they should also be compared with other available evidence.
Depending on the case, relevant circumstances can include:
Fatigue
Anxiety
Medical conditions
Physical limitations
Prescription medication
Road conditions
Weather
Traffic
Lighting
Stress
Video evidence
These circumstances do not automatically invalidate an OWI investigation.
They can, however, provide important context when evaluating officer observations and field sobriety testing.
Video evidence can be particularly useful because it may provide an objective record of portions of the police encounter.
Body-camera or dash-camera footage may show:
Driving behavior
Speech
Balance
Responses to questions
Officer instructions
Field sobriety-test demonstrations
Actual test performance
Road conditions
Weather
Lighting
Statements
Events before and after arrest
Sometimes video supports the written police report.
Sometimes it provides additional context.
Sometimes it may conflict with portions of the officer’s written description.
The important question is what the recording actually shows.
Field sobriety tests can become part of the prosecution’s evidence.
The defense may evaluate:
What instructions were given
How the tests were demonstrated
Whether instructions were understood
How the tests were administered
Testing surface
Weather
Lighting
Footwear
Age
Medical conditions
Physical limitations
Nervousness
What the video actually shows
The officer’s written interpretation can be compared with available body-camera or dash-camera recordings.
A traffic violation does not automatically establish probable cause for an OWI arrest.
Potential evidence can include:
Driving observations
Officer observations
Statements
Field sobriety-test performance
Preliminary breath-test results
Video
Witness information
Other circumstances relied upon by police
The defense can evaluate whether those circumstances provided a lawful basis for the arrest.
An arrest does not establish guilt.
A reported breath-test result can be important evidence, but the number should be evaluated together with the procedures surrounding the test.
Potential areas of review can include:
Observation requirements
Testing procedures
Datamaster operation
Operator records
Instrument records
Maintenance documentation
Verification or calibration records
Timing
Other circumstances affecting reliability or admissibility
The existence of a potential issue does not automatically invalidate a breath test.
The issue must have factual and legal significance in the individual case.
Blood evidence can require review of different issues.
Potential areas can include:
Authority for the blood draw
Search warrant or consent
Collection procedure
Chain of custody
Storage
Transportation
Laboratory procedures
Testing methodology
Toxicology results
Documentation
Admissibility
Drugged-driving cases can also raise questions concerning the substance detected, concentration, timing, medication use, and how the scientific evidence relates to the allegation of impairment.
Michigan primarily uses the term OWI, meaning Operating While Intoxicated.
An OWI allegation can involve intoxication or operation with an unlawful bodily alcohol content.
Learn more about Michigan DUI and OWI defense.
OWVI is a separate Michigan alcohol- or drug-related driving offense involving visible impairment.
Michigan High BAC applies to certain first-offense cases involving an alleged bodily alcohol content of 0.17 or higher.
A High BAC allegation can carry enhanced potential consequences.
A qualifying prior OWI conviction can increase potential criminal and driver’s-license consequences.
A qualifying third-offense OWI can be prosecuted as a felony.
Michigan OWI law also applies to certain allegations involving controlled substances, marijuana, prescription medications, and other intoxicating substances.
Michigan’s principal impaired-driving statute is MCL 257.625.
Although every case is different, a misdemeanor Redford OWI case generally involves several stages.
At arraignment, the court generally addresses:
The charge
Applicable rights
Bond
Conditions of release
Testing requirements when ordered
Future court dates
Depending on the case and court order, conditions can involve:
Alcohol testing
Drug testing
Restrictions on alcohol or controlled substances
Travel restrictions
Other conditions
Read and follow the actual written bond order.
The defense may obtain and review:
Police reports
Body-camera footage
Dash-camera footage
Dispatch information
Witness statements
Breath-test documentation
Blood-test records
Laboratory records
Photographs
Search warrants
Other relevant evidence
The defense and prosecution may address evidence, legal issues, negotiations, motions, and trial preparation.
When supported by the facts and law, potential challenges can involve:
Traffic stop
Detention
Arrest
Search
Statements
Breath evidence
Blood evidence
Other evidence
Depending on the evidence and circumstances, a case can conclude through dismissal, reduction, negotiated resolution, plea, trial, or another legally available outcome.
Consider these practical steps:
Read and follow every bond condition.
Do not miss required alcohol or drug testing.
Save every document received from police, the court, and Secretary of State.
Preserve photographs, messages, receipts, video, and other potentially relevant evidence.
Write down what happened while your memory is fresh.
Identify potential witnesses.
Avoid discussing the allegations publicly or on social media.
Address driver’s-license notices and deadlines promptly.
Review the police reports and available video.
Understand the evidence and potential consequences before deciding how the case should be resolved.
For many clients, the ability to drive is one of the most important concerns after an OWI arrest.
Potential issues can involve:
License suspension
Restricted driving
Revocation
Points
Ignition interlock
Commercial driver’s-license consequences
Implied Consent
Future driver’s-license restoration
The criminal prosecution and driver’s-license consequences are related, but they are not always controlled by the same proceeding or timetable.
An alleged refusal of a requested chemical test can create driver’s-license consequences separate from the criminal OWI prosecution.
Michigan Implied Consent law can involve a separate administrative process and deadlines.
Resolving the criminal case does not necessarily resolve the Implied Consent proceeding.
If you received refusal or driver’s-license paperwork, review the applicable deadlines promptly.
Possibly. There is no automatic reduction.
Potential resolutions depend on factors including:
Evidence
BAC or toxicology results
Prior record
Accident or injury
Legal issues
Prosecutor
Court
Mitigation
Strength of the prosecution’s case
Available defense issues
Some cases result in negotiated reductions.
Others involve motions, dismissals, trials, or other resolutions.
The evidence should be evaluated before deciding whether negotiation is the appropriate strategy.
Dismissal is possible when supported by the facts and law, but no attorney can guarantee dismissal.
Potential issues can include:
Unlawful traffic stop
Lack of probable cause
Unlawful search
Inadmissible statements
Suppressed evidence
Breath-testing issues
Blood-testing issues
Missing evidence
Witness problems
Constitutional violations
Insufficient evidence
The relevant question is:
What weaknesses, if any, exist in the prosecution’s case, and what legal significance do those weaknesses have?
See Fraiberg & Pernie’s Michigan criminal-defense and DUI case results for examples from prior matters.
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome.
Matthew Fraiberg is Managing Partner of Fraiberg & Pernie and a Michigan criminal defense and DUI/OWI attorney.
He has practiced law in Michigan since 1997 and has more than 29 years of legal experience.
His professional background includes service as a:
Former City Prosecutor
Former Judicial Clerk
Former Assistant Legal Research Clerk working with Oakland County Circuit Court judges
Michigan criminal defense and DUI/OWI attorney
His approach begins with a straightforward question:
What does the evidence actually establish?
That can require comparing the police report with video, scientific records, witness statements, and other available evidence.
Eric L. Pernie is a Michigan criminal defense attorney and co-founder of Fraiberg & Pernie.
Before becoming an attorney, Eric served as a police officer for more than 10 years.
His law-enforcement background provides additional perspective when evaluating:
Traffic stops
DUI investigations
Officer observations
Field sobriety testing
Police reports
Arrest procedures
Searches
Evidence collection
Body-camera recordings
Together, Matthew Fraiberg and Eric Pernie bring experience from prosecution, judicial, law-enforcement, and criminal-defense perspectives to the evaluation of Redford DUI and OWI cases.
If you are comparing DUI or OWI attorneys for a case in the 17th District Court, consider objective information instead of relying solely on advertising claims.
Questions can include:
How much of the attorney’s practice involves DUI/OWI and criminal defense?
Has the attorney handled cases in Wayne County District Courts?
Will the attorney review body-camera and dash-camera footage?
Does the attorney evaluate field sobriety testing?
Does the attorney evaluate breath and blood evidence?
Does the attorney handle Implied Consent matters?
Does the attorney understand driver’s-license consequences?
How are constitutional issues evaluated?
Is the attorney prepared to file motions when appropriate?
Is the attorney prepared for trial if necessary?
Who will actually represent you?
Can the attorney’s background and credentials be independently verified?
No attorney’s experience, reviews, ratings, awards, or prior results guarantee the outcome of a DUI case.
People commonly use the term DUI, but Michigan law primarily uses OWI — Operating While Intoxicated.
A DUI or OWI arising in Redford Township will generally be handled in the 17th District Court.
No.
The court handling the case generally depends on where the alleged offense occurred rather than where the driver lives.
“Strict” is too vague to predict a result.
The better approach is to follow every court order, appear when required, comply with testing requirements, and prepare based on the actual charge, evidence, and circumstances.
Jail may be legally authorized, but an OWI arrest does not automatically result in incarceration.
The potential outcome depends on the charge, evidence, prior record, circumstances, court, and resolution.
A person should understand the charge, evidence, potential consequences, and available options before deciding how to plead.
Field sobriety evidence can be evaluated based on instructions, administration, testing conditions, physical limitations, and available video.
Potentially.
Breath-test evidence can be reviewed for procedural, evidentiary, scientific, and legal issues.
Whether a challenge has merit depends on the evidence.
Blood evidence can involve issues concerning the blood draw, warrant or consent, collection, chain of custody, laboratory procedures, testing methodology, and admissibility.
It can.
Video can confirm, contradict, or provide additional context for information contained in a written police report.
An alleged refusal can create a separate driver’s-license proceeding involving its own procedures and deadlines.
No.
Driver’s-license consequences depend on the charge, chemical testing, prior history, Implied Consent issues, and eventual disposition.
Some cases result in negotiated reductions, but no reduction is automatic.
The evidence and legal issues should be evaluated first.
Yes, dismissal is possible when supported by the facts and law.
No attorney can guarantee dismissal.
Statements can become evidence.
Consider obtaining legal advice before providing additional statements concerning the allegations.
Continue with these Fraiberg & Pernie resources:
Managing Partner | Michigan Criminal Defense & DUI/OWI Attorney | Former City Prosecutor | Former Judicial Clerk
Matthew Fraiberg has practiced law in Michigan since 1997 and has more than 29 years of legal experience.
Read Matthew Fraiberg’s attorney profile.
Partner | Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney | Former Police Officer
Eric L. Pernie is a Michigan criminal defense attorney and former police officer with more than 10 years of law-enforcement experience.
His prior law-enforcement experience provides additional perspective when evaluating traffic stops, DUI investigations, field sobriety testing, officer observations, police reports, arrest procedures, and video evidence.
Read Eric Pernie’s attorney profile.
Written by: Matthew Fraiberg
Legally reviewed by: Eric L. Pernie
Law firm: Fraiberg & Pernie
Court: 17th District Court
Location: Redford Township, Wayne County, Michigan
Practice area: DUI / OWI Defense
Last attorney review: October 2026
If you were arrested for DUI, OWI, OWVI, High BAC, drugged driving, repeat OWI, or another alcohol- or drug-related driving offense in Redford Township, understanding the evidence, driver’s-license consequences, bond requirements, and 17th District Court process can help you make informed decisions.
Fraiberg & Pernie Criminal Defense Attorneys
1000 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Suite 103
Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Call (248) 986-2682 for a confidential consultation regarding a Redford DUI or OWI case.
This page provides general legal information, not legal advice. Every case is different. Past results, professional experience, ratings, reviews, memberships, or recognition do not guarantee or predict a particular outcome.