FRAIBERG & PERNIE
If you were arrested, received notice of a warrant, were contacted by a detective, or learned that you are under investigation in Wayne County, one of the first things to determine is where the case is going and what stage it is actually in.
Wayne County criminal cases do not all travel through the same courthouse.
A case arising in Livonia may begin in the 16th District Court. A Westland case may begin in the 18th District Court. Plymouth and Canton cases generally begin in the 35th District Court, while Detroit cases follow Detroit’s court structure.
Felony cases generally begin locally before potentially proceeding to the Wayne County Third Circuit Court Criminal Division in Detroit.
That makes several early questions particularly important:
Which court has jurisdiction?
Has a warrant already been authorized?
Is the allegation a misdemeanor or felony?
What restrictions are already in place?
What evidence exists?
Are detectives still investigating?
Is there evidence that needs to be preserved?
Could the case affect employment, driving privileges or a professional license?
A criminal charge is an accusation. It is not a conviction.
The defense should begin by understanding the allegation, identifying the evidence and determining what the prosecution can actually prove.
Fraiberg & Pernie represents individuals facing misdemeanor and felony criminal charges throughout Wayne County and Southeast Michigan.
Call (248) 986-2682 to request a confidential consultation.
Some people are arrested and taken directly through the criminal process.
Others receive a phone call from a detective.
Some discover an outstanding warrant.
Others are released and told to wait for a future court date.
This distinction matters.
A person who has already been arraigned may need to concentrate immediately on bond compliance and upcoming court proceedings.
Someone who is still under investigation may have different concerns involving police contact, preservation of evidence and whether charges have even been authorized.
The first task is therefore not simply asking:
“How serious is the charge?”
It is determining:
“Where exactly is the case right now?”
Wayne County contains numerous district and municipal courts.
The court handling the beginning of the case generally depends on where the alleged offense occurred.
For example:
Livonia cases may begin in the 16th District Court.
Westland cases may begin in the 18th District Court.
Plymouth and Canton cases may begin in the 35th District Court.
Romulus cases may begin in the 34th District Court.
Detroit criminal matters follow the Detroit court structure.
Misdemeanor cases generally remain in the local court.
Felony cases ordinarily begin there but may later proceed to the Wayne County Third Circuit Court Criminal Division.
This deserves particular attention because not every criminal case starts with an arrest.
A detective might call and say:
“We’d like to hear your side.”
“You’re not under arrest.”
“We just have a few questions.”
“Can you come to the station?”
“We’re trying to clear something up.”
That conversation can feel informal.
The investigation may not be.
Statements made during an investigation can become part of the evidence considered when authorities decide whether criminal charges should be pursued.
Before discussing the allegations, it is important to understand why investigators are contacting you and what role they believe you have in the investigation.
Yes.
Depending on the circumstances, pre-charge representation may involve:
Determining the status of an investigation
Addressing contact from detectives
Preserving evidence
Identifying potential witnesses
Advising the client concerning statements
Preparing for the possibility of a warrant or court proceeding
The period before formal charges can sometimes be an important part of the case.
Once a criminal case has entered the court system, several things can begin happening quickly.
The first few days may involve:
Booking or release
Arraignment
Bond
No-contact restrictions
Alcohol or drug testing
Travel limitations
Driver’s-license concerns
Court scheduling
Employment issues
At the same time, evidence is being created and collected.
That can include:
Police reports
Body-camera video
Dash-camera recordings
Witness statements
Surveillance video
Photographs
Text messages
Phone data
Laboratory testing
Medical records
Search-warrant evidence
You do not need to solve the entire case during the first few days.
You do need to understand what has happened and avoid making the situation unnecessarily more difficult.
One mistake defendants sometimes make is assuming all important evidence will eventually appear in the police file.
It may not.
Potentially important evidence can exist outside law enforcement, including:
Business surveillance footage
Residential cameras
Doorbell video
Text messages
Emails
Photographs
Receipts
GPS information
Phone records
Vehicle information
Medical documentation
Witnesses
Video can be overwritten.
Digital records can become harder to retrieve.
Witnesses can forget details.
That is why evidence preservation may need to begin before the case has progressed very far.
Arraignment is generally the defendant’s first formal appearance before the court.
The judge or magistrate may:
Advise the defendant of the charge
Explain certain rights
Address bond
Establish conditions of release
Schedule future proceedings
Depending on the circumstances, bond conditions can involve:
No-contact orders
Alcohol restrictions
Drug restrictions
Testing
Travel restrictions
GPS monitoring
Reporting
Pretrial supervision
The written court order controls.
Work obligations, vacations and family responsibilities do not automatically override a bond condition.
If you do not understand an order, obtain clarification rather than guessing.
Misdemeanors generally remain in the district or municipal court handling the case.
Proceedings can include:
Arraignment
Bond
Discovery
Pretrial conferences
Motion hearings
Negotiations
Trial
Sentencing if there is a conviction
The particular court depends on where the alleged offense occurred.
Felony cases take a different path.
They generally begin in a local district or municipal court.
Early proceedings can include:
The defendant is advised of the allegations and bond is addressed.
The case begins moving toward the preliminary-examination stage, and issues involving discovery, negotiations and case status may be addressed.
The prosecution must make the required showing for the felony case to proceed beyond District Court.
If the case is bound over, subsequent felony proceedings generally occur in the Wayne County Third Circuit Court Criminal Division.
This is an important point because older information online can be outdated.
The Wayne County Third Circuit Court Criminal Division operates from the:
Wayne County Criminal Justice Center
5301 Russell Street
Detroit, Michigan 48211
Older websites and references may still direct people to Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.
The Criminal Division relocated to the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center beginning in September 2024.
For someone facing a felony in Wayne County, confirming the correct courthouse and hearing information is important before appearing.
A defense strategy should not begin with assumptions.
It should begin with questions.
Different charges require proof of different elements.
An assault allegation requires a different analysis from drug possession.
A theft case presents different issues from OWI.
A financial-crime investigation requires a different evidentiary review from domestic violence.
The actual charge determines what the prosecution must establish.
The defense may need to review:
Police reports
Video
Witness accounts
Digital communications
Search warrants
Laboratory testing
Medical information
Financial records
Physical evidence
A police report may say one thing.
Video may show something different.
Witnesses may disagree.
The timeline may not fit.
Physical evidence may support one account more than another.
The defense should compare the pieces rather than evaluating each one in isolation.
Depending on the case, questions can involve:
Traffic stops
Detentions
Probable cause
Searches
Search warrants
Statements
Evidence collection
Constitutional protections
A technically acceptable resolution can still create serious problems if the broader consequences are ignored.
One client may be most concerned about incarceration.
Another may be worried about:
Employment
A nursing or medical license
Commercial driving
Immigration consequences
Security clearance
Firearm rights
College
Family
Reputation
Those priorities should be identified before major decisions are made.
Fraiberg & Pernie’s attorneys came to criminal defense from different sides of the justice system.
Matthew Fraiberg is the managing partner of Fraiberg & Pernie and has practiced law in Michigan since 1997.
His professional background includes service as a:
Former City Prosecutor
Former Judicial Clerk
Criminal defense attorney with more than 28 years of legal experience
A former prosecutor’s perspective can be useful when evaluating questions such as:
What are the strongest parts of the government’s case?
What are the weaknesses?
Which facts actually matter to the charge?
What evidence creates leverage?
What issues may affect negotiations?
What happens if the case proceeds toward trial?
Read Matthew Fraiberg’s attorney profile.
Eric L. Pernie is a Michigan criminal defense attorney and former police officer.
His law-enforcement background provides another perspective when examining:
Police investigations
Traffic stops
Officer observations
Arrest procedures
Police reports
Searches
Evidence collection
Body-camera recordings
The objective is not to assume police acted properly or improperly.
It is to compare what was done with the evidence and legal requirements applicable to the case.
Read Eric L. Pernie’s attorney profile.
Wayne County OWI representation may involve:
First-offense OWI
OWVI
High BAC
Repeat OWI
Felony third-offense OWI
Drugged driving
Implied-consent issues
Driver’s-license consequences
OWI cases often require review of the traffic stop, video, field sobriety testing and breath or blood evidence.
Related resource: Wayne County DUI & OWI Guide
Domestic-violence allegations can create immediate issues involving bond and no-contact orders.
Evidence can include:
911 calls
Body-camera video
Witness statements
Photographs
Text messages
Medical information
Related resource: Michigan Domestic Violence Defense Guide
Assault cases can involve:
Conflicting witnesses
Self-defense
Injuries
Video evidence
Intent
Weapons allegations
Drug cases may raise questions concerning:
Possession
Constructive possession
Searches
Vehicle stops
Search warrants
Laboratory testing
Delivery allegations
These cases can involve:
Retail fraud
Larceny
Embezzlement
Fraud
Identity theft
Financial investigations
Digital records, surveillance and questions of intent can become particularly important.
Allegations may involve:
Missed appointments
Failed testing
New criminal allegations
Failure to complete treatment
Other technical violations
Probation violations should be addressed promptly.
Fraiberg & Pernie also represents people dealing with outstanding warrants and ongoing criminal investigations.
Because Wayne County contains numerous local courts, we do not need to turn this page into a directory of every courthouse.
Instead, Fraiberg & Pernie maintains individual court and city resources for jurisdictions throughout the county.
Examples include:
16th District Court — Livonia
18th District Court — Westland
35th District Court — Plymouth and Canton
34th District Court — Romulus
36th District Court — Detroit
as well as other courts serving Wayne County communities.
A bond violation can create a separate problem while the original criminal charge remains pending.
Depending on the circumstances, consequences can include:
Additional restrictions
Increased supervision
Bond modification
Revocation
A warrant
Custody
If a legitimate problem occurs with testing, travel, reporting or another condition, document what happened and address it promptly.
Do not simply ignore the issue.
Sometimes.
A potential reduction depends on the evidence, law, circumstances and negotiations.
Issues that may create legitimate leverage include:
Evidentiary weaknesses
Conflicting witnesses
Search issues
Constitutional problems
Weak intent evidence
Problems proving possession
Video inconsistent with allegations
Scientific-testing issues
Mitigation
Individual circumstances
No reduction is automatic.
Sometimes.
A dismissal can occur when the evidence or law does not support continued prosecution.
Potential issues may involve:
Insufficient evidence
Unlawful searches
Suppression of evidence
Unreliable witnesses
Constitutional violations
Failure to prove an element of the offense
A case that initially looks strong may look different after discovery is reviewed.
Likewise, an allegation that appears weak at first may be supported by evidence not initially known to the defendant.
That is why the analysis should follow the evidence.
Not necessarily.
Potential outcomes depend on factors such as:
The charge
Prior record
Facts
Injuries
Bond compliance
Available defenses
Negotiations
Sentencing considerations
Depending on the case and applicable law, possible outcomes can include dismissal, reduction, diversion or deferral when legally available, probation, fines, treatment, community service, jail or imprisonment in serious felony cases.
No responsible attorney should predict the outcome without understanding the case.
For many people, the most serious concern is not simply the potential criminal penalty.
A case may affect:
Background checks
Employer disclosure requirements
Company vehicles
Security clearances
Government employment
Business travel
Special concerns may exist for:
Physicians
Nurses
Attorneys
Pharmacists
Teachers
Accountants
Financial professionals
Real-estate professionals
Commercial drivers
A licensing authority may have rules separate from the criminal court.
OWI and certain driving offenses can create separate driver’s-license consequences.
Depending on the offense, bond conditions and other circumstances, firearm possession can become an issue under state or federal law.
These consequences should be identified before resolving the criminal case whenever possible.
Statements can become evidence.
The original allegation and a later bond violation are separate problems.
Good intentions do not override a court order.
Posts can be copied, saved and used later.
Preserve relevant information.
A missed hearing can create warrant and bond problems.
Video disappears. Memories fade. Records become harder to obtain.
Fraiberg & Pernie represents clients throughout Wayne County, including:
Detroit, Livonia, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Westland, Taylor, Canton, Plymouth, Romulus, Redford, Inkster, Wayne, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Southgate, Wyandotte, Garden City, Trenton and surrounding communities.
The court handling the case depends on where the alleged offense occurred and the nature of the charge.
Usually the local district or municipal court with jurisdiction over the location where the alleged offense occurred handles the initial proceedings. Felony cases may later proceed to the Wayne County Third Circuit Court Criminal Division.
The Third Circuit Criminal Division operates from the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center at 5301 Russell Street in Detroit.
No. The Third Circuit Criminal Division relocated to the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center beginning in September 2024.
Yes. An investigation can result in a request for criminal charges without an immediate arrest.
Before discussing the allegations, understand why investigators are contacting you and consider obtaining legal advice about making statements.
Yes. Depending on the circumstances, an attorney may assist with law-enforcement contact, evidence preservation and preparation while an investigation is pending.
In a felony case, the prosecution must make the required probable-cause showing for the case to proceed beyond the District Court stage.
Potentially. Bond conditions are imposed by the court and may be modified by the court when appropriate.
Depending on the circumstances, bond may be modified or revoked and a warrant may issue.
Sometimes. The answer depends on the evidence, applicable law and circumstances of the individual case.
There is no single timeline. The amount of evidence, type of charge, motions, negotiations, witnesses and court scheduling can all affect the length of a case.
If you are deciding who should represent you, consider factors beyond advertising claims.
Questions worth asking include:
Does the attorney regularly handle criminal cases?
Has the attorney handled cases in Wayne County?
Does the lawyer understand misdemeanor and felony procedure?
How will police reports, video and other evidence be evaluated?
Does the attorney have experience with motions and trials?
Who will actually handle the case?
How will you communicate?
Are employment, licensing or driver’s-license consequences being considered?
No lawyer can guarantee a result.
The objective is to choose counsel capable of understanding the evidence, explaining realistic options and preparing the case for the direction it ultimately takes.
Managing Partner | Criminal Defense Attorney | Former Prosecutor
Matthew Fraiberg has practiced law in Michigan since 1997. He is a former City Prosecutor and former Judicial Clerk and represents clients in misdemeanor and felony criminal matters throughout Southeast Michigan.
Partner | Criminal Defense Attorney | Former Police Officer
Eric L. Pernie is a Michigan criminal defense attorney and former police officer. His law-enforcement background provides additional perspective when reviewing police investigations, arrests, reports and evidence.
Written by: Matthew Fraiberg
Legally reviewed by: Eric L. Pernie
Law firm: Fraiberg & Pernie
Jurisdiction: Wayne County, Michigan
Practice area: Criminal Defense
Last legally reviewed: August 2026
If you have been arrested, contacted by detectives, served with a warrant, charged with a misdemeanor or felony, or believe you are under criminal investigation in Wayne County, determine where the case stands before making important decisions.
Identify:
The court handling the matter
Whether charges have been authorized
Your bond conditions
Upcoming deadlines
Evidence that needs to be preserved
Whether investigators want additional statements
Employment or licensing concerns
Then build the defense around the evidence and applicable law.
Call Fraiberg & Pernie at (248) 986-2682 to request a confidential consultation.
This page provides general educational information about Michigan criminal proceedings and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case depends on its facts, evidence, applicable law, court and circumstances. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Call 248-986-2682 today for a confidential consultation.
Matthew Fraiberg
Wayne County Criminal Defense Lawyer | Detroit Criminal Defense Attorney | Michigan Defense Lawyer
Fraiberg & Pernie
Wayne County Criminal Defense Attorneys | Michigan Criminal Defense Law Firm
Call (248) 986-2682 today.
Related Michigan DUI Resources
Ultimate Guide to Michigan DUI Law
Michigan DUI Penalties
Best DUI Lawyers in Michigan
Written by Matthew Fraiberg
Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney
28+ years experience
Fraiberg & Pernie represents clients throughout Michigan, including:
Oakland County
Macomb County
Wayne County
We serve clients throughout Michigan, including, but not limited to, those in the following in Oakland County including Southfield, Novi, Troy, Pontiac, Walled Lake, Commerce Township, Waterford, Royal Oak, Rochester Hills, Farmington Hills, Hazel Park, West Bloomfield, Birmingham, Keego Harbor, Clarkston, White Lake, Ferndale, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills
Fill out the information below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Wayne County criminal defense lawyers help clients facing DUI, OWI, felony, and misdemeanor charges throughout Detroit and surrounding communities. If you are searching for a criminal defense attorney in Wayne County Michigan, fast legal help can make a major difference in the result.