FRAIBERG & PERNIE
If you were arrested, charged with a crime, contacted by police, served with a warrant, or believe you are under investigation in West Bloomfield, Michigan, your case may be handled in the 48th District Court, located at 4280 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills.
The 48th District Court officially serves West Bloomfield Township along with Bloomfield Township, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, and Sylvan Lake.
For many people accused of a crime in West Bloomfield, the concern goes far beyond whether they will go to jail.
They want to know:
Will this damage my reputation?
Will my employer find out?
Could I lose my professional license?
Will this show up on a background check?
Can I continue traveling for work?
Can I enter Canada?
Will I lose my driver’s license?
Can the charge be reduced or dismissed?
Is there a way to keep this off my record?
These are important questions because a criminal case can affect much more than the courtroom.
It may affect your:
Career
Professional license
Driver’s license
Reputation
Security clearance
Firearm rights
Finances
Family
Insurance
Future opportunities
An arrest is an accusation.
It is not a conviction, and the prosecution still has the burden of proving the charge.
Fraiberg & Pernie represents people facing DUI, OWI, misdemeanor, felony, assault, domestic violence, drug, theft, probation, and other criminal charges arising in West Bloomfield and throughout Oakland County.
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Law Firm | Fraiberg & Pernie |
| Primary Attorney | Matthew Fraiberg |
| Location | West Bloomfield, Michigan |
| Primary Court | 48th District Court |
| Courthouse | 4280 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills |
| Practice Areas | Criminal defense, DUI, OWI, felony and misdemeanor defense |
| Common Evidence | Police reports, body-camera footage, video, witness statements, breath and blood testing |
| Common Concerns | Jail, driver’s license, employment, professional licensing, reputation and criminal record |
| Defense Focus | Evidence analysis, constitutional issues, negotiation, mitigation and trial preparation |
Many misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases arising in West Bloomfield are handled in the 48th District Court in Bloomfield Hills.
The court has three district judges and serves seven Oakland County communities, including West Bloomfield Township.
The 48th District Court currently lists:
Judge Marc Barron
Judge Diane D’Agostini
Judge Kimberly Small
The court handles criminal matters, traffic cases, preliminary proceedings in felony cases, and other district-court matters.
Some hearings and arraignments may be conducted in person, while others may proceed remotely depending on the court’s notice and scheduling instructions.
Criminal defense is not only about the statute charged.
The court, judge, prosecutor, bond conditions, probation practices, and local procedures can affect how a case develops.
A lawyer handling a West Bloomfield case should understand:
48th District Court procedures
Arraignment practices
Bond conditions
Alcohol and drug testing requirements
Motion practice
Pretrial conferences
Probation procedures
Plea negotiations
Sentencing considerations
Knowing where the case is being heard helps the defense anticipate what may happen next.
The 48th District Court is known for taking criminal and drunk-driving cases seriously.
However, describing any court simply as “strict” can be misleading because bond conditions and sentencing decisions depend on the charge, judge, criminal history, facts, and individual circumstances.
In DUI and other cases, defendants may encounter conditions involving:
Alcohol testing
Drug testing
No-alcohol requirements
Travel limitations
Counseling
Reporting requirements
Additional bond conditions
The Michigan judiciary also lists the 48th District Court as operating a DWI Sobriety Court program.
The important point is simple:
Do not assume that a minor bond violation will be ignored.
The first day after an arrest may involve:
Booking
Release
Bond
Conditions prohibiting alcohol or drug use
Alcohol or drug testing
Vehicle impoundment
Driver’s-license paperwork
Initial court scheduling
Contact with witnesses
Creation of police and video evidence
This is also when defendants frequently make avoidable mistakes.
They may contact witnesses, post about the arrest, misunderstand bond conditions, or fail to preserve evidence.
Early legal advice can help prevent those problems.
The first week may involve:
Arraignment
Entry of an attorney appearance
Review of bond conditions
Requests for police reports
Requests for body-camera footage
Preservation of surveillance video
Identification of witnesses
Review of breath or blood evidence
Driver’s-license planning
Preparation for future court dates
Not every case develops the same way.
But the earlier the defense understands the evidence, the more effectively it can evaluate available options.
During the first several weeks, the defense may begin receiving and reviewing discovery.
That can include:
Police reports
Body-camera footage
Dash-camera footage
Photographs
Witness statements
Breath-test records
Blood-test results
Laboratory reports
Search warrants
Digital evidence
Surveillance footage
This is often when the defense begins answering the most important questions:
What can the prosecution actually prove?
Was the evidence obtained lawfully?
Is the evidence reliable?
Are there inconsistencies?
Are there grounds for suppression, reduction, dismissal, or a different resolution?
Many criminal cases never reach trial.
That does not mean trial preparation is unimportant.
The strength of the defense often depends on work performed long before trial.
Early intervention may help an attorney:
Preserve surveillance footage
Obtain body-camera recordings
Identify favorable witnesses
Investigate the location
Review police conduct
Evaluate search and seizure issues
Examine chemical testing
Challenge statements
Address driver’s-license concerns
Develop mitigation
Prepare for negotiations
Evidence can disappear.
Witness memories can fade.
Video may be overwritten.
Deadlines can pass.
Starting early can preserve options that may not exist later.
OWI and DUI cases are among the criminal matters handled in the 48th District Court.
Michigan uses the term OWI — Operating While Intoxicated, although many people still search for “DUI.”
A West Bloomfield OWI investigation may involve:
A traffic stop
Accident investigation
Field sobriety tests
Preliminary breath testing
Evidential breath testing
Blood testing
Officer observations
Witness statements
Body-camera footage
Dash-camera footage
The BAC number is only one part of the case.
Yes.
Potential issues may include:
Was there a lawful basis for the traffic stop?
Did the officer have probable cause to arrest?
Were field sobriety tests properly administered?
Were constitutional rights respected?
Was breath-testing equipment functioning properly?
Were testing procedures followed?
Was a blood draw lawful?
Was the blood sample properly handled?
Does video evidence support or contradict the police report?
Are witness statements reliable?
Not every issue results in dismissal.
The purpose of a careful review is to determine whether meaningful weaknesses actually exist.
Michigan law provides enhanced consequences for certain first-offense OWI cases involving an alleged alcohol content of 0.17 or higher.
This is commonly called:
Super Drunk OWI
Super Drunk DUI
0.17 DUI
Potential consequences can include:
Increased maximum jail exposure
Driver’s-license suspension
Restricted driving requirements
Ignition interlock
Fines and costs
Community service
Alcohol treatment
Probation
Testing requirements
A reported BAC of 0.17 or higher does not automatically establish guilt.
The testing process and surrounding evidence still matter.
For many people arrested for OWI in West Bloomfield, it is their first experience with the criminal justice system.
Common concerns include:
Will I go to jail?
Can I keep driving?
Will my insurance increase?
Will my employer find out?
Do I need alcohol testing?
Will I be placed on probation?
Can the charge be reduced?
Will I have a criminal record?
A first arrest should not be treated casually, but it also should not be assumed to have a predetermined outcome.
The case should be evaluated individually.
Prior drunk-driving convictions can significantly increase the consequences of a new OWI allegation.
Depending on the person’s record and circumstances, repeat-offense cases may involve:
Increased jail exposure
Felony prosecution
License revocation
Vehicle sanctions
Longer probation
Intensive treatment requirements
Increased financial consequences
Prior convictions should be carefully reviewed because their dates, nature, and legal significance can affect how a new case is charged.
Domestic violence and assault cases can create immediate consequences even before guilt or innocence is determined.
Potential issues include:
Arrest
No-contact orders
Removal from a residence
Restrictions involving family members
Firearm concerns
Employment issues
Professional licensing consequences
These cases often depend heavily on:
Witness credibility
Conflicting statements
Body-camera footage
911 calls
Text messages
Photographs
Medical evidence
Self-defense claims
Prior history between the parties
Domestic violence allegations should be investigated rather than assumed to be simple “he said, she said” cases.
Drug cases may involve allegations such as:
Possession
Possession with intent to deliver
Delivery
Prescription-drug offenses
Controlled-substance allegations
Important defense questions may involve:
Why did police stop or contact the defendant?
Was there a lawful search?
Was a warrant required?
Who actually possessed the substance?
Was the substance tested?
Can the prosecution prove knowledge?
Were statements obtained lawfully?
Search-and-seizure issues frequently play an important role in drug cases.
Fraiberg & Pernie also represents clients facing theft-related allegations, including:
Larceny
Embezzlement
Identity theft
Fraud allegations
Financial crimes
For professionals and business owners, collateral consequences can be particularly important because dishonesty-related convictions may affect employment, licensing, insurance, or professional reputation.
The amount of money involved, prior record, restitution, intent, and available evidence can all influence the case.
Felony cases generally begin in district court before potentially being transferred to Oakland County Circuit Court.
Early felony proceedings may include:
Arraignment
Probable-cause conference
Preliminary examination
Bond hearings
Discovery
Motion practice
A preliminary examination can be an important stage because the prosecution must present sufficient evidence to justify moving the felony case forward.
The defense should begin evaluating the evidence before that hearing rather than waiting until the case reaches circuit court.
Failing to appear can create additional problems.
Potential consequences may include:
Bench warrant
Bond modification
Additional court appearances
Increased conditions
Possible arrest
If a court date has been missed, the issue should generally be addressed promptly rather than ignored.
A positive, missed, or late alcohol test may be reported to the court.
Depending on the circumstances, consequences may include:
Increased testing
Additional bond conditions
Bond modification
A show-cause hearing
Possible bond revocation
If there is a legitimate explanation or testing problem, supporting documentation should be preserved.
Possibly.
The answer depends primarily on the bond order and any travel restrictions imposed in the case.
Never assume that employment automatically overrides a court order.
If permission is required, the issue should be addressed before the planned trip.
Usually the event itself is not the issue.
The issue is whether attending would violate your bond.
For example, if the court has ordered:
No alcohol consumption
Alcohol testing
Curfew
Travel restrictions
No contact with a particular person
those conditions continue to apply even during a wedding, sporting event, vacation, or other special occasion.
Possibly.
Two different issues can arise:
Whether the Michigan court permits the travel.
Whether Canadian authorities permit entry.
Canadian immigration rules are separate from Michigan criminal law.
Certain convictions can create admissibility problems, so a person with important Canadian travel plans should evaluate those consequences before assuming entry will be permitted.
Possibly.
Whether an employer learns about a charge may depend on:
Background checks
Employer policies
Mandatory reporting requirements
Security clearance rules
Professional licensing rules
Job duties
Driving requirements
An arrest does not necessarily mean loss of employment.
But career consequences should be considered as part of the defense strategy when they are relevant.
Yes.
A criminal allegation or conviction may create reporting or disciplinary issues for some licensed professionals, including:
Physicians
Nurses
Attorneys
Accountants
Engineers
Financial professionals
Pilots
Commercial drivers
Other regulated professionals
Licensing consequences may be separate from the criminal court proceedings.
For that reason, waiting until after a plea or conviction to consider licensing consequences may be too late.
It may.
What appears on a background check can depend on:
The type of search
Whether the matter is pending
Whether there was a conviction
Whether the case was dismissed
Whether the record was later set aside
The reporting practices of the company conducting the search
The criminal case and future record consequences should be considered together whenever possible.
Sometimes.
Potential outcomes may include:
Dismissal
Reduction
Diversion
Deferred proceedings
Delayed sentencing
Statutory deferral
Expungement or set-aside relief when legally available
Eligibility depends on the charge and circumstances.
Not every offense qualifies for every form of relief.
Possibly.
Dismissal may become an issue where there are significant weaknesses involving:
Unlawful searches
Unlawful traffic stops
Lack of probable cause
Unreliable witnesses
Suppressed evidence
Insufficient evidence
Constitutional violations
Scientific testing problems
Failure to prove an essential element
No responsible attorney can guarantee dismissal.
But every case should be evaluated to determine whether dismissal or suppression issues exist.
Sometimes.
A reduction may depend on:
Strength of the prosecution’s evidence
Criminal history
Driving record
Victim position
Restitution
Mitigating circumstances
Constitutional issues
Court
Prosecutor
Negotiations
Steps taken by the defendant after arrest
The defense should first understand the evidence before deciding whether a negotiated resolution is appropriate.
Evidence may include:
Police reports
Body-camera footage
Dash-camera footage
911 recordings
Surveillance video
Text messages
Emails
Social-media posts
Cell-phone data
Witness statements
Breath-test records
Blood-test reports
Laboratory evidence
Photographs
Medical records
Search warrants
The existence of evidence does not necessarily mean the evidence is accurate, admissible, or persuasive.
The defense should determine what the evidence actually establishes.
Statements made to police, witnesses, friends, coworkers, or other people may later become evidence.
If a no-contact order exists, even a well-intentioned message may create a new problem.
Photos, comments, location information, or messages may be used against you.
Failure to appear may result in a warrant or additional bond consequences.
Alcohol use, missed testing, unauthorized travel, or prohibited contact can complicate the underlying case.
Messages, photographs, videos, receipts, location data, and other information may later become important to the defense.
The police report represents the government’s version of events.
It should not automatically be treated as the final word.
Matthew Fraiberg is a Michigan criminal defense attorney and managing partner of Fraiberg & Pernie.
He has practiced law in Michigan since 1997.
His professional background includes work as:
A former city prosecutor
A former judicial clerk
A former assistant legal research clerk in the Oakland County court system
His practice includes:
DUI and OWI defense
High BAC cases
Felony OWI
Domestic violence
Assault
Drug offenses
Theft and fraud allegations
Felony and misdemeanor criminal defense
His experience gives him perspective on how criminal cases may be evaluated by prosecutors, judges, probation departments, and law enforcement.
Eric L. Pernie is a Michigan criminal defense attorney and co-founder of Fraiberg & Pernie.
Before becoming an attorney, Pernie served as a Bloomfield Township police officer.
That law-enforcement background can be particularly relevant when examining:
Traffic stops
OWI investigations
Field sobriety testing
Police reports
Arrest procedures
Search and seizure
Officer testimony
Body-camera evidence
Fraiberg & Pernie’s combined former prosecutorial and law-enforcement experience provides two different perspectives when evaluating a criminal case.
People searching for a West Bloomfield criminal defense lawyer are often looking for more than someone who can simply appear in court.
They may need an attorney who understands how a criminal allegation can affect their career, reputation, driver’s license, professional credentials, and future.
Fraiberg & Pernie’s defense approach includes:
Criminal defense experience
DUI and OWI defense
Former prosecutorial experience
Former law-enforcement experience
Familiarity with Oakland County criminal courts
48th District Court representation
Constitutional analysis
Evidence review
Breath and blood evidence evaluation
Driver’s-license strategy
Negotiation
Motion practice
Trial preparation
Attention to professional and reputational consequences
The central question remains:
What does the evidence actually prove?
Most misdemeanor and traffic cases arising in West Bloomfield Township are handled by the 48th District Court in Bloomfield Hills, which officially serves West Bloomfield. Felony cases generally begin in district court before potentially proceeding to Oakland County Circuit Court.
The 48th District Court is located at 4280 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302.
You are not automatically required to hire private counsel, but an OWI can involve criminal penalties, driver’s-license consequences, testing evidence, bond conditions, and long-term record issues. Legal representation can help evaluate those issues before decisions are made.
It depends on the charge, record, facts, judge, and final outcome. Jail may be legally possible for some offenses but is not automatically imposed merely because a person has been arrested.
Sometimes. Reductions depend on the evidence, criminal and driving history, prosecutor, court, and negotiations.
Potentially, if significant legal, constitutional, scientific, or evidentiary weaknesses exist. Dismissal should never be promised without reviewing the case.
Police searches are governed by constitutional rules and recognized exceptions to the warrant requirement. Whether a particular search was lawful depends on the facts.
Generally, police need a valid warrant, consent, or a legally recognized exception. An unlawful search may create grounds to challenge resulting evidence.
Statements can become evidence. A person under investigation should understand the legal consequences before deciding whether to provide a statement.
Possibly. Review the bond order first. If court approval is required, obtain it before traveling.
Court permission and Canadian admissibility are separate questions. Canadian authorities apply their own immigration rules.
Possibly. Employer policies, background checks, licensing requirements, security clearances, and the nature of the job may affect disclosure.
Not necessarily. The effect depends on the profession, licensing rules, charge, final outcome, and reporting requirements.
Possibly. Dismissal, statutory deferrals, diversion, or future set-aside relief may be available depending on the charge and circumstances.
Read and follow every bond condition, avoid discussing the case publicly, preserve potentially useful evidence, attend all required court proceedings, and obtain legal advice before making major decisions about the case.
Early representation can be valuable because evidence preservation, bond conditions, driver’s-license issues, witness identification, and investigation may begin immediately.
If you were arrested, charged, served with a warrant, contacted by police, or placed under investigation in West Bloomfield, Michigan, the decisions made early in the case can affect what happens later.
A defense should consider more than the criminal charge itself.
It should also consider your:
Criminal record
Driver’s license
Employment
Professional license
Reputation
Family
Finances
Future
Fraiberg & Pernie represents clients facing DUI, OWI, domestic violence, assault, drug, theft, felony, misdemeanor, and other criminal charges arising in West Bloomfield and throughout Oakland County.
The goal is to identify what actually happened, determine what evidence exists, challenge evidence where legally appropriate, and develop a strategy based on the circumstances of the individual case.
Contact Fraiberg & Pernie to request a confidential consultation with a West Bloomfield criminal defense lawyer.
Call (248) 986-2682 for a confidential consultation.
Related Michigan DUI Resources
Ultimate Guide to Michigan DUI Law
Michigan DUI Penalties
Best DUI Lawyers in Michigan
Written by Matthew Fraiberg
Attorney Reviewed August, 2026
Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney
28+ years experience
Reviewed by
Matthew Fraiberg – Criminal Defense Attorney
Eric L. Pernie – Criminal Defense Attorney
Fraiberg & Pernie – Oakland County Criminal Defense Lawyers
Fraiberg & Pernie is an Oakland County criminal defense law firm focusing on DUI and OWI defense in Birmingham, Troy, Royal Oak, Novi, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester and Farmington Hills, Michigan.
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