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Brownstown Criminal Defense Lawyer

The 33rd District Court on Van Horn Road in Woodhaven hears criminal and traffic cases from Brownstown Township and six other Downriver communities. Attorney Christopher Brown is a Brownstown criminal defense lawyer and former Detroit police officer who defends clients in this court and throughout Wayne County, from drunk driving and domestic violence charges to serious felonies.

Recent Results in Brownstown and Downriver Courts

Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

OWI With High BAC Reduced to OWVI, No Jail — 33rd District Court

Our client was arrested by Brownstown police for OWI with a high BAC after her car struck a parked, occupied police vehicle while she was distracted by fireworks. No one was injured, but the police car was damaged. Facing difficult facts, she followed our plan: a substance abuse evaluation, intensive treatment, and mitigation showing she was in a personal crisis at the time. The charge was reduced to operating while visibly impaired (OWVI). Because she was already completing extensive court-ordered supervision and classes in another matter, the court respected her decision not to enter Sobriety Court. Judge McNally imposed no jail, with probation and treatment.

33rd District Court — Woodhaven, Wayne County

Felony Resisting and Obstructing Dismissed on a Motion to Quash — Taylor

Taylor police responded to a home after a report of a domestic altercation. Our client was a visitor in the home and wasn’t involved. Officers quickly detained the two people involved in the altercation. Our client didn’t want to give a statement, so he walked away. Officers grabbed him, he kept walking, and they took him to the ground and charged him with resisting and obstructing an officer, a felony. After reviewing all the evidence, we determined that once police had detained the people involved, they had no lawful reason to detain our client. He had no obligation to speak with police, and he had the right to go about his business. The district court bound the case over after the preliminary exam, so we filed a motion to quash in circuit court. The circuit court found that the district court had abused its discretion and dismissed the case.

23rd District Court and Third Circuit Court — Taylor, Wayne County

See more of our Wayne County and other case results.

The 33rd District Court in Woodhaven

The 33rd District Court handles misdemeanor cases through sentencing. It also handles felony arraignments, probable cause conferences, and preliminary exams. If the judge binds a felony case over, it moves to the Third Circuit Court in Detroit.

33rd District Court

Address: 19000 Van Horn Rd., Woodhaven, MI 48183
Phone: (734) 671-0201
Hours: 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday
Judges: Chief Judge Michael K. McNally and Judge Jennifer Coleman Hesson
Serves: Brownstown Township, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile Township, Rockwood, Trenton, and Woodhaven
Case lookup: Search your case on MiCOURT, Michigan’s statewide case search.

Court details can change, so check the court’s website or call before your court date.

Open Warrants

The court tells anyone with an open warrant to appear in person at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. Before you go, call your lawyer. A Brownstown criminal defense lawyer can confirm the warrant, prepare a bond request, and help you walk in with a plan instead of getting picked up on the warrant later.

Two Fair Judges Who Let You Be Heard

The 33rd District Court has two judges. In Attorney Brown’s experience, both are fair, and both give an attorney every opportunity to be fully heard.

Chief Judge Michael K. McNally

Judge McNally took the bench in January 1995, and he is the longest-serving judge in the court’s history. His father, the late Gerald A. McNally, was the first judge of the 33rd District Court.

In Attorney Brown’s experience, Judge McNally is outspoken, and he has no qualms about speaking his mind. He cares deeply about justice and what it stands for. At the same time, he can be merciful under the right circumstances. He moves his docket quickly, so he expects counsel to be prepared and ready to go.

Judge McNally is not a judge to be lied to. If he feels a defendant isn’t being honest about a circumstance, he will take the time to get to the bottom of it, no matter how long it takes. For that reason, a Brownstown criminal defense lawyer should prepare a client to be truthful and to bring a real, documented plan.

He also doesn’t hand out cookie-cutter sentences. Other courts often give more deference to a probation recommendation. Judge McNally considers it, but he does what he feels is right, and Attorney Brown has seen him go the opposite way of a recommendation. He is also a big supporter of Sobriety Court.

Judge Jennifer Coleman Hesson

Judge Hesson took the bench on January 1, 2011. Before that, she spent nearly 15 years as a courtroom attorney handling criminal and civil cases. She also served as house counsel at the 33rd District Court.

Sobriety Court and Alternatives to Jail

Because sentencing in this court isn’t cookie-cutter, a well-prepared plan can make a real difference.

Sobriety Court: The 33rd District Court runs an intensive Sobriety Court for eligible people charged with alcohol- or drug-related offenses. The program includes about two years of probation, frequent testing, treatment, and regular court reviews. Admission depends on screening, so ask about it early.

Work program: The court offers a supervised work program in place of a jail sentence, so participants can live at home and keep their jobs. Whether you qualify depends on your charge, your record, and how your lawyer presents the request.

Sobriety Court isn’t right for everyone, since it is intensive and demanding. A Brownstown criminal defense lawyer can help you weigh it against your other obligations and build a treatment plan the court can verify.

Challenging the Stop and the Arrest

Attorney Brown served as a Detroit police officer, so he knows how officers are trained to justify a stop, a search, and an arrest. First, we look at whether police had a lawful reason to stop you and probable cause to arrest you. When the report and the video don’t match, or the stop wasn’t lawful, a lawyer can challenge the evidence. When the facts are hard, we build mitigation instead: treatment, evaluations, and documented proof of the steps you’ve taken. If a detective has contacted you before any charge, learn what to do before you talk.

Who Prosecutes Your Case

In the 33rd District Court, the prosecutor depends on how you were charged. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office handles state prosecutions, including every felony case. In contrast, the attorney for the community where the offense happened prosecutes charges under a local ordinance. Knowing which office has your case helps your lawyer get the reports and video quickly and negotiate with the right person.

What Happens After an Arrest in Brownstown

Misdemeanor cases: After arraignment, the next date is usually a pretrial conference, where many cases resolve. Cases that don’t settle move to motions or trial in the 33rd District Court.

Felony cases: A felony starts with arraignment, a probable cause conference, and a preliminary examination in the 33rd District Court. If the judge binds the case over, it moves to the Third Circuit Court at the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center in Detroit.

Charges We Defend in Brownstown and Woodhaven

Drunk driving and OWI, including felony third-offense OWI
Domestic violence and assault
Drug possession and possession with intent to deliver
Retail fraud and other theft charges
Weapons and firearm charges, including gun charges at Detroit Metro Airport
Fleeing and eluding
Probation violations

Also Serving Woodhaven, Trenton, and Downriver Communities

Because they share the 33rd District Court, we defend clients from Woodhaven, Trenton, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, and Rockwood just as often as from Brownstown. We also represent clients in nearby Taylor, Southgate, and throughout the Downriver communities.