Canton Criminal Defense Lawyer

The 35th District Court in Plymouth hears criminal and traffic cases from Canton, Plymouth, and Northville. Attorney Christopher Brown is a Canton criminal defense lawyer and former Detroit police officer who defends clients in this court and throughout Wayne County, from drunk driving charges to serious felonies.

Recent Results in the 35th District Court

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

OWI Reduced to a Civil Infraction After a Breath Test Challenge — Plymouth

Our client was stopped for running a red light and charged with OWI after a breath test showed a .13 BAC. He admitted drinking, but he performed fairly well on the field sobriety tests. After reviewing the audio and video, we found several problems with the breath test. First, the officer cleaned his hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizer and then handled the mouthpiece with his bare hands several times while our client had trouble giving a sample. Second, Michigan’s breath-testing rules require officers to watch a person for at least 15 minutes before the test, and the person must not regurgitate during that time. The video showed our client burping and regurgitating only minutes before the test. After we filed a motion to suppress the breath test, the prosecutor offered a reduction to careless driving, a civil infraction, and our client accepted.

35th District Court — Plymouth, Wayne County

See more of our Wayne County and other case results.

The 35th District Court in Plymouth

Canton doesn’t have its own district court. Instead, the 35th District Court in Plymouth serves five communities: Canton Township, the City of Plymouth, Plymouth Township, the City of Northville, and Northville Township. The court handles misdemeanors from arraignment through sentencing. For felonies, it handles the case through the preliminary exam, and then the case moves to circuit court.

35th District Court

Address: 660 Plymouth Rd., Plymouth, MI 48170
Phone: (734) 459-4740
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Judges: Judge Joe Barone, Judge Michael J. Gerou, and Judge James A. Plakas
Serves: Canton Township, City of Plymouth, Plymouth Township, City of Northville, and Northville Township
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.

Three Patient, Open-Minded Judges

Three judges share the 35th District Court’s docket, and each brings a different background. Judge Michael J. Gerou took the bench in 2003 and has served as the court’s Sobriety Court judge for more than 21 years. Judge James A. Plakas took the bench in 2009, after working as a prosecutor, an assistant city attorney, and a criminal defense attorney. Judge Joe Barone, elected in 2024, practiced law for about 30 years in Plymouth, Canton, and Northville, including criminal defense.

In Attorney Brown’s experience, all three judges are patient and open-minded, and they appreciate well-prepared attorneys and arguments. For that reason, a Canton criminal defense lawyer who knows the evidence and the law has a real opportunity to be heard in this court.

DUI Enforcement and “DUI Details” in Canton and Plymouth

Drunk driving cases make up a large share of this court’s docket, and enforcement campaigns play a part. Michigan’s statewide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdowns use federal traffic safety funds, and local police departments join in. In Attorney Brown’s experience, departments like those in Canton and Plymouth also run DUI “details,” where officers work overtime specifically to enforce drunk driving laws.

In Attorney Brown’s experience, departments don’t set formal arrest quotas, but officers working these details are expected to enforce DUI laws, and many are highly motivated to make arrests. As a result, some officers become overzealous, and overzealous officers make mistakes. Those mistakes can show up in the reason for the stop, the field sobriety tests, or the breath test itself.

How a Breath Test Can Be Challenged

Michigan’s administrative rules set strict procedures for evidential breath tests. For example, an officer must observe the person for at least 15 minutes before the test, and during that time the person must not smoke, regurgitate, or put anything in their mouth. In our Plymouth case above, the video showed regurgitation within minutes of the test and an officer handling the mouthpiece with hands just cleaned with alcohol-based sanitizer. That’s why your Canton criminal defense lawyer should review every second of the audio and video before you decide how to resolve the case.

Police Departments in the 35th District

Cases in this court come from five police departments: Canton Township, Plymouth Township, the City of Plymouth, the City of Northville, and Northville Township. Attorney Brown served as a Detroit police officer, so he knows how officers are trained to justify a stop, a search, and an arrest. In particular, police need reasonable suspicion 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. If a detective has contacted you before any charge, learn what to do before you talk.

Who Prosecutes Your Case

In the 35th District Court, the prosecutor depends on how you were charged. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office handles state prosecutions, including every felony case. Charges under a local ordinance are prosecuted by the attorney for the community where the offense happened, and each of the five communities has its own. Knowing which office has your case helps your Canton criminal defense lawyer get the reports and video quickly and negotiate with the right person.

Sobriety Court and Alternatives to Jail

The 35th District Court runs a DWI Sobriety Court for eligible drunk driving offenders, which combines treatment with close supervision. Judge Gerou has presided over it for more than two decades. In addition, the court’s probation department supervises work detail, community service, and tether as alternatives to time in jail. Eligibility depends on the charge and your record, so ask about these options early.

What Happens After an Arrest in Canton

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 35th District Court.

Felony cases: A felony starts with arraignment, a probable cause conference, and a preliminary examination in the 35th 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.

Missing court: If you miss a court date, the court will issue a warrant, and the Secretary of State may suspend your license until the matter is resolved.

Charges We Defend in Canton

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

Also Serving Plymouth, Northville, and Nearby Communities

Because they share the 35th District Court, we defend clients from Plymouth and Northville just as often as from Canton. We also represent clients in nearby Westland, Wayne, and Van Buren Township.

Canton Criminal Defense Lawyer FAQ

Which court handles criminal cases from Canton?

The 35th District Court in Plymouth. Canton doesn’t have its own district court, so cases from Canton, Plymouth, and Northville all go there. Felony cases start there and, if the judge binds the case over, move to the Third Circuit Court in Detroit.

Can a breath test result be challenged?

Yes. Michigan’s rules require a 15-minute observation period before an evidential breath test, and the person must not smoke, regurgitate, or put anything in their mouth during that time. Mistakes in that process, or in how the officer handles the test, can be grounds to challenge the result.

Does the 35th District Court have a sobriety court?

Yes. The court runs a DWI Sobriety Court for eligible drunk driving offenders. However, admission depends on the charge and a screening, so a Canton criminal defense lawyer can tell you early whether you qualify.

Who prosecutes my case in Canton?

It depends on the charge. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office prosecutes state charges, including every felony. Canton Township’s attorney prosecutes local ordinance violations from Canton, and each of the court’s other communities has its own attorney for ordinance cases.

Talk to a Canton Criminal Defense Lawyer

• Former Detroit police officer who knows how police build a case, and where it falls apart
• Assigned counsel in Wayne County Circuit Court from 2009 to 2020
• Licensed in Michigan since 2008, with experience before every district court judge in Wayne County
• Free consultations, available 24/7, in person at our Troy office or virtually
• Credit cards accepted and payment plans available

Call (248) 468-1468 or contact us online.