Roseville Criminal Defense Lawyer

Criminal cases from Roseville and Fraser are heard at the 39th District Court on Gratiot Avenue. Attorney Christopher Brown is a Roseville criminal defense lawyer and former Detroit police officer who defends clients in this court and throughout Macomb County, from drunk driving and retail fraud charges to probation violations and felonies.

Recent Results in the 39th District Court

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

OWI Reduced to a Careless Driving Civil Infraction After a “Weaving” Stop Was Challenged — Roseville

Our client was charged with OWI after being stopped for “weaving within a marked lane,” and police gave no other reason for the stop. Michigan law requires a vehicle to be driven “as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane,” MCL 257.642(1)(a). After reviewing the police in-car video, we concluded our client’s driving stayed within what the statute allows, and we filed a motion to suppress the evidence from the stop. On the day of the hearing, the prosecutor offered to reduce the charge to careless driving, a civil infraction. Our client accepted, avoiding a criminal conviction.

39th District Court — Roseville, Macomb County

Alcohol Tether Violations: Probation Continued, No Jail — Roseville

Our client was on probation for a high-BAC operating while intoxicated offense involving an injury accident and was accused of violating probation twice. We used a polygraph to show our client more likely than not consumed alcohol unknowingly while wearing an alcohol tether. The court continued probation over the probation department’s recommendation for jail.

39th District Court — Roseville, Macomb County

See more of our Macomb County and other case results.

The 39th District Court in Roseville

The 39th District Court serves the cities of Roseville and Fraser. Court is held only at the Roseville courthouse, so even a Fraser case will be heard on Gratiot Avenue in Roseville.

39th District Court

Address: 29733 Gratiot Ave., Roseville, MI 48066 (between Common Road and 12 Mile Road)
Main phone: (586) 773-2010
Criminal Division: (586) 447-4430
Probation Department: (586) 447-4425
Court hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (counter closes and doors lock at 4:15 p.m.)
Judges: Chief Judge Alyia Marie Hakim, Judge Joseph F. Boedeker, and Judge Kathleen E. Tocco
Magistrate: Mayssa Attia
Serves: Roseville and Fraser
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. Note that the doors lock at 4:15 p.m., so plan to arrive early.

Bench Warrants and Suspended Licenses: Bring Cash

The court accepts only cash for payments when there is a bench warrant for your arrest or your driver’s license is suspended. If you have a warrant out of the 39th District Court, talk to a Roseville criminal defense lawyer before you go to the courthouse, so you know what to bring, what the court will expect, and how to ask for reasonable bond conditions.

When a “Weaving” Stop Isn’t a Legal Stop

Many drunk driving cases in Roseville start on Gratiot, I-94, I-696, or 12 Mile Road with an officer’s claim that the car was “weaving.” But Michigan law only requires a driver to stay within a single lane “as nearly as practicable,” not perfectly centered. Drifting within your own lane is not, by itself, a traffic violation. If an officer had no lawful reason for the stop, everything that followed, including field sobriety tests and breath results, may be suppressed.

That’s why we review the in-car and body camera video in every OWI case. In our Roseville case, the video was the key: once we challenged the stop, the OWI charge was reduced to a civil infraction.

What Happens After an Arrest in Roseville or Fraser

Arraignment: Your first appearance at the 39th District Court, where the judge or magistrate sets bond and any conditions, such as alcohol testing or a tether.

Misdemeanor cases: These stay in the 39th District Court through pretrial conferences, motions, any trial, and sentencing. Many cases are won or lost on pretrial motions, like the suppression motion in our OWI case.

Felony cases: A felony starts here with a probable cause conference and a preliminary examination. If the case is bound over, it moves to the 16th Circuit Court in Mount Clemens.

Probation: If you’re placed on probation, the court’s Probation Department supervises you. Tether and testing violations are common, but as our tether case shows, a violation doesn’t automatically mean jail.

Treatment Court Options

Michigan’s most recent statewide report lists a DWI Sobriety Court at the 39th District Court. For eligible clients facing drunk driving charges, a sobriety court offers treatment and close supervision in place of a standard sentence. Admission depends on the charge, your history, and screening, so ask about it early.

A Roseville Criminal Defense Lawyer With Macomb County Experience

Attorney Brown appears in Macomb County courts regularly and has appeared before every criminal court judge in the county. He has found Macomb’s judges fair and conscientious and its prosecutors focused on reaching a just result. As a result, careful preparation, such as reviewing the video and filing the right motion, often makes the difference. In addition, when the defense asks the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office for a resolution outside its standard policies, the request goes through a formal written deviation process. Learn how deviation requests work in Macomb County.

Who Investigates Cases in Roseville and Fraser

• Roseville Police Department: handles patrol and investigations in Roseville, including the busy Gratiot Avenue corridor
• Fraser Public Safety: handles police services in Fraser
• Michigan State Police: patrol I-94 and I-696

As a former police officer turned Roseville criminal defense lawyer, Attorney Brown knows how officers justify a traffic stop in their reports, and how to compare that justification with what the video actually shows. If a detective has contacted you before any charge, learn what to do before you talk.

Charges We Defend in Roseville and Fraser

• Drunk driving and OWI, including felony third-offense OWI
• Retail fraud along Gratiot Avenue and other theft charges
• Probation violations, including tether and testing violations
• Domestic violence and assault
• Drug possession and possession with intent to deliver
• Weapons and firearm charges
• Sex crimes

Also Serving Fraser and Nearby Communities

Because Fraser shares the 39th District Court, we defend clients from Fraser just as often as from Roseville. We also represent clients in St. Clair Shores, Eastpointe, Clinton Township, Warren, and the rest of Macomb County.

Talk to a Roseville Criminal Defense Lawyer

• Former Detroit police officer who knows how traffic stops are justified, and when they aren’t
• Licensed in Michigan since 2008, with experience before every criminal court judge in Macomb 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.