Wayne County Criminal Defense Lawyer

Wayne County has the busiest criminal courts in Michigan, from the 36th District Court in Detroit to suburban courts in Livonia, Dearborn, Westland, and Canton, and felony cases at the Third Circuit Court. Attorney Christopher Brown is a Wayne County criminal defense lawyer and former Detroit police officer. He spent more than a decade as assigned counsel in Wayne County’s felony court, and he has appeared before every district court judge in the county.

Recent Wayne County Results

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

Felony False Report Charge Dismissed Through Pretrial Diversion — Wayne County

Our client was charged with making a false report of a felony, a four-year felony, after he reported that his vehicle had been carjacked when it had not been. At the time, he was struggling with a substance use problem, and he admitted the report wasn’t true. He wasn’t eligible for any statutory diversion program. After we presented the mitigating circumstances to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, he was accepted into its pretrial diversion program. After three months, the case was dismissed and the fingerprints taken at his arrest were destroyed.

Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Pretrial Diversion — Wayne County

Felony CCW Dismissed Through Gun Board Diversion — Wayne County Circuit Court

We convinced the Wayne County Gun Board to accept our diversion proposal. The felony concealed weapon charge was dismissed, and our client pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for possessing an unregistered firearm.

3rd Circuit Court — Wayne County

First-Degree Home Invasion Dismissed — Westland

Our client went to collect a debt and was invited into the home. Once inside, his phone went missing. When he confronted the man who owed him money, a fight broke out.

Police arrested our client and charged him with first-degree home invasion, a 20-year felony. While our client sat in jail, the complainant used our client’s phone to take money from him.

We investigated, gathered the transaction records, and showed the prosecutor that the transactions happened while our client was in custody. The prosecutor dismissed the case in the 18th District Court in Westland.

18th District Court — Westland, Wayne County

Felony Scrap Metal Theft Dismissed at the Preliminary Exam — Detroit

The prosecution failed to meet its burden at the preliminary examination, and the charges were dismissed.

36th District Court — Detroit, Wayne County

See more of our Wayne County and other case results.

A Wayne County Criminal Defense Lawyer Who Knows Both Sides

Attorney Brown served as a Detroit police officer from 1996 to 2003. From 2009 to 2020, he was assigned counsel in Wayne County Circuit Court, defending felony cases day after day. That experience was invaluable. It taught him the judges, the prosecutors, and the nuances of what each one looks for, expects, and believes. In criminal defense, it’s important to know your judge.

Today, he has practiced before every district court judge in Wayne County and most, if not all, of its criminal court judges. That local knowledge shapes everything from the first bond argument to the final plea negotiation.

How Policing in Wayne County Has Changed

Over the years, technology has transformed policing. Body cameras are now standard, and Detroit’s Project Green Light cameras and Flock license plate cameras record far more than ever before. That footage can help the prosecution, but it can also prove that the police report got it wrong. That’s why, as a Wayne County criminal defense lawyer, Attorney Brown demands all of it early.

Wayne County also has more foot traffic than Oakland or Macomb, especially in Detroit. In Attorney Brown’s experience, that leads to more police contacts that start on foot, such as pedestrian stops and street encounters. Every one of those stops has to be lawful. If an officer stops or searches you without a valid reason, the evidence can be challenged. If a detective has contacted you before any charge, learn what to do before you talk.

Working With the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office

The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office handles state prosecutions in Wayne County, including every felony case. Charges under a city ordinance are prosecuted by that city’s attorney instead. The prosecutor’s office handles a huge number of cases, and the sheer volume forces it to prioritize its resources. That doesn’t make it a pushover. The number of cases plays a part in its decisions, but you must also give the prosecutor well-supported reasons and documented steps your client has taken before it will agree to the right resolution.

In Wayne County, the key early question is often which route can deliver the result you need. The prosecutor’s office handles different requests through different channels:

• Pretrial diversion: for eligible first-time or low-record clients, mostly in property and certain public-order cases, such as the false report case above. Firearm, assault, drunk driving, and drug charges generally go through other routes.
• The Gun Board: the office’s internal review for reducing firearm charges, such as CCW and felony firearm.
• Behavioral health diversion: for clients whose charges are connected to mental illness or a developmental disability.
• Drug cases: often resolved through Michigan’s first-offender law, MCL 333.7411, or a treatment court.

A Wayne County criminal defense lawyer who identifies the right route early, and supports it with records, can make the difference.

The Wayne County Gun Board

Attorney Brown has handled dozens of gun cases through the Wayne County Gun Board, including many charges from Detroit Metro Airport. A strong Gun Board request explains exactly how the gun was carried, the client’s license history and background, and the specific reasons a reduction is fair, with records to back it up. In our Gun Board case above, the felony CCW charge was dismissed. If you were charged at the airport, see our airport gun charge page.

Wayne County Courts

The Third Circuit Court at the Criminal Justice Center

Felony cases in Wayne County are heard by the Third Circuit Court at the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center, 5301 Russell Street in Detroit, which opened for court operations in 2024. Many felony cases start on an arraignment docket and move to a trial docket if they don’t resolve, while cases with a felony firearm charge go directly to a trial docket. As a result, the judge who first handles your case may not be the judge who tries it.

Wayne County District Courts

Every criminal case starts in the district court for the city or township where the arrest happened. Wayne County’s district courts include:

• 16th District Court: Livonia
• 17th District Court: Redford Township
• 18th District Court: Westland
• 19th District Court: Dearborn
• 20th District Court: Dearborn Heights
• 21st District Court: Garden City
• 22nd District Court: Inkster
• 23rd District Court: Taylor
• 24th District Court: Allen Park and Melvindale
• 25th District Court: Lincoln Park, Ecorse, and River Rouge
• 27th District Court: Wyandotte and Riverview
• 28th District Court: Southgate
• 29th District Court: Wayne
• 30th District Court: Highland Park
• 31st District Court: Hamtramck
• 32A District Court: Harper Woods
• 33rd District Court: Woodhaven, Trenton, Gibraltar, Rockwood, Flat Rock, Brownstown Township, and Grosse Ile Township
• 34th District Court: Romulus, Belleville, and Sumpter, Van Buren, and Huron Townships
• 35th District Court: Plymouth, Northville, and Plymouth, Northville, and Canton Townships
• 36th District Court: Detroit

The Grosse Pointes have their own municipal courts. The 36th District Court in Detroit also has a docket dedicated to CCW cases.

How a Felony Case Moves Through Wayne County

Arraignment: Your first appearance is in the district court, where bond is set.

Probable cause conference and preliminary exam: These also take place in the district court. The preliminary exam is often the best early chance to challenge the evidence, as in our Detroit scrap metal case.

Third Circuit Court: If the case is bound over, it moves to the Criminal Justice Center for arraignment on the information, pretrial proceedings, and, if needed, trial.

Treatment and Specialty Courts in Wayne County

For eligible clients, treatment courts can offer treatment and supervision in place of a standard sentence. The Third Circuit Court runs a hybrid Drug/DWI Treatment Court, a Mental Health Treatment Court, and a Veterans Treatment Court. Michigan’s statewide directories also list sobriety or combined drug and sobriety courts at district courts in Livonia, Redford, Westland, Dearborn, Taylor, Lincoln Park, Harper Woods, Woodhaven, Romulus, Plymouth, and Detroit, plus mental health courts in Detroit, Wyandotte, and Wayne. Admission depends on the court, the charge, and screening, so ask about these options early.

Charges We Defend in Wayne County

• Drunk driving and OWI, including felony third-offense OWI
• Gun charges, including CCW and 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

Wayne County Communities We Serve

We defend clients throughout Wayne County, including Detroit, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Livonia, Westland, Canton, Plymouth, Northville, Redford, Garden City, Taylor, Romulus, Southgate, Wyandotte, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Hamtramck, Grosse Pointe, and the Downriver communities. We also represent clients in Oakland County and Macomb County.

Wayne County Criminal Defense FAQ

Where are felony cases heard in Wayne County?

Felonies start in the district court where the arrest happened. If the case is bound over after the preliminary exam, it moves to the Third Circuit Court at the Criminal Justice Center on Russell Street in Detroit.

What is the Wayne County Gun Board?

It’s the prosecutor’s internal review for requests to reduce firearm charges, such as CCW and felony firearm. A well-supported request can lead to a reduced charge or, in some cases, a dismissal.

Can I get diversion in Wayne County?

Possibly. The prosecutor offers pretrial diversion for some eligible clients, mostly in property and certain public-order cases, even when no statutory diversion is available, as in our false report case. Drug cases are often handled through MCL 333.7411 or a treatment court. A Wayne County criminal defense lawyer can tell you which route fits your charge.

Do I need a lawyer if my case is in a busy court like the 36th District Court?

Yes. High-volume courts move quickly, and important decisions about bond, evidence, and plea offers happen early. Having a lawyer who knows the court and its prosecutors helps make sure your case gets the attention it deserves.

Talk to a Wayne County Criminal Defense Lawyer

• Former Detroit police officer who knows how Wayne County policing works from the inside
• 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.