If you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense in the 43rd District Court, your case will be heard in one of the three branches of the 43rd District Court that exist in Ferndale, Madison Heights, or Hazel Park. Depending on where the offense was alleged to have occurred will determine which branch of the 43rd District Court will hear your case.

The 43rd District Court of Ferndale, Madison Heights, and Hazel Park is located in Oakland County. Oakland County is considered to be one of the “toughest” Counties in the state for criminal defendants. The presiding Judge in Ferndale is Judge Joseph Longo. The presiding Judge in Madison Heights is Judge Keith Hunt, and the presiding Judge in Hazel Park is Judge Charles Goedert. Many attorneys and defendants consider these “tough” Judges, and some attorneys will not practice in certain wings of the 43rd District Court. However, attorney William (Bill) Barnwell of Barnwell Law, PLLC has represented numerous clients in Ferndale, Hazel Park, and Madison Heights and is not afraid of these Courts and is happy to take your case and provide you with a top-notch defense.

Barnwell Law has represented individuals accused of various misdemeanors and felonies in these courts including DUI, OWI, other alcohol-related offenses, Indecent Exposure, Disorderly Conduct, drug crimes, Home Invasion, Breaking and Entering, Resisting Arrest (alleged offenses against the police), Driving While License Suspended, traffic matters, Assault, Battery, Domestic Violence, and a host of other offenses that range from serious felonies, to lower level misdemeanors. This list is not exhaustive, but our attorney has successfully represented numerous individuals before all three Judges and Courts of various misdemeanor and felony allegations.

If you are facing a misdemeanor, such as Retail Fraud in the 3rd or 2nd Degree, your case will stay in the 43rd District Court in Ferndale, Madison Heights, or Hazel Park (depending on where the crime was alleged to have occurred). If you are being charged with any felony, whether it is drug or alcohol related (substances such as heroin, cocaine, meth, mushrooms, marijuana, a 3rd Drunk Driving/DUI/OWI offense, etc), a property offense such as felony larceny or embezzlement, home invasion, breaking and entering, a homicide or murder related allegation, etc, then your case will begin in Ferndale, Madison Heights, or Hazel Park, and if not dismissed at your Probable Cause Hearing, traditionally known as a Preliminary Exam, the case will proceed to the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac.

It can not be emphasized enough how “tough” the Courts can be in the 43rd District and Oakland County overall. This is why you need an attorney experienced not only with Criminal Law, but each branch of the 43rd District, as well as the 6th Circuit Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac if you are facing a felony. Our attorney is not afraid to take your case to trial in any of these Courts. He has a winning trial record across Michigan and Metro-Detroit for various misdemeanor and felony trials, as well as a well-documented record of success for clients who do not want to take their cases to trial, but instead desire to work out some other favorable form of resolution.

If you have been charged with an offense anywhere in Oakland County, such as with the 43rd District Court’s jurisdiction of Ferndale, Hazel Park, or Madison Heights, or a felony case that will ultimately be heard in the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, it is essential that you call Bill Barnwell of Barnwell Law today.

Our attorney is on call 24/7 and will take your call in your time of need, or respond to your message as soon as possible. Our attorney is also an exclusive criminal defense attorney who has been highly ranked by his peers, the overall legal community, and countless previous clients.

Call Bill of Barnwell Law, PLLC today at (810) 394-2952 to schedule your consultation.

If you have been charged with a crime in Sterling Heights, your case will be heard at the 41-A District Court located at 40111 Dodge Park Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48313.

There are three Judges who preside in Sterling Heights: Judge Michael Maceroni, Judge Stephen Sierawski, and Judge Kimberly Wiegand. Attorney Bill Barnwell has appeared in front of each of these judges in both felony and misdemeanor cases and has secured favorable results for clients, including outright case dismissals. If you are being arraigned on a charge, you may first appear before a magistrate, who will inform you of the charge you are facing and set bond. If your case is a misdemeanor, it will be set for pretrial. If you are facing a felony charge, it will be set for Probable Cause Conference.

If you’re facing a misdemeanor charge, your case will be heard in its entirety at the 41-A District Court from one of the three Sterling Heights District Court Judges. A misdemeanor charge has a maximum possible jail penalty of up to one year in the county jail. Common misdemeanor charges are DUI, OWI, OUIL, disorderly conduct, reckless driving, retail fraud, assault and battery, indecent exposure, domestic violence, minor larceny, and embezzlement cases. This is not an exhaustive list, but an example of the types of cases heard in District Court.

If you are facing a felony case, such as felony drug possession, felony home invasion, or any other type of felony, your case will be arraigned in the 41-A District Court. This will be followed by a Probable Cause Conference within 14 days of your arraignment, followed by a Preliminary Exam (also known as Probable Cause Hearing) within 21 days of your arraignment. If a client “waives” their Preliminary Exam, the matter then proceeds to the 16th Circuit Court, otherwise known as the Macomb County Circuit Court. If the Preliminary Exam is held, the case may be dismissed or it will be “bound over” to the Macomb County Circuit Court for further proceedings.

Bill Barnwell of Barnwell Law has conducted preliminary exams for felony cases in the 41-A District Court that ultimately led to dismissals in the Macomb County Circuit Court, and also has had felony cases outright dismissed following Preliminary Exams in Sterling Heights.

It is important when hiring an attorney to choose legal council who has a track record of solid results in a given court room. Barnwell Law has not only appeared regularly in the 41-A District Court, but courts all around the state of Michigan. As with all Judges, each of the three Judges in this particular court have their own distinctive styles. Also, Bill has conducted jury trials in various parts of the state and is highly qualified to take your case all the way to trial.

If you have been sentenced already in Sterling Heights and have been put on probation and have been told that you are in violation of your probation, it is highly advised that you hire an attorney for your Probation Violation proceeding as well. Bill has successfully represented numerous clients facing allegations of probation violations in Sterling Heights in the 41-A District Court.

Whatever the situation may be, contact Bill anytime at (810) 394-2952 if you are facing a misdemeanor, felony, or probation violation allegation arising out of Sterling Heights. Your freedom is too important. Call an attorney who handles ONLY criminal law on a daily basis throughout Metro-Detroit and the state of Michigan.