OWI defense, 44th District Court

OWI defense at the 44th District Court in Royal Oak

If you were arrested for drunk driving in Royal Oak, your case is at the 44th District Court, 400 E. 11 Mile Road. Michigan calls the charge OWI. The court is set by where the stop happened, not by where you live.

Before that court date arrives, check your paperwork for a refusal notice. If you refused the chemical test, you have 14 days from the date of the notice to request a hearing on your license. MCL 257.625f(1). That deadline usually passes before you ever see the courtroom.

An empty downtown street at night after rain, string lights over brick storefronts, nobody in frame

Where is the 44th District Court?

400 E. 11 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48067, in the same parking lot as the Royal Oak Farmers Market. The court's phone is 248-246-3600 and it is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

The 44th also covers Berkley. Berkley's court was merged into the 44th in January 2015, and the state court directory lists a second 44th District Court location at 3338 Coolidge in Berkley.

Which OWI cases go to the 44th District Court?

Any drunk driving arrest inside Royal Oak or Berkley, whichever agency made it. A Royal Oak officer on Main Street, a Berkley officer on 12 Mile, a state trooper on I-696 inside the city limits. All of them belong to the 44th.

How many OWI arrests happen in Royal Oak?

The state's 2025 drunk driving audit lists 213 arrests by Royal Oak police and 84 by Berkley police. Royal Oak officers recorded 152 breath tests, and 66 of those came back at 0.17 or higher, the level Michigan charges as a more serious offense. In 36 Royal Oak arrests the driver refused the chemical test, and that is the group the 14-day deadline applies to.

Source: Michigan State Police, 2025 Michigan Annual Drunk Driving Audit.

Lawyers specialized in

OWI defense at the 44th District Court in Royal Oak

No items found.

We will help you with:

Call 844-ASK-AZZO and skip the form

The license request goes out first, because it expires first

Fee quoted in writing before you decide anything

14 days

To request the implied consent hearing after a chemical test refusal, counted from the date of the notice. MCL 257.625f(1).

213

Drunk driving arrests by Royal Oak police in the state's 2025 audit. Berkley police recorded 84 more.

0.17

The high BAC threshold. 66 of the 152 breath results Royal Oak police recorded in 2025 were at or above it. A first offense at that level carries up to 180 days in jail. MCL 257.625(1)(c) and (9)(a).

How this works

What happens at the first court date in Royal Oak?

The first date is the arraignment. The charge is read, a plea is entered, and the court sets the conditions you live under while the case is open. Nothing about the evidence is decided that day. The work on the evidence comes after, at the pretrial stage, once we have the police report, the video, and the test records.

A first-offense case usually takes about three court dates, with calls and emails with the prosecutor in between.

If the reading was 0.17 or higher

The charge is still a misdemeanor on a first offense, but the ceiling is higher. Up to 180 days in jail instead of 93, and a fine of $200 to $700 instead of $100 to $500. MCL 257.625(9)(a). How the test was run matters more at this level, because the number itself is the charge.

The license case is not in this building

The refusal hearing belongs to the Secretary of State, not the district court. It covers four questions only: whether the officer had reasonable grounds, whether you were arrested, whether a refusal was reasonable, and whether you were advised of your rights. MCL 257.625f(4).

Deadlines

14 days from the date of the notice to request the implied consent hearing after a refusal. MCL 257.625f(1).
One year of suspension for a first refusal if the request is missed or the hearing is lost. Two years for a second refusal within seven years. MCL 257.625f(1)(a).
Your arraignment date is on the notice from the 44th District Court. It does not pause the 14-day clock.

Request the implied consent hearing

MCL 257.625f(1), counted from the notice

14 days

Refusal suspension if the request is missed

MCL 257.625f(1)(a)

1 to 2 years

Working with us

One attorney owns your file the whole way. Your attorney calls you back, usually the same day.

That night

Keep every piece of paper.

You leave with a citation, a court notice, and if you refused the test, a notice that starts the 14-day clock. Bring all three when you call.

The first 14 days

The license request goes out first.

Because it expires first. The hearing request under MCL 257.625f(1) is filed while the Royal Oak court date is still ahead of you.

Before arraignment

You hear what you are facing.

The charge, the possible penalties, and the fee, in writing, before you decide anything.

Arraignment

The charge is read at the 44th.

A plea is entered and conditions of release are set. Nothing about the evidence is decided here.

Pretrial

We read the proof line by line.

The police report, the dash and body camera footage, and the test records. Most OWI cases turn on what is in that file.

Fees

We quote a flat fee or an hourly rate in writing before we start. The same document says what stage the fee covers and what happens if the case goes to trial. Costs are separate and itemized.

No lawyer can promise you an outcome in a criminal case.

Questions

Questions people ask about the 44th District Court

Where do I go for an OWI in Royal Oak, Michigan?

The 44th District Court at 400 E. 11 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48067.

I do not live in Royal Oak. Is my case still there?

Yes. The court is set by where the stop happened. If you were arrested in Royal Oak, the case is at the 44th even if you live in Troy, Detroit, or out of state.

How many times will I have to go to court?

A first-offense case usually takes about three court dates. The arraignment comes first, and the work on the evidence happens between the dates that follow.

What does 0.17 mean for a first offense?

It is the high BAC charge under MCL 257.625(1)(c). A first offense is still a misdemeanor, but the maximum is 180 days in jail and a fine of $200 to $700, compared with 93 days and $100 to $500 below that level. MCL 257.625(9)(a).

Can police take my blood without a warrant?

Generally not. In Birchfield v. North Dakota, 579 U.S. 438 (2016), the U.S. Supreme Court held that police can require a breath test after a lawful drunk driving arrest without a warrant, but as a general rule need a warrant for a blood draw. How the test in your case was obtained is one of the first things we check.

What should I have with me when I call?

The citation, the court notice, and any paper the officer handed you about your license. The date on that license notice is what we look at first.

This page explains Michigan law. It is not legal advice about your situation, and the statutes and figures on it change. Reading this page, calling the firm, or sending us information does not create an attorney-client relationship. That relationship starts only when you and the firm sign a written agreement.

For the firm's full terms, see our disclaimer.

The Azzo Law storefront office on a Birmingham main street at dusk, warm light in the windows.

Lauren Sitto Azzo leads Azzo Law from 33687 Woodward Ave in Birmingham, with a team behind the work. If your notice says 44th District Court, call before the 14 days run.

Call 844-ASK-AZZO (844-275-2996). Have the notice in front of you. Your attorney calls you back, usually the same day.

Call 844-ASK-AZZO (844-275-2996)

OWI defense at the 44th District Court in Royal Oak

Where is the 44th District Court?

Which OWI cases go to the 44th District Court?

How many OWI arrests happen in Royal Oak?

What happens at the first court date in Royal Oak?

If the reading was 0.17 or higher

The license case is not in this building

Deadlines

Working with us

Keep every piece of paper.

The license request goes out first.

You hear what you are facing.

The charge is read at the 44th.

We read the proof line by line.

Fees

Questions people ask about the 44th District Court

Where do I go for an OWI in Royal Oak, Michigan?

I do not live in Royal Oak. Is my case still there?

How many times will I have to go to court?

What does 0.17 mean for a first offense?

Can police take my blood without a warrant?

What should I have with me when I call?

Explore other services

Car accidents and no-fault

Criminal defense

Truck accidents

DUI and OWI defense

Tell us what happened

OWI defense at the 44th District Court in Royal Oak

Where is the 44th District Court?

Which OWI cases go to the 44th District Court?

How many OWI arrests happen in Royal Oak?

What happens at the first court date in Royal Oak?

If the reading was 0.17 or higher

The license case is not in this building

Deadlines

Working with us

Keep every piece of paper.

The license request goes out first.

You hear what you are facing.

The charge is read at the 44th.

We read the proof line by line.

Fees

Questions people ask about the 44th District Court

Where do I go for an OWI in Royal Oak, Michigan?

I do not live in Royal Oak. Is my case still there?

How many times will I have to go to court?

What does 0.17 mean for a first offense?

Can police take my blood without a warrant?

What should I have with me when I call?

Where to go next

Explore other services

Car accidents and no-fault

Criminal defense

Truck accidents

DUI and OWI defense

Tell us what happened