45th District Court

The counter hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The court is closed on legal holidays.

The Probation Department is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. -5 p.m.. Probation officers are available by scheduled appointment only, or by telephone or e-mail.

The 45th District Court is located at the Oak Park City Complex located at 13600 Oak Park Boulevard, Oak Park, Michigan 48237-2006

If you have been served with a summons, you must file an answer to the complaint within 21 days of receiving the summons. An answer is a written response to the complaint. The answer must be filed at the court and a copy must be sent to the plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney.

Proper venue is determined by where the defendant (the party being sued) is located or has a place of business. The 45th District Court has jurisdiction over the Charter Township of Royal Oak, and the cities of Huntington Woods, Oak Park and Pleasant Ridge. In the case of a tort action, venue may be determined by where the incident occurred.

The jurisdictional limit for a general civil suit is $25,000.

Michigan law requires all corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships to be represented by an attorney. If you are being sued individually, you may be represented by an attorney if you choose.

If you disagree with the default judgment, you may file a motion to have it set aside. There is a form available at the court for parties wishing to set aside a default judgment. If you believe the judgment is correct and would like to make payments, you may file a motion for installment payments. The form is available at the court.

If you believe a garnishment was improperly issued, you may file a timely objection to the garnishment. The form is available at the court. Parties may also motion for installment payments in response to a periodic (wage) garnishment. Please be advised that until the court enters an order, a periodic garnishment remains in effect. The filing of an objection to a garnishment or motion for installment payments does not cancel the garnishment. The court may take two to three weeks to enter an order.

See the fee schedule.

There is a $20 motion fee for Civil matters. There is no motion fee for Traffic or Criminal matters.

An arraignment is a hearing, whereby a defendant is informed of the charges against him/her, is appointed counsel if necessary and is permitted to plead to the charges. Pretrial motions may be made and bail is set.

Arraignments on misdemeanor tickets and warrants are held Monday thru Friday around 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Individuals should report to court 30 minutes early if they are turning themselves in. 

Each case is handled on a case by case basis, however, a bond refund check will be issued by the court once all fines and costs are paid and the case is closed.

To request an informal hearing, call the court within 14 days of the citation date, mail a written request or sign the back of the violation checking "admit with explanation" or "deny responsibility" and mail it to the court within 14 days of the citation issuance date. A notice of hearing will be mailed to you.

To request a formal hearing, send a written request to the court or have your attorney file an appearance. A notice of hearing will be mailed to you.

A magistrate or judge presides over an informal hearing. The officer who issued the citation and the defendant are present. Attorneys may not represent either party at an informal hearing. The proceedings are not on the record.

A district judge presides over a formal hearing. The city, township, or state is represented by an attorney. The defendant may represent him/herself or may retain an attorney. The proceedings are on the record.

The court will accept a personal check unless your operator's license is suspended, the check is from out of state, or if you have had a non-sufficient funds check with the court.

MasterCard, Visa or Discover will be accepted for all payments excluding civil division transactions and bail bonds. Call the court at (248) 691-7440 for any questions.

Points stay on your driving record for two years. If you want to know how many points are currently on your Michigan Drivers License, please contact the Michigan Secretary of State.

If you missed your court date, the court will enter a default judgment against you and assess a $40 late fee. If you missed a court date for a probation matter, a warrant will be issued.  Please contact the court at (248) 691-7440 with further questions.

Cell phones or any other electronic devices are not allowed in the court facility.  Medical devices will be allowed.

The court does allow children but does not recommend that children be brought to court.  Parents who bring children to court may be asked to leave the court room if their children are keeping the court from functioning in an efficient manner. Children may not be brought to the probation department.

It is recommended that an individual dress professionally for court. Hats, caps, bandanas, etc. on men are not permitted. Obscene, threatening, or profane language or illustrations on clothing are not permitted.