About the Oakland County Circuit Court
Oakland County sits in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. The Circuit Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction for the county. It hears felony criminal cases after a district court binds them over. It also decides civil cases above the district-court limit and a broad range of domestic relations and family matters. Appeals from the district courts and the Probate Court arrive here too. Business court disputes form another part of its docket.
The court works within Michigan's One Court of Justice structure. Above it sit the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court. Below it sit the local district courts and a separate Probate Court. The Circuit Court's public address is 1200 North Telegraph Road, Department 404, Pontiac, MI 48341, and its main line is 248-858-0344. The Sixth Judicial Circuit Court page links its business court, Friend of the Court, and self-representation resources.
Weapons and cutting instruments are not permitted in the court buildings on the county campus. Visitors should allow time for security screening.
Oakland County Circuit Court Divisions
The Circuit Court splits its work across civil, criminal, and family branches. The civil side hears contract disputes, business matters, appeals from lower courts, and general civil actions over $25,000. The criminal side takes felony cases once a district court finds probable cause and binds the case over. Sentencing, probation, and post-judgment motions follow in the same court.
The family division carries the domestic caseload. Divorce, custody, parenting time, child support, and paternity cases live here. The Friend of the Court supports these files with services tied to custody, parenting time, and support. That office helps enforce orders and manage support collection. Some family and juvenile material is restricted and should not be treated as fully public.
Business court is a focused part of the civil docket. It handles commercial and business disputes under Michigan's business court rules. The Prosecutor's Circuit Court Division prosecutes felony cases not assigned to a special unit, which shows how criminal work reaches this level.
Oakland County District Courts
District courts are the local trial courts under the Circuit Court. They handle misdemeanors, felony arraignments and preliminary examinations, traffic and civil infractions, landlord-tenant cases, small claims, and general civil disputes within the district limit. Oakland County runs a large district-court network across many cities. Some divisions serve a single city, while the 52nd District Court spreads across four divisions.
The county's district courts directory lists each numbered court and links to its pages.
The directory groups the 43rd through 52nd District Courts and points users to each division's address, contact, and payment tools.
| Court | Location | Address / Phone |
|---|---|---|
| 43rd District Court | Ferndale, Hazel Park, Madison Heights | See county directory for each city's address and phone. |
| 44th District Court | Royal Oak | See county directory for current address and phone. |
| 45th District Court | Oak Park | See county directory for current address and phone. |
| 46th District Court | Southfield | Linked to the city court site. |
| 47th District Court | Farmington Hills | Linked to the city court site. |
| 48th District Court | Bloomfield Hills | Accepts documents in person, by mail, or in a front drop box. |
| 50th District Court | Pontiac | 248-758-3800; criminal/traffic email 50DC-Criminal@pontiac.mi.us. |
| 51st District Court | Waterford | Linked to the Waterford court site. |
| 52-1 District Court | Novi | 48150 Grand River Ave, Novi, MI 48374; 248-305-6460. |
| 52-2 District Court | Clarkston | 5850 Lorac Drive, Clarkston, MI 48346; 248-625-4880. |
| 52-3 District Court | Rochester Hills | Criminal division phone 248-853-5553. |
| 52-4 District Court | Troy | Divisions for civil, criminal, traffic, probation, and payment. |
Circuit Court vs District Court vs Probate Court
Michigan's trial system has three main courts. Each one handles a different set of cases, and knowing the split points a searcher to the right file. The Circuit Court covers the largest civil and criminal matters. District courts handle local and smaller cases. The Probate Court covers estates and protected-person matters.
| Circuit Court | District Court | Probate Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | General jurisdiction | Limited, local trial court | Estates and protected persons |
| Case Types | Felonies after bindover, domestic relations, business court | Misdemeanors, traffic, landlord-tenant, small claims | Wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health |
| Monetary Limit | Civil cases over $25,000 | Civil up to $25,000; small claims up to $7,000 | Based on estate value, not a fixed cap |
| Appeals | Hears appeals from district and probate courts | Appeals go up to the Circuit Court | Appeals go to the Circuit Court or Court of Appeals |
How a Case Moves Through the Oakland County System
A case can climb the state court ladder when a party appeals. The path runs from the trial court up to the state's highest court. Not every case reaches the top, since appeal rights depend on the case type and the final-order rules. The basic route helps readers see where a file may travel.
Appeal path: District Court › Circuit Court › Court of Appeals › Michigan Supreme Court
Felony flow: Arrest › District Court Arraignment › Preliminary Examination › Bindover › Circuit Court Arraignment › Pretrial › Plea or Trial › Sentencing
Felony cases start in a district court for the first appearance and the preliminary examination. If the judge finds probable cause, the case binds over to the Circuit Court. From there it moves toward a plea or trial and then sentencing. Civil appeals from a district court or the Probate Court land in the Circuit Court before any higher review.
Specialty Courts in Oakland County District Courts
Several Oakland County courts run problem-solving programs. These specialty courts blend treatment with close judicial oversight. They aim to cut repeat offenses and reduce jail time for people who qualify. The 52nd District Court divisions carry some of the most developed programs.
The 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills lists a specialty treatment court for drunk drivers and repeat offenders with substance-use disorders. Its 52-3 specialty courts page outlines the treatment and supervision model.
The division added a Veterans Treatment Court in August 2024 and also runs a Mental Health Court. Nearby, the 52-2 District Court in Clarkston offers its own set of programs.
The 52-2 District Court runs Sobriety Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Treatment Court. Its Sobriety Court has operated since 2004 and is a certified DWI and sobriety program under the State Court Administrative Office. The 52-2 specialty court page details eligibility and the interlock licensing option.
Qualifying participants may access a treatment-court interlock licensing program, and eligibility centers on drinking or drugging-and-driving offenses with prior convictions.
Paying and Filing at Oakland County District Courts
Each district court sets its own payment and filing rules. Fines, costs, and tickets follow the court printed on the citation. Several divisions accept payment online, in person, or by mail. Fees and service charges vary by division, so the ticket or notice should guide the method.
The 52-1 District Court in Novi accepts payment in person or online with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. Its 52-1 methods of payment page lists a 3.5 percent service fee on card payments.
Other 52nd District Court divisions post similar card service fees and a separate ACH transaction fee. The 52-4 District Court in Troy keeps an after-hours drop box for tickets and criminal fines, but it warns against leaving cash there.
Note: county district courts warn about text scams that claim to be from the Michigan DMV, and the courts never solicit payment through a link in a text message.
Searching Oakland County Circuit Court Records
Circuit Court records run through two main channels. Court Explorer is the county's online portal for public Sixth Circuit legal records. Users search by name or case number and can view party information, the register of actions, and copy-order options. The county notes that Court Explorer is not the official record and should not be used for a background check.
The official files stay with the clerk. The Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Legal Records Division keeps the civil, domestic, felony, and business court files for the Sixth Circuit. District-court cases usually run through the state MiCOURT system or the individual district court instead. A broader look at every access channel appears in the county court records resources.
Personal Protection Orders, juvenile matters, and probate mental health records are not available through Court Explorer. Those files follow separate rules and often need a court order or proper standing.
The court sits in Department 404 at 1200 North Telegraph Road in Pontiac, and its main line is 248-858-0344. Counter hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A visitor who cannot find a case online can ask Legal Records staff to check the file in person during those hours.