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The 18th District Court in Westland, Michigan

If you were charged in Westland, your case starts here. A practical guide from a Wayne County firm that appears in this courthouse.

The court, in plain terms

The 18th District Court at 36675 Ford Road is the trial court for cases arising inside Westland, one of Wayne County’s largest cities. Misdemeanors, including first-offense OWI, are arraigned and resolved here. Felonies begin with an arraignment and preliminary examination before binding over to the Wayne County Circuit Court’s Criminal Division in Detroit. Traffic matters, civil infractions, small claims, and landlord-tenant cases are heard here as well.

The court maintains its own website with payment and scheduling tools, which is unusual among the smaller Wayne County district courts and makes the administrative side of a case easier to track. The legal side still turns on the first weeks: the arraignment, the bond conditions, and what the file shows before the first pretrial.

Why local counsel matters here

A two-judge bench means predictable courtroom practice for those who appear in it: what a first-offense resolution typically looks like, when a reduction is realistic, how probation approaches interviews. We represent Westland clients at this court from our Dearborn office, in English and Arabic, from OWI and traffic charges to misdemeanors and preliminary exams. More on our Westland criminal defense page.

Judges of the 18th District Court

  • Judge Sandra Ference Cicirelli
  • Judge Mark A. McConnell

Judges are elected on non-partisan ballots for six-year terms, and assignments change. Bench details verified September 2026; confirm the judge assigned to your case with the court directly.

Practical details

  • Address: 36675 Ford Rd, Westland, MI 48185
  • Phone: (734) 595-8720
  • Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
  • Official website: 18thdistrictcourt.com (court dates, ticket payment, and current procedures)
  • Case lookup: search by name or case number through Michigan's MiCOURT case search
  • Jurisdiction: City of Westland
  • Handles: misdemeanors, felony arraignments and preliminary exams, traffic and civil infractions, small claims, landlord-tenant
  • Felonies continue at: Wayne County Criminal Justice Center, 5301 Russell St, Detroit

Court procedures, schedules, and personnel change; verify current requirements with the court directly. Details on this page were last verified September 2026. Nothing here is legal advice about your specific case.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

The 18th District Court sits at 36675 Ford Road in Westland. It handles cases arising inside Westland: misdemeanors, the early stages of felony cases, traffic matters, civil infractions, small claims, and landlord-tenant disputes. Felonies bound over after a preliminary examination continue at the Wayne County Circuit Court's Criminal Division in Detroit.

The court's two judges are Judge Sandra Ference Cicirelli and Judge Mark A. McConnell, elected on non-partisan ballots for six-year terms. Each runs their courtroom with settled practices on scheduling, pleas, and probation, which an attorney who appears there regularly can navigate.

No. Divorce, custody, and support cases for Westland residents are filed with the Wayne County Circuit Court's Family Division, not the district court. What the 18th does hear are the matters that sometimes travel alongside a family dispute: landlord-tenant cases when a household splits, and small claims over shared property or money. If you are not sure whether your situation is a district court matter or a Family Division filing, that is a quick question for an attorney before anything is filed.

The court's own website (18thdistrictcourt.com) links to payments and court information, and Michigan's statewide MiCOURT case search covers lookups by name or case number. If your date is close and the case is not showing, call the court rather than letting the date pass; a no-show can become a bench warrant.

Any Michigan-licensed attorney can appear, but local knowledge shortens cases: what the prosecutor offers on a first offense, how each judge handles adjournments, and how probation runs interviews. We represent Westland clients at this court from our Dearborn office, in English and Arabic.

Have a court date at the 18th District Court?

Call before your first appearance if you can. We will tell you what the charge typically means at this court and what your realistic options are.

Schedule a Consultation (313) 425-5555