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The 19th District Court in Dearborn, Michigan

If you were charged in Dearborn, this is where your case begins. A practical guide from a defense firm located minutes from the courthouse.

The court, in plain terms

The 19th District Court at 16077 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126 is the trial court for cases that arise inside the city of Dearborn, handling more than 75,000 cases a year with three judges. If you were arrested, ticketed, or charged by Dearborn police, your case will be called here first, whether it is an OWI, a misdemeanor assault, retail fraud, a suspended-license charge, or the opening stage of a felony.

Misdemeanor cases live at this court from arraignment through sentencing. Felony charges begin here with an arraignment and preliminary examination, then move to the Wayne County Circuit Court’s Criminal Division in Detroit if they are bound over. The court also handles traffic matters, civil infractions, small claims, and landlord-tenant cases for Dearborn.

What the first weeks look like

The sequence in a typical misdemeanor case: arraignment (plea entered, bond and conditions set), then a pretrial conference where your attorney and the prosecutor discuss the case (most matters resolve at or after this stage) and, if no resolution makes sense, motions and trial. In an OWI case, the Secretary of State license clock runs separately from the court dates, and some of those deadlines are short.

The decisions that shape the outcome tend to happen early: what is said to police, what bond conditions get set at arraignment, whether the police report and testing records get scrutinized before the first pretrial. That is why the useful time to involve a defense attorney is before your first date at Michigan Avenue, not after it.

Why local counsel matters here

Every district court develops its own rhythms: how dockets are called, how the city prosecutor approaches first offenses, how probation runs its interviews, and how the DWI/Sobriety Court program is used in repeat-offense cases. Attorneys who appear in a courtroom regularly know those rhythms; attorneys driving in from an hour away are guessing at them.

Our office is on Garrison Street in Dearborn, about ten minutes from the courthouse. District court criminal defense is core work for this firm, from OWI and drunk-driving charges to misdemeanors and felony preliminary examinations, and our attorneys handle those cases in English or Arabic. You can read more about the practice on our criminal defense page or our Dearborn criminal defense page.

Judges of the 19th District Court

  • Chief Judge Sam Salamey
  • Judge Eugene Hunt Jr.
  • Judge Mark Somers

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: 16077 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126
  • Phone: (313) 943-2060
  • Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
  • Official website: dearborn.gov/government/19th-district-court (court dates, ticket payment, and current procedures)
  • Case lookup: search by name or case number through Michigan's MiCOURT case search
  • Jurisdiction: City of Dearborn
  • 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 19th District Court sits at 16077 Michigan Avenue in Dearborn. It handles cases arising in the city of Dearborn: misdemeanors, the early stages of felony cases (arraignment through preliminary examination), traffic matters, civil infractions, small claims, and landlord-tenant disputes. Felonies that survive the preliminary examination move to the Wayne County Circuit Court's Criminal Division at the Criminal Justice Center in Detroit.

The court's three judges are Chief Judge Sam Salamey, Judge Eugene Hunt Jr., and Judge Mark Somers. Judge Salamey has served as chief judge by appointment of the Michigan Supreme Court since January 2023. District judges are elected on non-partisan ballots for six-year terms, and each runs their docket differently, which is part of why local familiarity matters.

Yes, if the amount in dispute is $25,000 or less. Contract disputes, unpaid invoices, and collections for Dearborn businesses are heard here, and claims of $7,000 or less can go through the small claims division without the formality of a full civil case. Commercial landlord-tenant matters for Dearborn properties are heard here too. Disputes over $25,000 belong in the Wayne County Circuit Court, where qualifying business cases go to the specialized Business Court docket.

The arraignment is the first hearing: the charge is read, you enter a plea, and the judge sets bond and any conditions (no-contact orders, testing, travel limits). It moves quickly, and the bond conditions set that day follow you for the life of the case. It is worth talking to an attorney before the arraignment, not after.

Use the court's page on the City of Dearborn website (dearborn.gov) or Michigan's statewide MiCOURT case search to find your case number, charges, and next hearing date. If you have a ticket, the citation number on it is the fastest way to find the matter. If you cannot find your case or you have missed a date, call the court promptly; a missed hearing can turn into a bench warrant or a default.

You can pay most civil infractions through the court, and for some people that is the right call. Understand what paying does first: it is an admission of responsibility, points may go on your license, and your insurance can price them for years. For some tickets, a short attorney negotiation gets the charge reduced to one with fewer or no points, and that often costs less than the insurance increase. Worth a phone call before you pay.

Any Michigan-licensed attorney can appear there. But local practice matters: how each judge runs a docket, what the city prosecutor typically offers on a first offense, and how the probation department handles interviews all shape outcomes. Our office is on Garrison Street in Dearborn, minutes from the courthouse, and district court defense is core work for our criminal practice.

Have a court date at the 19th 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