Monroe County, Michigan
Monroe County: one district court, one bench.
Monroe is the simplest court map of the four counties we serve and, for that reason, the one where local knowledge counts for the most. There is one district court for the entire county and one circuit court, both in the city of Monroe, which means the same handful of judges and the same prosecutor's office handle essentially everything that happens here.
Where felonies and divorces go
The 38th Circuit Court and the 1st District Court
The 38th Circuit Court handles Monroe County felonies, civil cases above the district court limit, and all domestic relations matters through its family division, including divorce, custody, and personal protection orders. The 1st District Court handles every misdemeanor punishable by up to a year, all traffic and civil infractions, landlord tenant matters, small claims, and the arraignments and preliminary examinations that begin felony cases. Both sit at the county courthouse in Monroe, so unlike Wayne or Macomb, there's no question about which building your case is in.
Courts and communities
Communities across Monroe County
1st District Court
The entire county. Monroe, Bedford Township, Temperance, Dundee, Carleton, Ida, Erie, Milan and every other community in the county share one district court.
Monroe
County seat. Both courts sit here, along with the prosecutor's office.
Bedford Township and Temperance
The Ohio border. The county's southern edge, where a large share of traffic enforcement happens along I-75 and US-23.
Dundee and Carleton
Western and northern Monroe. Rural communities whose cases still route to the same courthouse in Monroe.
Flat Rock and Rockwood
The Wayne County line. Cases here can fall on either side of the county line, which decides whether you are in Monroe or in Wayne's 33rd District Court.
Why it matters
A small court map is not a simple case
People sometimes assume a smaller county means a lighter touch. It doesn't. What it means is that the same prosecutor and the same judge will see your file, and reputation and preparation carry further than they do in a court processing hundreds of cases a day. It also means the I-75 corridor between Toledo and Detroit generates a steady stream of traffic and OWI cases involving people who don't live in Monroe County and have to come back to it, which is a logistical problem worth solving with counsel rather than by missing a date.
What we handle in Monroe County
Worth reading first
- Refusing field sobriety tests in Michigan
- What happens after an OWI arrest
- Should you fight a Michigan traffic ticket?
Serving other counties too: see all our service areas.
Common questions
Questions we get about this county.
Which court handles a Monroe County misdemeanor or traffic ticket?
The 1st District Court in the city of Monroe, which covers the entire county. Unlike Wayne or Macomb, there's no question about which district court your case is in, because there's only one. It handles misdemeanors punishable by up to a year, all traffic and civil infractions, landlord tenant matters, and small claims.
Where do Monroe County felonies and divorces go?
To the 38th Circuit Court, also in the city of Monroe. It handles felonies, civil cases above the district court limit, and all domestic relations matters through its family division, including divorce, custody, and personal protection orders. Both courts sit at the county courthouse, so the whole case stays in one place.
I got a ticket on I-75 in Monroe County but I don't live there. Do I have to come back?
Often you don't have to appear personally, and that's one of the practical reasons to have a lawyer on a Monroe County traffic case. The I-75 and US-23 corridors between Toledo and Detroit generate a steady stream of citations for people passing through, and handling it through counsel is usually easier than driving back for a date, or worse, missing one.
Does a smaller county mean an easier case?
No, and assuming so is a mistake. With one district court and one circuit court, the same judges and the same prosecutor's office see everything, so preparation and reputation carry further here than in a court processing hundreds of files a day. That cuts both ways, and it's why local familiarity matters as much in Monroe as anywhere.
Free consultation
Charged in Monroe County? Call us.
One courthouse, and we know it. Tell us what you're facing and we'll tell you what to expect. The consultation is free.