Criminal Defense Attorneys in Farmington Hills, MI

Criminal charges in Farmington Hills, from drunk driving to drug or assault cases, are prosecuted through Oakland County, and the consequences are serious. A Michigan-licensed criminal defense attorney serving Farmington Hills will review your case for free.

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How we match your Farmington Hills criminal defense case

When you submit a Farmington Hills criminal defense matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A criminal defense matter needs someone who handles criminal defense work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Michigan law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Michigan who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

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Criminal Defense cases in Farmington Hills

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Farmington Hills is patrolled by its own police department and sees traffic enforcement along I-696, M-5, Grand River Avenue, and Orchard Lake Road, plus retail and campus-area calls near Oakland Community College's Orchard Ridge campus. Misdemeanors and the early stages of felony cases go through the district court serving Farmington Hills and Farmington, and felonies are then tried in Oakland County Circuit Court. Prosecution decisions run through the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, and some conduct can draw federal charges instead. DearLegal matches you with a Michigan-licensed attorney who handles criminal defense cases in Farmington Hills, with a free review.

Misdemeanors and felony arraignments and preliminary examinations start in the district court serving Farmington Hills; felonies move to Oakland County Circuit Court.
Charges are handled by the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, or by a city attorney for certain local ordinance violations.
An arrest in nearby Livonia or Redford is prosecuted in Wayne County instead, under the same Michigan statutes.

Michigan criminal defense rules at a glance

Farmington Hills cases run under Michigan law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the Michigan page.

Read the full Michigan criminal defense guide →

Felony Statute of Limitations: No limit
No limit for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, terrorism; 10 years for most non-violent felonies; 6 years for assault felonies (M.C.L. § 767.24)
Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations: 6 years
6 years for most misdemeanors (M.C.L. § 767.24)
Sentencing Structure: 23 year
Indeterminate sentencing under M.C.L. § 769.8; Sentencing Guidelines advisory after People v. Lockridge (2015); Habitual Offender enhancement (M.C.L. § 769.10-12); HYTA (§ 762.11) for 17-23 year olds
Expungement / Record Sealing: 7 years
Clean Slate Acts (2020/2021 PA, M.C.L. § 780.621-624) — automatic expungement of many misdemeanors after 7 years and certain felonies after 10 years (eff. April 2023); broad petition-based expungement
Bail / Pretrial Release: Bail
Bail under M.C.R. 6.106; constitutional right to bail with exceptions for capital and certain violent offenses (Mich. Const. Art. I, § 15); pretrial risk assessment encouraged
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

Exhibit D

How much do Farmington Hills criminal defense attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

Michigan · Criminal Defense

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Criminal Defense matters in Michigan are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Criminal defense attorneys in Michigan work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under M.R.P.C. 1.5(d) and ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Misdemeanors and most felonies are flat-fee; complex cases use hourly billing. The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) and county public defenders represent indigent defendants — recent state-level reforms have improved indigent defense statewide.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

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Exhibit F

Farmington Hills criminal defense questions, answered

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Misdemeanor and ordinance cases generally stay in the district court serving Farmington Hills and Farmington. Felonies begin there for arraignment and preliminary examination and then move to Oakland County Circuit Court. An attorney can explain what to expect at each stage and appear with you.

Michigan has several diversion and deferral options that can apply depending on the charge, your record, and your age, and some can keep a conviction off your public record. Eligibility is narrow and often must be raised early. An attorney can identify which options realistically apply.

You are not required to answer questions, and statements made before you have counsel are frequently the strongest evidence used against a defendant. You can politely decline and ask for an attorney. Speaking with a Michigan defense attorney first costs you nothing and protects your options.

No. Politely decline and ask for an attorney. Michigan State Police, Detroit PD, county sheriffs, and city police use trained interrogation. Anything you say is admissible. Invoke your Fifth Amendment right to silence and Mich. Const. Art. I, § 17 right against self-incrimination.

Yes. Michigan misdemeanors carry up to 93 days, 1 year, or 2 years depending on the offense, plus fines under M.C.L. § 769.5. HYTA (M.C.L. § 762.11) can result in no conviction being entered for eligible defendants 17-23. Delayed Sentence under M.C.L. § 771.1 is similar for non-HYTA defendants. DV and OWI convictions trigger major collateral consequences.