If you are charged with a DUI offense in Westland then your case will be heard in the 18th District Court in Westland. The two current Judges of the 18th District Court are the Honorable Sandra Ference Cicirelli and the Honorable Mark A. McConnell. The court is located at 36675 Ford Road. Westland, Michigan 48185, which is west of Wayne Road and east of I-275. Their telephone number is (734) 595-8720.
The vast and overwhelming majority of drunk driving cases processed in the 18th District Court are handled by the City of Westland's legal counsel, Fausone Bohn LLP, after that firm took over the city contract from Angelo Plakas and Associates. (Fausone Bohn LLP hired several of the lawyers from Angelo Plakas and Associates.) This includes OWI 2nd and even OWI 3rd cases in many instances because police officers charge drivers under local ordinances. This generates more money for the local government.
The City of Westland has a very aggressive DUI task force. About half of the police officers working DUI enforcement employ the standardized field sobriety test battery (SFSTs). At least two of the Westland officers were members of Michigan STORM (Sobriety Trained Officers Representing Michigan), an inactive group of Michigan police officers advocating the SFST battery that has been merged into our state's office of highway safety.
With a large number of bars and restaurants serving alcohol within the city, the aggressive DUI police officers in Westland make numerous drunk driving arrests each night. Local establishments have complained that police officers target bar parking lots, and the Maze Legal Group has repeatedly pursued legal actions against the city to challenge these practices.
The Westland patrol cars are equipped with video and audio, and the police station also has video and audio recording equipment in the breath testing area. These materials frequently reveal mistakes made by police officers permitting challenges in DUI cases.
The Westland District Court does not have a sobriety court program, and the probation department is relatively flexible and approachable.
About the Judges:
The following opinions are drawn from our experiences and dealings with the judges in the 18th District Court. It's important to understand that these are just opinions, and other lawyers might disagree. Because we routinely challenge drunk driving cases, however, our firm's experience with a particular judge might be different from lawyers who do not take cases to trial. None of the comments here should be viewed as an attempt to discredit a particular judge or reflect poorly upon the judiciary.
Hon. Sandra Cicirelli was a practicing attorney before she became mayor of the City of Westland. She stepped down as mayor to become a judge in the 18th District Court in 2006. Judge Cicirelli has proven to be a very compassionate judge, and she understands the law from both sides of the bench. She is also a reasonably good trial judge, providing only minimal interference during the presentation of evidence. Despite her attributes, however, she permits Westland police officers to engage in highly questionable traffic stops. Judges are charged with the awesome responsibility of protecting our Constitutional rights by ensuring that "police officers act appropriately and not abuse the power legally afforded to them by . . .carefully scrutinizing a police officer's testimony as to the purpose of the initial stop." United States v Hill, 195 F3d 258 (6th Cir. 1999). In this regard, Judge Cicirelli has allowed questionable stops to persist despite prevailing national jurisprudence on the subject because no Michigan court has ruled directly on the subject matter.
Hon. Mark A. McConnell is a former prosecutor from the law firm that prosecutes most of the criminal cases in the City of Westland. Despite his status as a former city prosecutor, however, he was an excellent attorney with an outstanding reputation, and he has the potential to become an excellent judge.
If You Are Searching for Qualified Westland DUI Lawyers . . .
If you are currently charged with drunk driving in Westland, Michigan, and seeking a qualified DUI lawyer to represent you, please complete our free on-line evaluation form or call our office at (888) 941-1122 or locally at (313) 792-8800.
The Maze Legal Group can provide you with the highest quality representation in your Westland drunk driving case. Mr. Maze is one of Michigan's leading drunk driving defense lawyers, and he limits his practice to handling only drunk driving cases and DUI-related traffic matters. He is certified in standardized field sobriety tests, he has been trained on the BAC Datamaster at National Patent Analytical Systems and owns two BAC Datamaster devices, he has received toxicology training in blood and urine testing, and he has attended hundreds of hours of specialized training in DUI defense across the county.
The Maze Legal Group has handled many Westland DUI cases, successfully representing clients through motions and jury trials that have resulted in favorable rulings. If you want to know more about our experience in handling drunk driving cases or what you might expect in your case, call our office and schedule an appointment with Mr. Maze.