DUI Attorney in Sterling Heights, MI
If you’ve been charged with a DUI in Sterling Heights, your case will be heard in the 41A District Court in Sterling Heights, which hears DUI cases from within the city of Sterling Heights. It’s the sister court to the 41A District Court in Shelby Township, though the two operate independently and cover different jurisdictions — the Shelby Township division also covers Macomb Township and the City of Utica, while the Sterling Heights division covers only the city of Sterling Heights.
Three judges currently sit on the Sterling Heights bench.
Chief Judge Pro Tem Annemarie M. Lepore, on the court since 2018, is known for a fair, even-handed approach — her ongoing work with Families Against Narcotics also reflects a judge who takes substance-related cases seriously without losing sight of the person standing in front of her.
Judge Eric D. Shepherd, who joined the bench in 2024 after years of active leadership in the Macomb County legal community, including a term as President of the Macomb County Bar Foundation, brings a prepared, thoughtful approach to every case that comes before him.
Judge Kimberley A. Wiegand, the most senior of the three with over two decades on the bench, currently serves as President of the Michigan District Court Judges Association — a role that reflects the respect she’s earned among her fellow judges statewide — and is known for a practical, common-sense style that comes with that experience.
What to Expect in the 41A Sterling Court
In any DUI case, our goal is to find a way to get the case dismissed entirely — and when the evidence is too strong for that, to avoid as many of the potential legal penalties and negative consequences as possible. Success in a DUI case is always best measured by what does not happen to you.
A DUI charge in Sterling Heights carries the same statutory penalties as anywhere else in Michigan, but how a case actually plays out — fines, classes, testing, and whether jail time enters the picture at all — depends heavily on the preparation that happens before sentencing. For a first-offense client who comes in ready, with the right steps already underway, jail time is unlikely, and the overall outcome can be genuinely manageable.
The Pre-Sentence Process
Before sentencing, both first- and second-offense clients go through a required alcohol assessment — a written, scored test that’s part of a larger interview conducted by the court’s probation department, called a Pre-Sentence Investigation, or PSI. The PSI produces a written sentencing recommendation for the judge, and how a person scores on the alcohol assessment is the single biggest factor shaping that recommendation.
A weak PSI outcome can lead to an extended list of conditions — ongoing classes or counseling, frequent breath or urine testing, even an alcohol tether in more serious cases. None of that is required by default, and much of it can often be avoided or minimized with the right preparation going in. That’s the core of what we do: get ahead of the PSI process rather than reacting to it after the fact.
Second-Offense Cases in Sterling Heights
A second-offense DUI conviction in Michigan carries a mandatory minimum of five days in jail OR probation with 30 days of community service — and avoiding the jail term often comes down to how the case is prepared and presented. Michigan law also requires some form of court-ordered counseling as part of any sentence for a 2nd offense DUI. Being proactive early on almost always produces a better outcome than waiting for the court to decide what kind of “help” one needs reactively, and by default.
Preparing Your Case
Good outcomes in the 41A Sterling court don’t happen by accident. When we take on a new DUI client, we move quickly to gather the relevant evidence, walk through the alcohol assessment process together, and start building toward the best available outcome from day one.
Speak With a Sterling Heights DUI Attorney
We offer free, confidential phone consultations Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Call us at 586-465-1980. An answering service is available after hours. You can also reach us through the contact form or chat box on our website. To learn more about what we do in DUI cases, visit our Michigan DUI defense page.