Your case starts in an Oakland County district court
Oakland County is Michigan's second-most-populous county, home to roughly 1.2 million residents, and it is heavily patrolled. Traffic stops and arrests are common along I-75, M-59, Woodward Avenue, Telegraph Road, I-696, and M-24.
Every criminal case in Oakland County begins in a district court, based on where the charge was filed. It does not matter whether you are facing a misdemeanor or a felony, you start there. If you are charged with a felony and the case moves forward, it binds over to the 6th Circuit Court in Pontiac, where Oakland County felony cases are decided.
Scott regularly appears and defends clients in Oakland County's district and circuit courts. His office sits just across the line in Macomb County, and many of his clients live in Macomb but face charges in Oakland, or the reverse. He handles both. He frequently appears in the southern and central Oakland courts serving Royal Oak, Troy, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, and Rochester Hills.
The Oakland County courts Scott appears in
Your case is assigned to one of these courts based on where the charge was filed. Felonies bind over to the 6th Circuit Court in Pontiac.
Felony court
6th Circuit Court
All Oakland County felonies
1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Dept 404
Pontiac, MI 48341
(248) 858-0344
44th District Court
Serves Royal Oak
400 E. 11 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, MI 48067
48th District Court
Serves Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, and Bloomfield Township
4280 Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
52-3 District Court
Serves Rochester and Rochester Hills
700 Barclay Circle, Rochester Hills, MI 48307
52-4 District Court
Serves Troy
520 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48084
Other Oakland County district courts
43rd District Court, Division 1
Serves Hazel Park
43 E. Nine Mile Rd., Hazel Park, MI 48030
43rd District Court, Division 2
Serves Ferndale
305 E. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, MI 48220
45A District Court
Serves Berkley
3338 Coolidge, Berkley, MI 48072
45B District Court
Serves Oak Park
13600 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park, MI 48237
46th District Court
Serves Southfield
26000 Evergreen Rd., Southfield, MI 48076
47th District Court
Serves Farmington Hills
31605 W. Eleven Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, MI 48336
50th District Court
Serves Pontiac
70 N. Saginaw, Pontiac, MI 48342
51st District Court
Serves Waterford
5100 Civic Center Dr., Waterford, MI 48329
52-1 District Court
Serves Novi
48150 Grand River Ave., Novi, MI 48374
52-2 District Court
Serves Clarkston
5850 Lorac, Clarkston, MI 48346
Criminal charges Scott defends in Oakland County
Find your situation below. Each one links to a plain-language page on what it means in Oakland County, what is at risk, and what can be done about it.
OWI/DUI
One bad decision behind the wheel should not define the rest of your life. Your license, your record, and your job are on the table, and all three are defensible.
Learn More →Domestic Violence
These cases move fast and hit close to home, including where you live and whether you can see your kids. The earliest hours matter most.
Learn More →Drug Crimes
Michigan's penalties are stiff, but first-offender options and other defenses can change the outcome.
Learn More →Felony Charge
A felony follows you. You need someone who treats your case with the seriousness it deserves and tells you the truth about it.
Learn More →Misdemeanor Charge
Even a misdemeanor can show up on a background check for years. It is worth defending.
Learn More →Pre-Charge or Under Investigation
If detectives have reached out, you still have options, and they are widest right now, before anything is filed.
Learn More →Traffic Offense
From speeding to reckless driving, handled at every level of severity.
Learn More →Juvenile Petition
Your child made a mistake. That does not have to define their future.
Learn More →What happens after you are charged in Oakland County
Arrest and booking
You are processed at the local police department or the Oakland County Jail. You may be released on bond the same night or held until arraignment. Do not make statements to police without an attorney present.
Arraignment at the district court
Your first court appearance, in the district court for the community where the charge was filed. You are formally told what you are charged with, and the judge sets your bond. Having Scott present at arraignment often results in a lower bond than you would receive without legal representation.
Pre-trial conference
Scott meets with the Oakland County prosecutor assigned to your case. He goes through the evidence, identifies weaknesses, and begins negotiating for a reduction, diversion, or dismissal.
Preliminary examination (felonies only)
For felony cases, the prosecution must present evidence to justify binding your case over to Circuit Court. Scott can challenge witnesses and evidence at this stage, and sometimes gets felony charges dismissed here.
Circuit Court (felonies) or plea or trial (misdemeanors)
Felony cases bind over to the 6th Circuit Court in Pontiac. Misdemeanor cases resolve at the district court through a plea agreement or trial. Scott prepares every case as if it is going to trial, which is the strongest negotiating position.
Sentencing
If the case resolves with a plea or a guilty verdict, sentencing follows. Scott advocates for the most favorable outcome the facts allow: probation over jail, treatment programs over incarceration, and minimal long-term impact on your record and your life.
Why Oakland County residents choose Scott E. Rabaut
A name these courthouses already know
Scott is a second-generation defense attorney, nine years into his own practice. He clerked for his father, Stephen T. Rabaut, a respected Southeast Michigan criminal defense attorney who has defended the rights of Michigan residents for decades.
He has seen it from every side
Scott worked in loss prevention, at the Michigan Department of Corrections, and as an extern with the prosecutor's office. He knows how the other side builds a case.
Criminal defense is all he does
Scott practices criminal defense only, never a general practice. His full-time focus stays on your charges.
You sit down with Scott
The person who hears your story is the person who handles your case.
Start with a free conversation
Your first consultation costs nothing. A straight answer about where you stand from someone who does this every day, not a guess from Google or advice from a friend.
Flat-fee pricing, no surprises
You know your full fee up front. No surprise invoices later.
24/7 live answer
Day or night, your call reaches a real person, not a recording.
Oakland County communities Scott serves
A real conversation, and an honest assessment.
Some lawyers will say whatever it takes to get you in the door. Scott will not. When you sit down with him, he tells you the truth about your case: what is possible, what is likely, and what it will take to get there. If he is the right person to defend you, he will say so. If he is not, he will tell you that too.
This is your future. You deserve someone who is honest with you from the very first call.
Call Now — (586) 243-4140Frequently asked questions
The Right Move Is the One You Make Right Now.
Every day that passes without the right attorney in your corner is a day the other side uses to build their case.
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(586) 243-4140Law Offices of Scott E. Rabaut
38600 Van Dyke Ave., Suite 200
Sterling Heights, MI 48312
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