Sued in the 44th District Court?

The 44th District Court serves Cities of Royal Oak and Berkley in Oakland County. Like other Michigan district courts, it hears civil cases — including debt collection lawsuits, landlord-tenant disputes, and damage claims — when the amount in dispute is under $25,000. The court also handles criminal misdemeanors, traffic violations, and a small claims division for disputes involving smaller amounts.

Oakland County is part of the broader metro Detroit / Michigan corridor, and courts in this region regularly handle consumer debt collection cases filed by original creditors and debt buyers.

For defendants facing a civil lawsuit — such as a credit card debt collection case — the timeline is the same across all Michigan district courts. Defendants generally have 21 days from the date of service to file a written response. Missing this deadline can result in a default judgment, which may lead to wage garnishment, frozen bank accounts, and a judgment that remains on the defendant's record.

This court participates in MiFILE, Michigan's statewide electronic filing system, so defendants can file an Answer or other documents online at mifile.courts.michigan.gov . Hearings are conducted both in person and via remote technology, depending on the case type. For preparing court documents, Michigan Legal Help offers free guided tools at michiganlegalhelp.org .