Waterford Township Traffic Court Records
Waterford Township traffic court records are filed and maintained at the 51st District Court in Oakland County. The 51st District handles civil infraction traffic cases and misdemeanor traffic offenses for Waterford Township, Michigan. You can search Waterford Township traffic court records online through Michigan's free MiCOURT public portal or by contacting the court directly at its Civic Center Drive location. This page explains how to find and request records, what they contain, how to respond to a citation, and how the state's driving point system works.
Waterford Township Overview
Oakland County Traffic Court Records
Waterford Township is part of Oakland County, and traffic court filings here go through the 51st District Court within the Oakland County court system. For county-level information on courts, filing procedures, and records access across all of Oakland County, visit the Oakland County traffic court records page.
51st District Court - Waterford Township Traffic Court
Traffic citations issued in Waterford Township go to the 51st District Court at 5100 Civic Center Drive in Waterford. The court is part of the Oakland County court system and handles civil infraction traffic matters such as speeding, improper lane changes, and failure to stop, as well as misdemeanor traffic offenses. Judges Richard Kuhn Jr. and Todd Fox serve on the 51st District Court bench. You can reach the court at 248-674-4655. Oakland County's page for the 51st District is at oakgov.com/courts/district-courts/51st.
| Court | 51st District Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 5100 Civic Center Drive Waterford, MI 48329 |
| Phone | 248-674-4655 |
| Judges | Richard Kuhn Jr., Todd Fox |
| Oakland County Courts | oakgov.com - 51st District |
The 51st District Court serves Waterford Township within the broader Oakland County court structure. Oakland County operates several district courts, each with its own jurisdiction and location. For Waterford Township traffic matters, the 51st District at 5100 Civic Center Drive is the right court. The Oakland County website provides current hours, forms, and contact details. FOIA requests for Oakland County court records are submitted through the Oakland County website. If you have a citation from Waterford Township and need to respond or request records, this is your court.
How to Search Waterford Township Traffic Court Records
The primary tool for searching Waterford Township traffic court records is MiCOURT at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search. MiCOURT is free to use, available at all hours, and does not require an account. You can search by name or case number and filter by court, case type, or status. Results from the 51st District Court show party names, charges, hearing dates, case status, and dispositions. Most traffic cases appear in the system within a few days of being filed. Results are updated regularly as cases move through the court process.
To request certified copies of Waterford Township traffic court records, contact the 51st District Court at 248-674-4655. Plain copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $10 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Transcript requests follow a different rate: $3.75 per page for an original, $0.90 per page for a copy, and a $50 minimum charge. FOIA requests are handled through the Oakland County website. The court has 5 business days to respond. If you qualify as indigent, the first $20 of FOIA fees is waived.
Not everything shows up in MiCOURT. Sealed cases, expungements under Michigan's Clean Slate law, HYTA cases, and cases governed by MCL 333.7411 are not visible in public searches. Date of birth is hidden from all MiCOURT results under MCR 1.109, effective April 1, 2022. For records outside the public portal, contact the 51st District Court directly. Staff can advise on the correct process for obtaining restricted or non-public records.
Michigan's e-filing system MiFILE allows attorneys and self-represented parties to submit court documents electronically in enrolled courts. Checking the available courts list confirms whether the 51st District Court accepts electronic submissions for Waterford Township traffic cases.
The MiFILE e-filing portal is Michigan's electronic document submission system for courts, including Oakland County district courts handling Waterford Township traffic cases.
Check the available courts list to confirm whether the 51st District Court in Waterford accepts electronic filings before submitting documents through MiFILE.
Michigan's trial courts directory lists all district courts by county and helps users locate the correct court for their citation, including the 51st District Court serving Waterford Township.
The Michigan trial courts directory lists all district courts statewide by county and helps confirm that the 51st District Court handles traffic cases for Waterford Township.
Use the directory to verify which Oakland County district court has jurisdiction over the location where your traffic citation was issued.
What Waterford Township Traffic Court Records Include
Civil infraction records at the 51st District Court show the citation number, date and location of the traffic stop, the specific charge, and the case outcome. If a hearing was held, the record includes the hearing date, the judge or magistrate's name, and whether the violation was upheld, reduced, or dismissed. Fines ordered and any points assessed to the driver's record appear in the file. Common civil infraction charges in Waterford Township include speeding, improper lane use, failure to yield, and distracted driving violations.
Misdemeanor traffic records include more information. They list the criminal charge, arraignment date, bond conditions, all hearing dates, and the final case disposition. Sentencing outcomes such as fines, probation terms, or incarceration are part of the public record. OWI cases under MCL 257.625 result in full criminal proceedings, and those records remain on file indefinitely unless a court approves expungement under Michigan's Clean Slate Act. These records are visible to background check services, insurers, and employers who run checks on Waterford Township residents.
Note: Court case records and driving records are different things. The 51st District Court holds court records. The Secretary of State holds driving records. You may need both depending on what you are trying to verify.
Responding to a Waterford Township Traffic Citation
When you get a traffic citation in Waterford Township, you have 14 days from the date of the citation to respond. Your three options are to admit the violation, admit with an explanation, or deny it and ask for a hearing. You can respond by mail, in person at the 51st District Court at 5100 Civic Center Drive, by phone at 248-674-4655, or through an attorney. If you do not respond within 14 days, the court enters a default judgment. That adds points to your driving record, risks a license suspension by the Secretary of State, and tacks additional fees onto your original fine.
Admitting the violation means you pay in full and accept all points without a court appearance. Admitting with an explanation lets you speak to a judge or magistrate. They may reduce the fine after hearing you out, but the violation remains and points apply if it is upheld. Denying the citation means you want either a formal or informal hearing. Informal hearings are simple and do not require a lawyer. Formal hearings follow more structured court rules. No matter how either hearing goes, the court has no power to change the number of points assigned to the violation. Those values are fixed by the Michigan Vehicle Code and apply statewide.
Points and Waterford Township Driving Records
Every traffic violation resolved at the 51st District Court is subject to Michigan's point system. OWI under MCL 257.625, reckless driving, fleeing a police officer, and leaving the scene of an accident each carry 6 points. Speeding 16 or more mph over the posted limit is 5 points. Speeding 11 to 15 mph over adds 4 points. Going 1 to 10 mph over, running a red light, failing to stop for a school bus, and similar violations are 3 points. Most other infractions add 2 points to the driver's record.
Points stay on your driving record for two years from the date of the offense. If you accumulate 12 points within any two-year window, the Michigan Secretary of State will require a driver reexamination before you can continue to operate a vehicle. The Secretary of State's office manages all driving records in Michigan and is reachable at michigan.gov/sos or by phone at 517-322-1624. Courts do not have authority to remove points. They drop off your record only after two years have passed from the violation date.
Note: Completing a defensive driving course does not automatically reduce points in Michigan. The Secretary of State determines whether course completion affects your record under any applicable program.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Waterford Township with their own traffic court records pages include: