Judges of the 16th District Court

Judge Geno Salomone was elected to the bench in 2000. Judge Salomone is a graduate of Wayne State University and the Detroit College of Law.

Judge Salomone is a life long resident of the City of Taylor, he is responsible for starting the Court in High School program, and the drug treatment court, among other programs.

Judge Joseph Slaven was elected to the bench in 2014. Judge Slaven is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and University of Detroit School of Law, where he is now a part time professor.

Judge Slaven is a lifelong resident of Taylor, and is active in numerous philanthropy clubs including the DeMolay, Golden Ark Masonic Lodge, Moose, Taylor Northwest Little League, and Democratic Club.

The procedure for a misdemeanor criminal charge at the 23rd District Court is as follows:

Arraignment at the 23rd District Court

This is the first time you will appear in the court and come in front of a judge or a magistrate. At arraignment you will formally be told what criminal offense you are being accused of and what the maximum possible penalty is that you are facing. The judge is not asking if you agree with it or not, just simply if you understand it or not.

In most misdemeanor cases the 23rd District Court will allow your lawyer to waive your arraignment and jump ahead to the pre trial. There are strategic reasons why you may or may not want to do waive your arraignment.

The judge will also address bond at this stage. Bond is a promise to return to court and may require you to pay money to the court along with other conditions such as random alcohol or drug testing.

Pre Trial at the 23rd District Court

After your arraignment you will get a date to come back to the court. The next stage is the pre trial. At the pre trial your lawyer will speak with the prosecuting attorney, that is the attorney who is trying to convict you of a crime and see what can be worked out. If the parties cannot agree on anything then the case may be set for a motion, evidentry hearing, or trial.

Motions and Evidentiary Hearings

These hearings do not occur in every criminal case. They challenge legal issues like probable cause and reasonable suspicion but do not challenge facts. Facts, for the most part, can only be challenged at a trial.

Most motions are the 23rd District Court are set as evidentiary hearings in criminal matters. This means that the arresting officer, or witnesses for the prosecution will have to appear and testify. You can think of it as a mini trial.

Trial at the 23rd District Court

There are two types of trials, a bench trial where the judge will decide the facts of the case as well as the law, or a jury trial where the jurors will decide the facts and the judge will decide the law. If you are found guilty you will proceed to sentencing, if you are found not guilty then you are free to go. Most criminal charges are resolved without trial.

Sentencing at the 23rd District Court

If you lose at trial, or if your lawyer works out a plea for you where you get some kind of deal then your next hearing will be the sentencing. Sentencing can be as simple as paying a small fine, or it can be the other end of the spectrum where you have to serve jail time.

In some cases you may be able to have your sentencing hearing the same day as your pre trial if your attorney has worked out a plea for you. This is very convenient for people who cannot miss additional time off work or live away from the court’s jurisdiction.

The prosecutor is the attorney that represents the city or state government and is against you. At the 23rd District Court, the City of Taylor has two local prosecutors. Certain misdemeanor charges and all felony charges in the City of Taylor are handled by the State of Michigan Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors work closely with police departments and their goal is to enforce the law. You should never talk with the prosecutor without your lawyer present. Any admission you make will be used against you.

Prosecutor for The City of Taylor

Gasiorek Morgan Greco McCauley & Kotzian PC – 30500 Northwestern Hwy Ste 425, Farmington Hills, MI 48334

Zick Law Office – 3173 Biddle Ave, Wyandotte, MI 48192

Prosecutor for the State of Michigan

Wayne County Prosecutor, Kym L. Worthy 1441 Saint Antoine Street Frank Murphy Hall of Justice Detroit, mI 48226

Like many sobriety court programs, the 23rd District Court’s Sobriety Court is broken up into phases. As a person moves from one phase to the next the level of supervision decreases while the person gains special privileges like the ability to drive.

Taylor Sobriety Court Eligibility

• Wayne County resident with a case pending in 23rd, 24th, 25th or 28th District Courts
• Must be a repeat offender
• Must be a non-violent offender (present and past)
• Must be abusing alcohol or drugs and have the desire to stop
• Current offense must be alcohol and/or drug related
• Must reside in or be willing to relocate to clean and sober living-home environment must be free of alcohol/drugs and paraphernalia.
• Must not be currently prescribed any opiate (including Suboxone), benzodiazepine, soma, tramadol, medical marijuana or amphetamines. If you are currently prescribed one of the listed prescriptions, you must be willing to discontinue such medications with proof from your prescribing physician.

23rd District Court Sobriety Court Program

PHASE I – Approximately 3 to 4 months – FOCUS ON TREATMENT

• Attend intensive treatment program as directed by probation
• Weekly random urine screens (between one and seven per week) May also be required to wear drug testing patch.
• Random breathalyzer tests (PBT), SCRAM alcohol monitor or daily if directed
• Appointments with probation officer weekly or bi-weekly
• Attend RDWI Court status hearing with Judge twice per month
• Attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)/Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or similar organization such as Smart Recovery or Celebrate Recovery, as directed – minimum of three meetings per week
• Obtain AA or NA sponsor with verification within 30 to 60 days and work the 12 step program
• Must be actively seeking employment with proof
• Payment of fines/cost payments to court and co-pays to treatment agency
• Must have 90 days clean time to move to Phase II
• Work with probation officer on individual development plan outlining steps to take during phase II. Development plan includes relapse prevention & recovery plans with therapist.
• Attend the MADD VIP, if ordered.
• Wear GPS tether if deemed warranted, attend daily court watching, daily activity log, complete 20 hours community service per week if not employed.

PHASE II – Approximately 6 to 9 months

• Continue the treatment plan as directed by provider and probation officer
• Weekly urine screens and/or PBT’s as directed (between one and seven per week)
• Appointments with a probation officer as directed
• Attend RDWI status hearing with Judge twice per month
• Attend AA/NA as directed – a minimum of three meetings per week
• Community Service if ordered
• Must obtain employment
• Continued compliance with the payment schedule
• Work toward valid driver’s license (set up driver responsibility payments, etc.)
• Must have 90 days clean time to move to Phase III
• Completion of all steps as outlined in the development plan for phase II
• Work with a probation officer on development plan outlining steps to take during phase III.
• Transition to Phase III based on team recommendation and clean time

PHASE III – Approximately 6 to 12 months

• Appointments with probation officer once per month
• Attend RDWI Court status hearing with Judge once per month
• Continue counseling as directed
• Attend AA/NA as directed
• Urine screens / PBT’s random
• Payment in full due (at least) 60 days prior to graduation
• Maintain full-time employment or attend schooling toward GED/diploma, etc.
• Obtain valid driver’s license if eligible
• Get involved with some type of community service activity as a way of “giving back” by donating time.
• Completion of all steps as outlined in the development plan for phase III
• Graduation upon all terms being met, a minimum 90 days clean, and team determination

PHASE IV

Maintenance period for participants who have completed all steps in their development plan and have extended clean time. Requirements during this phase are significantly reduced as deemed appropriate by drug court team.

SANCTIONS

When violations occur in the program sanctions are imposed. Your probation officer will discuss the violation with you and explain the recommended sanction(s). You will be informed of the violation and the Judge will go over your rights. Sanctions are imposed at RDWI Court Status Hearings by the Judge. There will be a $25 show cause fee assessed to you for each violation. If the proposed sanction against you is jail time, you will have the opportunity to speak with an attorney if you so choose. You may request to speak with an attorney at any hearing where sanctions are involved.

We follow a graduated sanction outline which clearly states what the consequence will be for specific violations throughout the program. The following is a brief overview of possible sanctions.

• Reprimand from Judge
• Community Service days
• Jail time
• Increased reporting to probation officer and/or Judge
• Increased treatment and/or AA
• Re-start of current phase
• Written essays
• Court observation
• Other sanctions deemed appropriate by RDWI Court

GRADUATION

The expected length of the RDWI Court Program is 18 to 24 months. Graduation occurs after successful completion of the program which includes a minimum of 90 days clean time immediately prior to graduation. Each potential graduate must meet the following criteria:

• Clean and sober
• Possess valid driver’s license, if eligible
• Possess High School diploma or G.E.D.
• Employed full-time (or in school)
• Successful completion of all probation terms

Assault – Not Guilty

Our client was charged with one count of felonious assault and one count of assault and facing serious jail time. The matter started in the 23rd District Court but was bound over to the circuit court after exam where we had a bench trial at the Frank Murphy building. Our client was not happy with any of the offers made by the prosecution so we went to trial. Our client was acquitted of one charge but convicted on the other. The judge sided with us at sentencing and our client was not given any jail time

Felonious Assault – Reduced to Misdemeanor

Our client charged with a felony assault after being accused of using a knife during a fight at a house party. After intense negotiations with the state prosecutor our client walked away with a misdemeanor and didn’t have to serve any jail time.

Felony Drunk Driving – Reduced to Misdemeanor

Our client was charged in the Canton area for his third drunk driving offense making it a felony and was facing one to five years in prison. The Canton court would not accept a reduction into sobriety court for this client so we successfully moved him into the Taylor program, saved him from prison and reduced the jail time to 30 days which he was able to leave the jail daily to go to work. As part of the deal, the prosecutor agreed as part of the deal to reduce the felony to a misdemeanor

Larceny – Expunged

Our client was living in Texas years after he had been convicted of a theft crime. He was going to be applying for a new job and was worried about this old offense for stealing coming back to haunt him. Without our client having to set foot in the state we were able to expunge his criminal record and no he has no convictions

OWI With High BAC – Reduced to Impaired Driving

We have actually reduced several High BAC offenses to Impaired driving at this court which has saved our client their license, significant fines, and potential jail time. In addition to that, by guiding our clients to take the right steps we have been able to get probation terms as short as three months long.