Macomb County has two 41A District Courts.
One is located in Sterling Heights on Dodge Park Road. The other is in Shelby Township on Van Dyke Avenue. People often assume they are interchangeable. They are not.
In a CSAM (Child Sexually Abusive Material) investigation, determining which court has jurisdiction is often more complicated than it appears. When allegations involve computers, phones, cloud accounts, or internet activity, venues can become a contested legal issue.
By the time law enforcement contacts you, investigators may have been working on the case for months. What happens next matters.
Do not agree to an interview. Do not consent to a search. Do not attempt to explain yourself. Do not discuss the investigation online. Call Blank Law, PC immediately. We are Sterling Heights CSAM defense lawyers with years of experience, including very high-profile cases.
Call (248) 515-6583 for a free, confidential consultation.
Macomb County operates two district courts under the 41A designation:
Where a case is filed is not an administrative decision. It is a legal one.
In CSAM investigations, prosecutors may rely on an IP address, a subscriber record, a home address, a device location, or alleged internet activity to establish venue. Those facts are not always as clear as law enforcement suggests, and they are frequently subject to challenge.
Sterling Heights is home to major employers, manufacturing facilities, schools, coaches, teachers, healthcare workers, and professionals whose lives can be turned upside down by an accusation alone.
Long before guilt is established, courts often impose bond conditions restricting internet access, computer use, travel, and contact with minors. Those conditions can affect your employment, professional licenses, and ability to support your family.
We know how these investigations work because we used to supervise them.
Before founding Blank Law, PC, I served as Chief of the Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit at the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office. As a prosecutor in Wayne County for over 25 years, Christopher Coyle became Chief of the Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit there. We reviewed search warrants, charging requests, and investigations involving some of the most serious allegations a person can face.
Today, we use that experience to defend people accused of these crimes.
Most Sterling Heights CSAM investigations start in one of four ways.
1. A CyberTip Report
Companies such as Google, Apple, Dropbox, Snapchat, Meta, and Microsoft must report suspected CSAM when they detect it on their platforms.
Those reports go through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and are then routed to local, state, or federal investigators.
A CyberTip can identify an account. It does not automatically identify a person.
Tips go to whichever agency covers the account or address; in Macomb County, that often means Michigan State Police computer crimes investigators, the Sterling Heights Police Department’s Investigative Services Division, or the Sheriff.
In many cases, one of the most important questions is who actually used the account, device, or network in question.
2. File-Sharing Investigations
Law enforcement agencies regularly monitor peer-to-peer file-sharing networks for files known to contain CSAM.
When they identify an IP address allegedly sharing material, they subpoena subscriber records and seek a search warrant.
That evidence is often portrayed as definitive. It rarely is.
A subscriber isn’t necessarily the person who used the device, and a household internet account may be accessed by multiple people.
3. Reports From Someone with Access
Some investigations begin when someone claims to have found suspicious material.
The source may be:
In those cases, establishing who had access to the device, and when, often becomes a central issue in the defense.
4. Undercover Investigations
Federal and state investigators routinely operate undercover profiles on social media platforms, chat applications, messaging services, and online forums.
These investigations often produce screenshots, recorded communications, and other digital evidence.
State and federal agents operate fake accounts on chat apps, dating apps, and forums, often coordinating in Michigan through the State Police-led Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. For example: On Skip the Games, Reddit, or Discord.
A significant issue is whether those records are complete and accurate and provide the full context of what occurred.
Michigan law uses the term Child Sexually Abusive Material (CSAM).
A crucial point is often overlooked:
Possessing a file and knowingly possessing a file are not the same thing.
The prosecution must prove more than the material existed on a device. In many cases, the real dispute is whether the accused knowingly possessed, accessed, sought out, downloaded, or distributed the material.
Common CSAM charges include:
Possession: Possession charges can carry up to 4 years in prison but may carry up to 10 years. Under certain aggravating circumstances, exposure can increase substantially. Some aggravating circumstances include when the material is video, involves a prepubescent child, runs past 100 images, or involves sadomasochistic abuse or bestiality. Under the Michigan Sex Registry, possession is considered a Tier I offense, which requires registration on the sex offender registry for 15 years.
Production: Production allegations are among the most serious offenses under Michigan law. Importantly, prosecutors may argue that “production” includes conduct beyond personally creating an image or video. The statute is broader than many people realize. In addition to incarceration, a conviction can trigger mandatory sex offender registration requirements with consequences lasting years or decades. Under the Michigan Sex Registry, possession is considered a Tier III offense, which requires registration on the sex offender registry for life.
Many clients ask the same question:
“Is this going to stay in state court, or is it going federal?”
The honest answer is that early in an investigation, nobody knows with certainty.
Some cases remain in Macomb County and are prosecuted through the Prosecutor’s Office in Mount Clemens.
Others are adopted by federal authorities and prosecuted by the FBI in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Still others begin as state investigations and later become federal cases.
That uncertainty is one reason why early intervention matters.
The strategy used to protect a client before charges are filed can influence how the case ultimately develops.
Our attorneys are admitted to practice in both Michigan state courts and the Eastern District of Michigan.
We receive this call almost every day.
“The detective says he just wants to ask me a few questions.”
“He says I’m not under arrest.”
“He says cooperating will help me.”
My advice is always the same.
Do not go. Do not answer questions. Call a lawyer immediately.
Many people don’t realize investigators can legally use deception during an interview.
They may claim to have evidence they do not actually possess.
They may suggest someone else has implicated you.
They may tell you this is your only chance to explain yourself.
People talk because they are scared.
And those statements often become the strongest evidence against them.
Instead, say:
“I am invoking my right to counsel. I would like to speak with my attorney before answering any questions. Call Blank Law, PC at 248.515.6583”
Then stop talking.
If officers do not have a warrant and are asking for consent or permission, remember:
You are allowed to say no.
You need not consent beyond what it covers or volunteer a password, but never obstruct the search, destroy anything, or disobey a court order.
If officers arrive with a search warrant, do not interfere. Do not argue. Do not destroy evidence. Do not attempt to obstruct the search.
Call an attorney immediately.
The stakes in a CSAM case are enormous. Unfortunately, people frequently harm their own defense before a lawyer becomes involved. The most common mistakes are:
1. Agreeing to an Interview
Detectives gather evidence, they don’t help you. When they say, “Hey, we just want to ask you a few questions,” you should politely say, “I understand, but I want to first talk to my attorney.” Then call us immediately.
2. Trying to Explain the Situation
Statements you make to employers, licensing boards, coworkers, or family members often reach investigators. Never explain your situation to anyone without first consulting an attorney.
3. Deleting Evidence
Deleting files, wiping devices, or asking someone else to do so can create additional legal problems and rarely accomplishes what people think it will.
4. Hiring the Wrong Lawyer
This is not a misdemeanor DUI or a general criminal matter.
CSAM cases require a lawyer who understands digital forensics, search warrants, constitutional issues, sentencing guidelines, and sex offender registration law. Someone who has worked with the police before and understands what they are looking for.
5. Waiting for Charges
The best opportunities to influence a case often exist before authorities authorize charges. This is why contacting a lawyer who focuses on sex crimes is your best move.
Once that window closes, options become more limited.
Investigation
Law enforcement obtains search warrants and seizes devices, account records, storage media, and other digital evidence. They often do this months before contacting you or showing up at your home with a search warrant.
Forensic examiners then analyze the data. The question is not simply what was found. The question is whether investigators can prove who put it there, who accessed it, and who controlled it.
Charging Decision
The prosecutor evaluates the evidence and determines which charges, if any, to authorize. Prosecutors often charge additional computer-related offenses alongside the underlying allegations. For example, prosecutors almost always add a Computer to Commit a Crime charge.
Court Proceedings
Cases originating in Sterling Heights typically begin in the 41A-1 District Court. If probable cause is found, felony charges proceed to the Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens. At the district court level, bond conditions are often strict and may include restrictions on computer and internet use, as well as contact with minors.
We challenge unnecessary restrictions whenever possible.
Pretrial Litigation and Resolution
Most cases are won or lost before trial.
We scrutinize forensic evidence, challenge unlawful searches, litigate constitutional issues, attack weak assumptions, and expose gaps in the government’s case.
Every case requires a different strategy. Sometimes that means dismissal. Sometimes it means a reduction. Sometimes it means taking the case to trial.
Why Clients Across Michigan Hire Blank Law, PC
Blank Law, PC is not a general criminal defense firm. This practice is devoted exclusively to defending people accused of sex offenses.
Our team includes:
As a prosecutor, we have reviewed countless warrant requests.
Nicole founded this firm because she saw firsthand how often accusations outpaced the evidence.
Today, we stand on the other side of the courtroom, testing every piece of evidence, challenging every assumption, and ensuring every client gets the defense they deserve.
Why Dodge Park and not the Van Dyke courthouse? Sterling Heights matters go to 41A-1 on Dodge Park. Shelby Township, Macomb Township, and Utica go to 41A-2 on Van Dyke.
I work rotating shifts at the plant. Do bond conditions affect that? They can, quickly. Device and internet limits reach into scheduling apps and badge systems. We raise work early, not after you have missed shifts.
If you or someone you love is being investigated or charged with a CSAM offense in Sterling Heights or anywhere in Macomb County, contact us immediately; do not wait for charges to be filed.
The decisions you make in the first hours and days of an investigation can have a lasting impact on the outcome of the case.
Blank Law, PC
(248) 515-6583
Free Consultation • Confidential • Available 24/7
We defend people accused of sex crimes. That is what we do. That is all we do.
We are located on the Northeast corner of Big Beaver & Livernois in the Venture Plaza Office Building.
Fill out the contact form or call us at 248-515-6583 to schedule your free consultation.
