Washtenaw County Pros Attorney

Welcome to Lawyers Near Me, your platform for understanding the various legal entities and professionals serving your community. Today, we delve into the operations of the Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, located at 200 N Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA. This office, led by Prosecuting Attorney Eli Savit, plays a critical role in the criminal justice system of Washtenaw County. You can reach the office by phone at (734) 222-6620 or via mobile at +1 734-222-6620.

The Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is a governmental entity situated at 200 N Main St in Ann Arbor, a central location within the city's civic hub. As a public office, its environment is structured to facilitate the official duties of prosecution, victim support, and policy implementation. The office is staffed by the Prosecuting Attorney, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys, and various support staff across different divisions. The official nature of the office means that while it is designed to be accessible to the public for official purposes, the atmosphere is formal and focused on legal proceedings and governmental functions. The office aims to promote fairness, equity, and restoration within the community, with publicly available policies demonstrating a commitment to transparency.

The Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney's Office serves as the chief law enforcement official in the county. Its primary responsibility is to review, authorize, and prosecute violations of felony and misdemeanor criminal laws of the State of Michigan committed within Washtenaw County. Beyond prosecution, the office is deeply involved in various aspects of the criminal justice system and community well-being.

Key services and divisions within the Prosecuting Attorney's Office include:

• Criminal Division: Handles the prosecution of felony and misdemeanor cases, from warrant requests to trials and sentencing. This includes a wide range of crimes, from traffic offenses to homicides.

• Juvenile Court Division: Addresses legal matters concerning minors, including juvenile delinquency proceedings and child protection cases, such as the termination of parental rights for abuse and neglect.

• Victim / Witness Services: This division provides crucial support to victims and witnesses of crimes, helping them navigate the legal process. While the provided reviews indicate challenges in communication for some victims, the office states its commitment to supporting those affected by crime.

• Child Support Services: Works to establish and enforce child support orders, ensuring financial support for children.

• Domestic Violence Unit: A specialized unit focused on prosecuting cases of intimate partner violence and sexual assault, often working in collaboration with community partners like SafeHouse Center.

• Conviction Integrity & Expungement Unit (CIEU): This unit investigates and remedies wrongful convictions and assists eligible individuals with expunging their criminal records, aiming to reduce the lifelong collateral consequences of a criminal record.

• Economic Justice Unit: Focuses on addressing issues related to economic exploitation and injustice.

• Policy and Reform Initiatives: Under Prosecuting Attorney Eli Savit, the office has implemented several progressive policy directives, including those related to cash bail reform, eliminating "zero tolerance" policies, cannabis and entheogenic plant prosecution, sex work, pretext stops, driver's license-related offenses, juvenile charging, LGBTQ+ hate crimes, and restorative justice programs. These policies reflect a commitment to fair and equitable justice for all residents, irrespective of their background.

The Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is distinguished by its leadership and commitment to a more progressive criminal justice system:

• Prosecuting Attorney Eli Savit: Elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, Eli Savit is a prominent figure known for his focus on civil rights, education law, environmental protection, and criminal justice reform. He previously clerked for Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the U.S. Supreme Court and served as Senior Legal Counsel for the City of Detroit. His academic work is published in prestigious law reviews, and he maintains an appointment as a lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School.

• Progressive Policy Directives: The office has gained national attention for its innovative policies, which include not prosecuting the use or possession of psychedelic mushrooms or other entheogenic plants, and no longer prosecuting consensual sex work, instead focusing on human trafficking. These policies aim to address systemic inequities and reduce incarceration rates.

• Transparency Initiatives: The office actively participates in projects like the "Prosecutor Transparency Project" in collaboration with the ACLU of Michigan and the University of Michigan. This project provides independent researchers with access to extensive prosecutorial data for race-equity analysis, making it one of the most comprehensive empirical studies on prosecutorial decision-making in the nation.

• Community Partnerships: The office frequently collaborates with local non-profits and governmental agencies, such as SafeHouse Center for gun violence prevention and the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division to protect workers' rights, demonstrating a holistic approach to public safety.

• Commitment to Fair and Equitable Justice: The office explicitly states its commitment to "the fair and evenhanded administration of justice for everyone—irrespective of sex, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, immigration status, or socioeconomic status."

For local users interacting with the "Lawyers Near Me" category, it is essential to understand the role of a prosecuting attorney's office. Unlike a private law firm that represents individuals, the Prosecuting Attorney's Office represents the State of Michigan and the interests of the community in criminal matters. Its "services" are primarily to the public in maintaining justice and safety, including supporting victims of crime.

However, it is important to address the provided customer reviews. Both reviews highlight significant concerns regarding communication and empathy. They state: "All of these reviews are correct. Sit on Zoom hearings for hours only to find out that it was adjourned. No notifications nobody ever answers my texts or my emails. Maybe 3 or 4 days later. It is like being victimized all over again. No compassion and no empathy from The Advocates." This feedback indicates a substantial challenge in client communication, particularly for victims or witnesses who are often already in vulnerable situations. While the office's mission and policies emphasize fairness and support, the operational experience for some individuals appears to fall short in terms of responsiveness and empathetic engagement.

For individuals who may be victims of crime, witnesses, or those interacting with the criminal justice system in Washtenaw County, this feedback suggests that while the office is committed to progressive policies and systemic reform under Eli Savit's leadership, direct communication and responsiveness to inquiries from affected parties may be an area requiring improvement. The office provides contact information, including phone (734) 222-6620 and mobile (+1 734-222-6620), and publicly available policies, but individuals seeking interaction should be prepared for potential delays in communication as noted in these reviews. Despite these challenges, the Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney's Office under Eli Savit remains a significant public institution dedicated to re-imagining justice and implementing reforms for the benefit of the broader community.