Michigan and Federal criminal and Constitutional law provides that when a person is arrested and charged with a crime, they have the opportunity to seek release from custody by posting bail or bond. Your bond and any conditions of your pretrial release will be considered when you are first brought…
What is HYTA in Michigan? Michigan’s Legislators recently passed a bill that (in some states) is called a “youthful offender’s law.” The new Legislation in Michigan is Called the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA). Under the new law, if you are more than 17 years of age, but less than…
Jury nullification occurs when a Michigan jury returns a verdict that is contrary to the law given them by the Judge. In a criminal case, jury nullification occurs when the jury, while believing the accused to be guilty, nevertheless return a verdict of not guilty. Usually this happens when the…
Your Michigan defense lawyer may ask you to obtain a character letter for court purposes. This article explains how to format and write such a letter. You can share a link to this article with those you ask to write such letters. While there are many suggestions here, what’s missing…
The news stories covering the extremely tragic school shooting in Oxford, Michigan has brought the issues of gun safety and gun storage to the forefront in the Great Lakes State once again. As the unfortunate story goes, it is alleged that 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley opened fire on his fellow students…
A drunk driving conviction has lifelong consequences. Long after your driver’s license has been restored, you’ll still have the DUI conviction on your permanent record. The good news is that the expungement laws in Michigan for DUI cases have recently been changed. This means your conviction involving an operating while…
Michigan Criminal Sexual Conduct, commonly referred to as CSC, is the unlawful sexual assault or touching or penetration of another. In Michigan, there are four separate sexual offenses each defined by the acts of behaviors of the alleged offender. Each level of sexual act offense is called a “degree.” Within…
What to Know About the Sex Offender Registry in Michigan When Is SORA Registration Necessary in Michigan? In the past, many violations that would trigger sex offender registration were prosecuted under the old Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) even when the violation was a result of a mistake, ignorance, or…
How Can a Sex Crimes Lawyer Near Me Help Avoid SORA? A top sex assault lawyer can help you avoid the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) in many different ways. Before we get to that, let’s first talk about SORA, particularly the newest version of SORA in Michigan. SORA, which…
Now that you understand the plea bargaining process in Michigan and how to prepare for court when pleading guilty, let’s now consider exactly what happens in court when you plead guilty. During the plea taking process the court will be concerned with two things. First that you understand the constitutional…