If you or a loved one are being accused of any drunk driving crimes, contact our office today so that we may begin our aggressive legal representation to protect your rights.

 

When you are accused of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Michigan, you will face significant legal consequences.  Michigan has some of the harshest drunk driving penalties in the nation and the potential penalties can include time in jail or prison, fines and court costs, license sanctions, driver responsibility fees and court-ordered substance abuse treatment.

 

 In Michigan, any driver that has a blood alcohol content level of .08% and/or any blood content of any Schedule I controlled substances, may face the following consequences:

 

For a First Offense -

 

• Up to $500 fine and up to 93 days in jail and/or 360 hours of community service.

• Driver's license restrictions and/or suspension for up to 180 days (180 days if impaired by a controlled substance).

• Possible vehicle immobilization or ignition interlock

• Up to six points added to driving record.

• Driver Responsibility Fee of up to $1,000 for 2 consecutive years

 

 

Second Offense within 7 years -

 

• Up to $1000 fine, and up to 1 year in jail (5 days minimum) and/or up to 90 days of community service.

• Driver's license revocation and denial for a minimum of 1 year (minimum of 5 years if there was a prior revocation within 7 years).

• License plate confiscation.

• Vehicle immobilization for up to 180 days, unless the vehicle is forfeited.

• Possible vehicle forfeiture.

• up to 6 points added to driving record.

• Driver Responsibility Fee of of up to $1,000 for 2 consecutive years.

 

Third Offense within your Lifetime –

 

• up to to $5,000 fine, and either of the following:

• 1 to 5 years imprisonment

• Probation, with 30 days to 1 year in jail.

• up to 180 days community service.

• Driver's license revocation and denial. The minimum period of revocation and denial is 1 year (minimum of 5 years if there was a prior revocation within 7 years).

• License plate confiscation.

• Vehicle immobilization for up to 3 years, unless the vehicle is forfeited.

• Possible vehicle forfeiture.

• Vehicle registration denial.

• Up to 6 points added to driving record.

• Driver Responsibility Fee of up to $1,000 for 2 consecutive years.

 

If you causing Death or Serious Injury if First Offense of Either Operating While Intoxicated, Operating While Visibly Impaired, Operating with Any Presence of Drugs, or Operating While License Suspended, Revoked or Denied --

 

• Causing Death - Up to 15 years imprisonment, or a fine of $2,500 to $10,000, or both. (Plus additional possible consequences)

 

• Causing Injury -- Up to 5 years imprisonment, or a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, or both. (Plus additional possible consequences)

 

• Causing Emergency Responder Death --  Up to 20 years imprisonment, or a fine of $2,500 to $10,000, or both. (Plus additional possible consequences)

 

 

 

Our skilled drunk driving defense attorney will evaluate your case and examine all possible aspects to help protect you from these potentially harsh penalties.  Our drunk driving defense attorney will investigate:

 

• Errors in issuing the traffic stop

• Errors in the field sobriety test

• Errors in the police report

• Errors in administering the breathalyzer tests

• Errors in administering the chemical tests

 

Even if the evidence against you is strong, the burden is on the prosecutor to prove that you are guilty and any number of errors made by the police may result in a decrease or dismissal of the charges against you.

 

 

Beware: Many "drunk driving attorneys" will try to simply "plead out" your case, without thoroughly investigating all of the possible defenses.

 

Our drunk driving defense attorney will work hard to make sure that ALL aspects of your case have been considered before committing to any plan of action.