Yes, when you’ve been stopped for drunk driving the police must read you your rights. In fact, the police may be required to read to you three separate sets of rights; one related to the roadside or preliminary breath test (PBT), the second set of rights related to the second…
Articles Posted in DUI Defense
Prosecutors Stop Using Results from Improperly Calibrated Breath Test Machines
Prosecutors across the state of Massachusetts have stopped using breath test results obtained during drunk driving arrests for tens of thousands of motorists between 2011 and 2017. The reason is that defense attorneys representing the drivers discovered that breath test machines throughout the state were improperly calibrated. If was further…
Am I Eligible for Sobriety Court?
Many courts throughout Michigan employ an alternative form of sentencing for drunk drivers that emphasize treatment over punishment. Collectively, this approach to sentencing is called sobriety court. Such courts utilize a 2011 Michigan statute codified in Michigan Compiled Laws § 257.304. This law established new procedures and sobriety court participation…
Misdemeanor and Felony Procedures in a Michigan DUI/OWI Case
After you’ve been arrested for DUI/OWI in Michigan the next step will be for the arresting officer(s) to prepare a narrative written police report, including any supplemental discovery materials. Depending on the nature of the office, this report and investigation will include a description of the basis for the…
What is Michigan’s Under 21 Zero Tolerance Law?
You are a drunk driver if you are under 21 years of age in Michigan, drink any amount of alcohol and then drive a car. This is called the Michigan zero-tolerance drunk driving law. To fully understand this law, it is important to know how “any amount of alcohol” is…
How Much Will a DUI Lawyer Cost?
There is at least a ten-fold difference in the amounts Michigan lawyers charge to handle a first offense drunk driving case. Fees usually start at around $1,500.00 for a newer less experienced lawyer. From there, fees increase to as much as $15,000 – $25,000.00, including trial, for a top DUI…
Possible Conditions of Bond on a Michigan DUI OWI
After you’ve been arraigned on your Michigan DUI/OWI, the court will make a determination as to bond conditions. The court will add conditions to your bond because you have been charged with a serious offense and the court wants to make sure that, while out on bond, you’re not continuing…
Is it Unlawful to Operate a Drone While Intoxicated?
Yes, it may be unlawful to operate a drone while intoxicated at the federal level, and may soon be unlawful at the state level as well. However, the punishment varies depending on the specific law violated. As drones become more common and more popular, some states are looking at…
How to Win a Drunk Driving Case Without Trying
Can You Really Win a Drunk Driving Trial Without Even Trying? Sometimes, winning a trial or a contested hearing comes down to knowing what not to do! In drunk driving cases, nowhere is this truer than with administrative hearings held on appeal from an alleged implied consent violation. To…
The Misleading Concept of Alcohol Tolerance in Michigan DUI Cases
Many judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys have mistaken beliefs about alcohol tolerance. In a drunk driving trial, these mistaken beliefs can lead to misleading arguments which might further lead to wrongful convictions. A recent article from the peer-reviewed science journal article Psychopharmacology[i] helps support a defense lawyer’s attempt to preclude…