Traffic Violation

How to Get a DUI Expunged in Michigan

Published on: January 1, 2023 | by Ryan Ramsayer

Even a single Michigan DUI conviction can cause great hardship. It creates a permanent public record. This can impact employment, insurance, sense of well-being, and many other things. If you want to have your DUI conviction in Michigan expunged, we have good news because expungement of drunk driving convictions has never been allowed in Michigan until recently.

Until recently, Michigan law prohibited anyone from expunging a drunk driving conviction—no matter how long ago it occurred or how clean their record had been since. That meant even a single lapse in judgment could follow you forever. Thankfully, the law has changed. As of 2021, individuals with a first offense OWI or similar drunk driving conviction now have a path to clear their record. If you’ve been living with the weight of a DUI on your criminal record, now may be the first real chance to remove it. But because this opportunity is limited and comes with strict requirements, it’s important to approach it with care—and ideally, with legal guidance from someone who understands the process.

The DUI expungement process is complex, and we recommend that you hire a lawyer to help you. Many of the steps required are covered in another article we wrote entitled, “Can a Michigan DUI Be Expunged.”

What Does a Michigan Driver License Restoration Cost?

Published on: October 20, 2022 | by Patrick Barone

Expect to pay between four and seven thousand dollars for a Michigan driver license restoration lawyer. However, the cost of your license restoration lawyer will depend on a variety of factors. First among them is likely to be their years of experience, with a close second being their location.

Lawyers with more years of experience tend to charge higher fees because they have more expertise and therefore a better track record than lawyers who have less experience. Also, lawyers in Northern Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, and other remote areas tend to charge less. In part this is because they are not specialists. These lawyers often handle many different areas of law. But, as the saying goes, they are “masters of none.”

Biggest Mistakes Made By People Without License Restoration Lawyers

What is Proximate Causation in a Michigan Drunk Driving Causing Death Case

Published on: March 7, 2022 | by Patrick Barone

Michigan Drunk Driving Lawyer Explains Proximate Causation

What is Proximate Cause?

A drunk driving causing death case always involves allegations that (1) a person was driving a motor vehicle, (2) while intoxicated, (3) the operation of the motor vehicle caused the death of another. As previously described, proving the “vehicle caused the death of another” involves two kinds of causation. Factual causation and proximate causation.

How to Permanently Lose your Firearms Rights in One Simple Step

Published on: November 8, 2021 | by Ryan Ramsayer

Over the years of defending “criminals” I have encountered many honest citizens who have made a simple mistake and now find themselves facing felony charges, prison time, the loss of career, and the loss of their 2^nd Amendment rights, simply by making a mistake in understanding how they should transport a firearm. Unfortunately, ignorance of the law is not a defense. The price of education once in the legal system can be steep. To avoid this fate, this article seeks to clarify the frustrating and contradicting laws regarding how to transport firearms.

Oftentimes, my clients are pulled over for a simple speeding ticket. After the cop gets their license, registration, and proof of insurance, they are on their way to a warning or simple fine. However, as a throw away question, the officer asks if they have any drugs or guns in the car. Honest and law-abiding citizens are more than happy to tell the cop that they have a pistol unloaded in the case on the back seat or separated from the ammunition and placed in the glovebox.

The simple traffic stop instantly becomes a full-on investigation as the officers then begin asking questions designed to elicit admissions. Since people with Concealed Pistol Licenses (CPL) have an affirmative duty to report the CPL and that they are carrying, the lack of that initial statement from an honest person tells the cop that there is no CPL. This makes the act a felony and soon an arrest and a night or more in jail await someone who thought they were transporting a pistol safely.

Can a MI DUI Be Expunged? New Law for First OWI Convictions

Published on: August 30, 2021 | by Ryan Ramsayer

Yes, a DUI Michigan can be expunged (set aside). If your DUI case is not expunged, it will stay on your criminal record for life. This is true of all DUI convictions, and this means your prior criminal history can be seen by potential employers. For many people, this is one of the most serious DUI penalties. Once your record is expunged, your past DUI charges will be removed from many public records.

Stipulations do exist when looking at getting your drunk driving conviction removed from your criminal record:

You can only have one OWI expunged in your lifetime

Michigan Open Container Law | Michigan Criminal Law Attorney

Published on: July 10, 2020 | by Ryan Ballard

Open Container Law Michigan | Open Intoxicants Motor Vehicle

A person in Michigan is guilty of a misdemeanor if they transport or possess alcoholic liquor in a container that is open or uncapped or upon which the seal is broken within the passenger area of a motor vehicles. However, the law passed by Whitmer during Covid may call this into question, and might provide a defense to your case.

Really? Are to-go Cocktails Legal?

Do I Need a Lawyer for My Michigan Driver License Restoration?

Published on: January 2, 2019 | by Patrick Barone

Reinstate License Online Michigan | Lawyers to Help Get License Back

If your license was revoked due to multiple OWI convictions, then a license revocation lawyer will help maximize the chances of getting your license back. It is possible to do it yourself, but this is not recommended.

Don’t let your prior bad experience with lawyers keep you from hiring one this time.If you want your driver license reinstated, your best chance involves hiring a Michigan license reinstatement lawyer. Here’s why: