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DUI Victim Impact Panel

A Victim Impact Panel (VIP) is usually a presentation made by people who have been impacted by drinking and driving in some way. These include people who may have been injured in drunk driving incidents or had loved ones injured or killed by someone who was a drunk driver.

The panels are usually held on a monthly basis. However, some locations may only offer panels every other month and are offered in different locations all over the state of Michigan and throughout the United States. The point of the panel is to try to make a lasting impact on the attendees so that they will not take the risk of drunk driving. Many judges throughout the state of Michigan routinely order attendance at a Victim Impact Panel as part of the sentence in drunk driving cases.

Role in DUI Cases

Attendance at a Victim Impact Panel is frequently included as part of the sentence in many—but not all—Michigan courts. The intent is to require those who have been convicted of a drinking and driving offense to listen to people who have been impacted by drunk drivers and how it affected their lives.

The Mothers Against Drunk Driving website has a list of Victim Impact Panel locations in each state. People are not allowed to go to Victim Impact Panels in most locations unless they can show that they have already been sentenced in a drunk driving case.

Timing and Length of Panels

The panels are typically one to three hours in length, with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) as the primary organizer. People come to the panels to share their stories with other people, generally, those who have been convicted of some kind of drinking and driving offense.

Typically, they are held in the evenings as this works well for many people who work during the day. However, it may not work that well for those who work at night. It is important to know that most of the panels require the individual to be registered by a certain time, that the doors will be shut at a certain time, and that, if they are not inside by the time that the door is shut, they are not going to be allowed to attend.

Education Programs

There are alcohol education programs in Michigan and they are available at locations throughout the state. However, there are no DUI schools in Michigan like they do in Florida. Accordingly, it is not mandatory.

Michigan does offer a number of alcohol education programs. Some are called Alcohol Highway Safety Seminars or Alcohol Highway Safety Education classes, and they are offered at a number of different locations throughout the state. There are also some weekend impact classes that are somewhat more in-depth that address alcohol education.

Call Today! FREE Consultation Lawyer and Receive Immediate Attention for Your Criminal Law Case Patrick T. Barone is a Michigan Super Lawyer, who has maintained continuous top attorney ratings since 2007. In addition, the Michigan native is the author of multiple books on OWI, DUI and criminal law. The OUIL attorney near me has lectured at over 80 legal seminars all over America. He leads Barone Defense Firm in providing aggressive legal warriors for each client's criminal case.

Contact us 24 hours a day at our law firm’s easy to remember toll-free number, 1-877-ALL-MICH or 877-255-6424, for a free criminal case review. The Michigan attorneys near me at Barone Defense Firm travel the entire Great Lakes State, to help citizens in legal trouble in Michigan for alleged criminal law violations.

For your FREE lawyer consultation, call today to learn how to protect yourself from a possible unwarranted conviction. What do you have to lose, when the free legal advice with our litigation team’s criminal lawyers near me can answer many tough questions?

Client Reviews
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Patrick Barone is the ONLY choice for DUI defense. He was realistic from the start and made it a point to look at my case before taking my money. As a business owner, when I think of attorneys, I think of the "shark infested waters. Patrick is a shark alright, but his prey is not the client; it's justice for his client. Ten stars Patrick!! Chris F.
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Attorney Patrick Barone was very helpful and helped me understand the charge and sentence absolutely clearly. He also guided me through step by step helping me form a statement. His instructions were clear and detailed. It was obvious he cared about me understanding every important detail within my case. I would absolutely recommend this defense firm to anyone in need. Aaron B.
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The Barone Defense Firm is the firm I recommend. They are truly concerned about the person, not just the legal issue, but the person as well. They are the most knowledgeable defense firm that I am aware of, having actually written the book on DWI Defense. If you are faced with a DWI you will not find a more professional and skilled law firm. But, most importantly, they care about how the accused individual recovers his or her life when the case is complete. Very remarkable group of lawyers. William H.