Many areas have developed special programs to help keep people out of jail and to give them help to avoid future criminal issues. Michigan has the Special Alternative Incarceration Program. According to the Michigan Department of Corrections, the SAI program provides...
Criminal Law
Does Michigan have the death penalty?
Murder in many states will result in the potential of facing the death penalty. If you are facing a murder charge in Michigan, you may worry you could end up sentenced to death. That fear is unwarranted. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Michigan does...
Why do prosecutors and judges offer plea bargains?
Did you know that more than 90% of all criminal convictions are a result of plea bargains? This means that less than 10% of all criminal cases actually end up on trial in front of a jury. Plea bargains are extremely common in the criminal defense industry. It is...
Reviewing the reasonable use of self-defense
Accusations of violent crime in Michigan (up to and including murder) are often met with claims of self-defense. It may be easy for many to meet such claims with skepticism. Yet if asked, most would likely agree that there are situations where they may feel compelled...
What does the 2021 Clean Slate legislation cover?
If you have a conviction for a nonviolent crime, you may apply to have it removed from your Michigan criminal record. Afterward, you can truthfully state that your arrest and conviction never happened. Without the conviction, you may become eligible for financial aid,...
Appeals Court overturns opiate crime sentence
Michigan does not fall under the Fourth Circuit Court jurisdiction, which is along the central Atlantic seaboard. Nevertheless, it is worth acknowledging that three judges on the appeals court overturned a 17-year prison sentence within the sentencing guidelines. The...
Johnny Damon and wife arrested for DUI and related charges
Baseball player Johnny Damon had a long a storied career, notably winning the World Series with both the Red Sox and Yankees. He was known as a nice guy and a good teammate, so it comes as a surprise that Damon and his wife face criminal charges related to a stop in...
Washtenaw prosecutor revamps county’s approach
New Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit has undoubtedly made waves since taking office on January 1. The former schoolteacher and law clerk for the late-Ruth Bader Ginsberg announced that he would end cash bail for defendants because it punished the poor. A week...
Patterns emerge involving the police shooting of unarmed blacks
Amidst the pandemic and toxic political environment, there is a national reckoning involving law enforcement. The choking death of George Floyd set off riots across the country and around the world, but there have been 135 fatal shootings by law enforcement of unarmed...
Law enforcement can track a cellphone
Law enforcement has become increasingly sophisticated about its use of technology. One recent example is the geofence warrant, which often uses data from Google’s mapping app to place the device’s owner at the scene of a crime when it occurs. Rather than tracking a...
