We’ve all seen the dramatized events of an arrest on television or the big screen: Police forcibly handcuff a perpetrator, tell them they have the right to remain silent, and push their head down as they shove them into the back of a cruiser. But how much of that is true? Most of it, argues...

Unlike many states throughout the U.S., it is illegal for law enforcement in Michigan to conduct sobriety checkpoints. The decision was made at the state level, despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling amid the 1990 case Michigan Department of State Police v. Sitz. But just because sobriety checkpoints are illegal in Michigan doesn’t mean that...

The standard blood alcohol content (BAC) level in Michigan, and across the United States, is 0.08. If a new Michigan bill becomes law, that could change. State lawmakers are looking to lower the BAC to 0.05, according to WSBT22. House Bill 4420 is sponsored by State Representatives Abdullah Hammoud, Karen Whitsett, Sheryl Kennedy, and Mari...

In December of 2018, recreational marijuana was made legal in Michigan. For the time being, it’s perfectly legal to grow and possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, as long as you’re age 21 or older, and not in the proximity of a school or on federal land. While this is good news for many...

In my 29 years of practice, I have covered a LOT of “drunk driving” cases. This includes driving under the influence of liquor and driving under the influence of controlled substances. During the years, I have heard a lot of misinformation regarding the testing procedures in these cases and I thought I would take this...

Proposal 1 was approved by Michigan residents. The new law, called the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA), went into effect on December 6, 2018. This means the use of recreational marijuana is legal in Michigan with regulatory oversight from the Michigan Department of Regulatory Affairs (LARA). But what does this mean? What...

The holiday season not only brings a slew of celebrations and festivities but also often results in more drivers under the influence of alcohol. Law enforcement knows this. They’re prepared to do whatever it takes to keep drunk drivers off the road. They may perform routine stops at any given moment. In many cases, law...

Michigan has joined nine other states and Washington, D.C. in legalizing marijuana for recreational use. The law has yet to take effect, but once it does, it’s important that Michigan residents understand the legal ramifications that apply to them.   Legal marijuana doesn’t necessarily mean that those in possession are exempt from criminal charges. Once the law takes effect, users...

Every so often, a judge somewhere in the country will make headlines for his or her unconventional sentencing. Most recently, it was Judge Marvin Wiggins. When addressing a courtroom filled with people who owed fines for various reasons, the judge provided them with the option of donating blood instead of paying the fine or serving jail time. Those who did received credit...

Social media is becoming the number one tool used by police and prosecutors to gather evidence and solve a case. Police are no longer limited to information collected through in-person criminal investigation. Instead, they can review a suspect’s social media accounts to find evidence against them. That means that every time a suspect uses their...