Category: DUI/OWI (Drunk Driving)

In this ongoing article about the mandatory alcohol assessment (detailed in part 4) and pre-sentence investigation (PSI) in a Michigan DUI case, we have covered, so far, 2 of what I call “the big 3” components of the PSI process. Ultimately, the purpose of that process is to generate a written report and recommendation...

In the part 1 of this article, we began our examination of the PSI process and the role of the mandatory written alcohol assessment in DUI cases. While the first installment was mostly a kind of overview, here, in this second part, we’ll zone in on the first of the 3...

There is one, specific step in the DUI process that affects the outcome of each and every case far more than any other. In fact, this step is really the most important one, in terms of what actually happens to you, and its direct relationship to actual results in a drinking and...

In my previous, 2-part DUI article, we looked at what happens at the arraignment in a drunk driving case. In this article, we’ll examine the next step in the Michigan DUI (and criminal case) process, called a pre-trial. It is important to note that a DUI case is a criminal case,...

Soon after a DUI arrest, upon a person’s release, a lot of things happen. As a Michigan DUI lawyer, I am familiar with the emotional and the “what’s next?” stress that follows someone’s release from jail. It’s not like you leave the police station or jail and can go to the parking lot,...

I have written quite a bit about how my average DUI client is not any kind of criminal. I like to think of my clientele as more cerebral and professional than the population at large. Probably because of the way I write, my typical client shows up with a lot of concerns...

First off, while I generally believe the saying that “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing,” if you really want to be able to choose the right lawyer and understand what is happening in your DUI case, it is important to become familiar with a few things. A physician friend of mine...

In terms of professional licensing concerns, the issue of 1st or 2nd offense is probably the most critical. Everyone makes mistakes. Usually, life affords us at least one good break. This is an important, but simple reality for someone worried about losing his or her livelihood because of a DUI. And to be...

A drinking and driving charge is always what I call an accident of geography. No one gets in his or her car intending to be arrested for a DUI. DUI cases just “happen,” even if, looking back on the circumstances, it’s not that much of a surprise why. Since no one...

The clerk of the court where your DUI case is pending is legally obligated to send what’s called an “abstract” (essentially meaning a copy) of your conviction for a drunk driving offense to the Secretary of State. In almost all cases, this happens right after a plea deal has been...

When you stop and think about it for a moment, without even getting into the underlying complexities of a mental health issue or a drinking problem, the number of possible combinations of these potential situations is staggering: Anxiety disorder without drinking problem