As we near the Independence Day holiday weekend, we feel it prudent to revisit the question of whether drivers stopped on suspicion of drunk driving should take field sobriety tests.So many people submit to the tests thinking that they are okay to drive, and they...
Grand Rapids Criminal Defense Law Blog
Mistrial determined in Cosby sex assault case
The latest high-profile sex crime case that captured national attention has now ended. The criminal case involving longtime comedian Bill Cosby has ended in a mistrial. The ruling leaves him without an acquittal and potentially sets the stage for prosecutors to try...
Should police departments control access to body cam videos?
Over the past few years, more police departments have embraced the use of body cameras which create video footage of encounters with the public. The interest in these devices is ostensibly based on the public’s desire to have more accountability with policing....
What Sessions’ recent memo means for federal criminal defendants
After nearly five years of criminal justice reform regarding drug crime prosecutions and sentencing, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions appears to be rolling back such efforts. According to a recent Atlantic.com report, Sessions has instructed federal prosecutors...
If Authorities Are Speaking With You, Speak With A Lawyer
With news stories breaking weekly, if not daily, about the investigations into connections between the Trump administration and Russians before and after the election, the news-monitoring public is being introduced to a handful of terms that are frequently used in...
How an evaluation can help your case
In some sex crime cases, harsh sentences can be avoided by proving that the accused is not a specific and continual threat to be a repeat offender. Indeed, most defendants would say this to avoid jail time. However, showing this in a court of law may be a...
4 factors must be present to prove embezzlement
Embezzlement is a very serious charge, and it probably conjures a specific image in your mind: you probably think about a man in a suit and tie, laughing in a board room after he just got away with swindling money out of a business account. Or something to that...
Understanding the expungement process in Michigan
The unfortunate reality for many people who have been convicted of some manner of felony or misdemeanor is that they are often unable to escape from the shadow of their criminal record despite having paid their debt to society and wanting nothing more than a new...
Michigan teens sentenced as juveniles in sex video case
In Michigan, children as young as 14 can be charged with a sex crime. That is what happened to two teenagers who pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to a cellphone video depicting one of them having sex.Despite the defendants’ youth, they could have been...
Michigan family charged with serving alcohol to minors at party
A Michigan family is facing criminal charges after throwing a high school party and allegedly selling alcohol to the guests. This story shows how people can find themselves charged with a crime after apparently showing poor judgment.Teenage party hosts According to...

