Blog

This article provides an overview of Michigan's drug court system, a valuable resource for first-time offenders facing drug-related charges. Keep reading to learn more about: The benefits of drug court, including access to treatment and avoiding a criminal record. How the drug court process works in Oakland County, especially for first-time offenders. Requirements for participation and how drug court can help prevent a criminal record. What Is A Drug Court? How Is It Different From A Traditional Court In Michigan?  Drug court in Michigan is a specialized court designed to…Read More

This article provides essential guidance on navigating the aftermath of a drug possession arrest in Michigan. It covers: What to expect during the booking process in Oakland County. Options for bail or bond and the conditions under which they apply. The importance of having an attorney to advocate for your rights and minimize legal consequences. How Can I Avoid Incriminating Myself After Being Arrested? If you're arrested, especially for drug-related offenses, the most important thing to remember is to stay silent. You won’t be able to talk your way out…Read More

In this article, you can discover… How and why focus groups can be useful for defense lawyers. How focus groups are selected and organized. The financial cost and legal benefits of organizing a focus group. What Is A Focus Group? How Can It Be Used To Build And Prepare A Strong Defense In A Criminal Case In Michigan? A focus group consists of 10-15 people who listen and respond to information about an upcoming case presented by two facilitators. The verbal responses from the focus group are noted by the…Read More

In this article, you will learn about: The concept of “knowing possession” and how it may relate to your case. The impacts that recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have had on federal weapons cases. What you should look for when seeking an attorney for federal weapons charges. How Does A Defense Attorney Approach A Federal Gun Charges Case? Legal defenses in federal weapons charges often hinge on nuanced details. Knowledge plays a crucial role—an individual must be aware that a firearm is present in order to be charged with possession.…Read More

In this, the second part of my blog series on Federal Sex Crimes, I will focus on human trafficking. The State Department describes this crime as: “It is a crime of exploitation; traffickers profit at the expense of their victims by compelling them to perform labor or to engage in commercial sex in every region of the United States and around the world.” Presently, an estimated 24.9 million victims worldwide are compelled to be sex slaves. https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking-about-human-trafficking/. Human traffickers are known to prey on adults and children of all ages,…Read More

This blog is the first of a three-part series that dive into Federal investigations of sex crimes and human trafficking. These crimes frequently go hand in hand. While not all sex crimes involve human trafficking, nearly all cases of human trafficking involve some type of sex crimes. The development of social media and technology has created a playground for sexual activities, which includes a variety of sex crimes and an explosion of exploitation type offenses. The evolving world has placed enormous pressures on federal, state, and local prosecutors to protect…Read More

“Self-defense” is a legal term that is common to many of us. We all recognize the term “self-defense” to allow a person to defend themselves. Most people have watched television shows where a person avoids criminal responsibility for hurting another person through the defense of self-defense. However, there is much more to understanding the legal implications and mechanics of self-defense than can be ascertained from a sixty-minute police drama on Tuesday nights. In this blog, I will provide you with a history of self-defense, the mechanics of self-defense, recent developments…Read More

This blog will discuss how evidence of a defendant’s past conduct can be used against him in a subsequent criminal prosecution for any crimes linked to Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault.  This unfair evidentiary rule is a direct reflection of the difficult political climate for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault cases that has existed for several years. This climate has created a statute and court rule that allows prosecutors to win convictions based not on what the accused did this time, but rather on an accused’s prior conduct.  This is…Read More

Polygraphs (also known as “lie detector tests”) are a commonly used, and just as commonly misunderstood, component in the criminal justice system. This article takes a quick look at their use, and seeks to answer some of the many questions surrounding the use of polygraphs. The first thing that should be mentioned about polygraph tests is that they are a test of the body's natural physiological response to being deceptive, or telling a lie. They are not tests of the facts, or of the testing subject’s ability to tell a…Read More

In this blog, I will discuss how the United States Sentencing Guidelines or “USSG” calculates a defendant’s criminal history. In previous blogs, I have concentrated on offense conduct. Now, I will look at the second axis of the Sentencing Table, which is criminal history.  The effect of a defendant’s criminal history can lead to longer sentences under the USSG, or can in some limited circumstances lead to a shorter prison sentence. Other factors affecting a given sentence are possible variance situations. This blog will examine the application of both. Criminal…Read More