Is It Possible To Plead To A Lesser Offense Than OWI In Michigan?

Key Takeaways:

• You can plead to a lesser charge than an OWI (Operating While Intoxicated, or drunk driving). Usually, that lesser charge is OWVI (or Operating While Visibly Impaired).

Yes, it is possible to plead to a lesser offense than OWI (or Operating While Intoxicated), which is what Michigan’s drunk driving conviction is called.

There is a lesser offense of OWVI, or Operating While Visibly Impaired, which is most commonly referred to as impaired driving.

Every state—or at least most states I can think of—have an impaired driving statute. In Michigan, that’s called Operating While Visibly Impaired. OWVIs have lesser penalties than OWIs in the following ways:

• Impaired driving or OWVI has a shorter sanction on your driver’s license, at 90 days instead of 180 days.
• OWI or drunk driving comes with 180 days’ suspension on your license, which includes a 30-day hard suspension, meaning you can’t drive at all for any reason. Impaired driving does not have that hard suspension, so not only is the suspension half as long, there’s also no 30-day hard suspension where you can’t drive for any reason. Instead, you can drive the entire 90-day period.
• The fines are lower.
• The Court costs are lower.

That’s why most people plead guilty to impaired driving if they do take that plea offer.

For more information on OWI Law in Michigan, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (248) 509-0056 today.