Ann Arbor Criminal Defense Blog

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has been added to the list of medical conditions for which medical marijuana can be used under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. This is the first condition to be added to the law since it was approved in 2008. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that results from a traumatic event, such as…

Under federal law, when a defendant is convicted of a major crime the defendant’s assets can be seized by the government. This action is called forfeiture. The idea is to take the profit out of crime and to compensate victims of crime. The defendant’s assets may also be frozen prior to trial. In the U.S.…

What are the drugs most found in drugged drivers? Below is a list by percentage of the top drugs found in people’s systems who were arrested for operating while intoxicated. This is for the year 2012. However, there are a few reasons why these percentages might not accurately reflect the actual drugs found in people’s…

When a police officer stops a vehicle and believes the driver to be under the influence of alcohol the officer can ask the driver to take a preliminary breath test. This test involves the driver blowing into a portable device that measures the driver’s blood alcohol content. The results of the test can be used…

ArborYpsi law recently obtained a Not Guilty jury verdict in a domestic assault case. Every Domestic Assault Case Has a Story Every domestic assault case involves a detailed backstory. These cases do not happen in a vacuum. By the time the parties come to court, there is a history and a relationship the attorney must…

The cities of Lansing, Jackson, and Ferndale voted yesterday to amend their city marijuana laws. Jackson and Ferndale voted to change their city ordinances so that the use, possession, and transfer of up to one ounce of marijuana on private property for individuals over the age of 21 would not be punishable under the city…

A study of traffic stops in Kalamazoo that showed racial profiling by police has resulted in a significant decline in stops and citations issued following the study’s public release. The study revealed that black drivers in Kalamazoo were more than twice as likely to be pulled over by a police officer than a white driver.…

Michigan state lawmakers are considering several bills that would expand the ability of certain law enforcement officials to carry a concealed weapon. Currently, Michigan law prohibits people from carrying a concealed weapon in designated areas, known as weapons-free zones. These zones include bars, college campuses, day care centers, hospitals, houses of worship, large entertainment venues,…

Many misdemeanors will make you ineligible for a CPL. Felony convictions will make you ineligible for a CPL and a loss of your gun rights. Certain felony convictions will require a gun rights restoration petition in the circuit court. Lost your CPL or gun rights from an old conviction? Get them back with an expungement…

A preliminary examination is a step in the criminal process in which the district court determines whether a defendant may be charged with a felony. A felony is a crime for which the potential punishment is over one year in prison, as opposed to a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of up to one…