Misdemeanors

ArborYpsi Law can defend you against midemeanor charges.

What is a Misdemeanor?

A misdemeanor is a type of criminal offense that is punishable by jail time. This is opposed to a felony, for which a person could receive a sentence to prison. A misdemeanor charge will be handled at the district court level. The majority of crimes charged will be misdemeanors. An Ann Arbor misdemeanor lawyer can help you resolve your case favorably.

Charged With a Misdemeanor?

Don’t let a criminal charge turn your life upside down. We understand how stressful any type of charge can be. You have a bad night and all of a sudden, you’re in a courtroom with your future on the line. You deserve an attorney that will give you time and attention to achieve the results you are looking for. We have experience defending people against every type of misdemeanor charge under the sun in courts all over southeastern Michigan.

What Types of Crimes are Misdemeanors?

There are many common misdemeanors. Driving related misdemeanors are the most common, including driving on a suspended license or driving without insurance. Drunk driving charges are misdemeanors, such as operating while visibly impaired or intoxicated. There are also assault-related misdemeanors, which can be charged as domestic violence or aggravated assault. Another category of misdemeanors would be theft related charges, including larceny, embezzlement, and retail fraud, known as shoplifting. Finally, there are your garden-variety miscellaneous misdemeanors like, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and criminal trespass.

Are Misdemeanors Serious?

Misdemeanors can have serious side effects, even if these offenses are not as serious as felonies. For example, many traffic-related misdemeanors have consequences for your driver’s license. A reckless driving conviction results in at least three months of a driver’s license suspension. An operating while intoxicated conviction will suspend your license for at least 30 days followed by license restrictions. In addition to suspensions, these misdemeanors can add points to your license, which may affect insurance.

Some misdemeanor charges, while not as serious as felonies, can still impact your ability to get jobs. A misdemeanor to an assaultive crime may make an employer reviewing a criminal history report think twice about hiring you. An assault and battery conviction never looks good on a record, no matter what happened in the actual case. As an Ann Arbor lawyer who fights misdemeanors we know how serious these cases can be.

Options for Fighting Misdemeanor Charges

Just because you have been charged with a misdemeanor does not mean you must plead guilty and accept all consequences. There are many tools that we can use to keep a charge off your record and make it go away quietly. For example, we may have the ability to work out a deal in which the case be dismissed after a probation period.

Some cases will have to be fought more proactively if we cannot make the case go away quietly. You are entitled to a trial, where the prosecution has a very high burden in making its case. At ArborYpsi Law, we have tried many misdemeanor cases, in both jury and bench trials. We have significant experience in assault and battery, domestic violence, and drunk driving trials. A misdemeanor attorney in Ann Arbor can help you beat your case.

Call us for a free initial consultation in which we can discuss your options.