Drunk Driving Charges in Allen Park Michigan
Quick Facts about the 24th District Court in Allen Park, Michigan, Wayne County District Court
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If you are charged with operating while intoxicated in the 24th District Court . . .
If you are charged with a DUI offense in Allen Park, Michigan or Melvindale, Michigan, then your case will be heard in the 24th District Court in the City of Allen Park. The two current judges of the 24th District Court are the Honorable John T. Courtright, and the Honorable Richard A. Page.
Although Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and the various assistant prosecuting attorneys working under the elected prosecutor have the ability to prosecute drunk driving cases in the Allen Park district court, most of the drunk driving cases are handled locally by Allen Park, Michigan or Melvindale, Michigan through municipal contracts with private attorneys for legal services. This means that local charges are handled by private practicing attorneys. In addition to the local Allen Park Police Department, City of Melvindale, Wayne County Sheriff and the Michigan State Police will file charges on drunk driving cases arising within the jurisdictional boundaries of the 24th District Court. Sheriff cases and MSP drunk driving charges are usually prosecuted by the Wayne county prosecutor's office, but these are not as common as local, municipal charges.
Michigan DUI Penalties
-TAB SELECT-First Time Offender: Super Drunk Over .17 BAC in the 24th District Court
- Recorded as "misdemeanor" conviction as opposed to felony conviction on criminal record
- Jail up to 180 days
- Probation for up to 2 years with alcohol and drug monitoring
- Fines of $200 to $700, "plus court costs" which totals well over $1,000.00
- One year of alcohol rehabilitation
- 45 days hard suspension, eligible to drive for the balance of the year (320 days) if the offender pays to have a breath alcohol ignition interlock device installed in the vehicle
- Up to 360 hours community service
- Six points on your Michigan driver's license
- $1,000.00 per year for two years "Driver Responsibility Fee" charged by the Secretary of State through the Michigan Department of Treasury
A second offense for either super drunk, OWI, or OWVI within seven years of a prior OWI or OWVI results in tougher penalties, greater likelihood of jail, and a lifetime revocation of a person's driver's license. A third offense for any combination of OWI and OWVI charges in a lifetime is a felony OWI 3rd offense, which carries mandatory jail and a possible prison term of up to 5 years. A felony drunk driving charge arising in Allen Park will likely be prosecuted in the Wayne County Circuit Court by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
First Time Offender: OWI - Operating While Intoxicated (Same as DUI or DWI) in the 24th District Court
- Recorded as "misdemeanor" conviction as opposed to felony conviction on criminal record
- Jail up to 93 days
- Probation for up to 2 years with alcohol and drug monitoring
- Fines up to $500, "plus court costs" which totals over $1,000.00
- 30 days hard suspension on Michigan driver's license, eligible to drive for the balance of the six months (150 days) on a restricted basis, i.e. to / from / and in connection with work, court ordered programs, and emergency medical treatment
- Up to 360 hours community service
- Six points on your Michigan driver's license
- $1,000.00 per year for two years "Driver Responsibility Fee" charged by the Secretary of State through the Michigan Department of Treasury
A second offense for either OWI or OWVI within seven years of a prior OWI or OWVI results in tougher penalties, greater likelihood of jail, and a lifetime revocation of a person's driver's license. A third offense for any combination of OWI and OWVI charges in a lifetime is a felony OWI 3rd offense, which carries mandatory jail and a possible prison term of up to 5 years. A felony drunk driving charge arising in Allen Park will likely be prosecuted in the Wayne County Circuit Court by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
First Time Offender: OWVI - Operating While Impaired in the 24th District Court
- Recorded as "misdemeanor" conviction as opposed to felony conviction on criminal record
- Jail up to 93 days
- Probation for up to 2 years with alcohol and drug monitoring
- Fines up to $300, "plus court costs" which totals over $1,000.00
- 90 days restricted driving on Michigan driver's license, i.e. to / from / and in connection with work, court ordered programs, and emergency medical treatment
- Up to 360 hours community service
- Four points on your Michigan driver's license
- $500.00 per year for two years "Driver Responsibility Fee" charged by the Secretary of State through the Michigan Department of Treasury
A second offense for either OWI or OWVI within seven years of a prior OWI or OWVI results in tougher penalties, greater likelihood of jail, and a lifetime revocation of a person's driver's license. A third offense for any combination of OWI and OWVI charges in a lifetime is a felony OWI 3rd offense, which carries mandatory jail and a possible prison term of up to 5 years. A felony drunk driving charge arising in Allen Park will likely be prosecuted in the Wayne County Circuit Court by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
Drug and Alcohol Testing in the Allen Park District Court
If you are convicted of a DUI in the Allen Park district court, you may be subject to random chemical testing, including breath tests, transdermal monitoring (SCRAM tether), and urine tests. Increasingly, probation departments across Michigan are employing urine tests for alcohol known as EtG testing. The EtG test is a urine test that claims to detect biomarkers that result from the consumption of alcohol. Supposedly, these tests detect alcohol consumption for upwards of several weeks. If you have a positive EtG test but have not consumed alcohol, do not offer suggestions or defenses. Whenever you are going to court, whether it is in Allen Park or elsewhere, assume that you might be subjected to drug or alcohol testing, and do not attempt to purchase gimmicks claiming to help pass a drug test.
Important: When reporting for probation, you will likely be given a breath test on a PBT. Do not arrive to court for a probation appointment after consuming alcohol!
24th District Court Sobriety Court Program
The Allen Park District Court has a Sobriety Court program, which means that a person facing mandatory license revocation for a second alcohol-related offense within seven years of a prior conviction might escape the harsh ramifications of lifetime driver's license revocation. This program is run jointly with the 23rd District Court in Taylor, Michigan. This program is not an easy program, but a person may be entitled to drive within 45 days under the program.
Read this brochure from the Michigan Secretary of State regarding Sobriety Court: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Sobriety_Court_FAQs_3-8-11_351604_7.pdf. Be advised that accepting a position in a Sobriety Court still requires an application for restoration of one's driver's license before the DLAD for drivers license restoration.
Important:
A Michigan driver who is convicted of two alcohol-related offenses within 7
years faces mandatory lifetime revocation with no driving privileges, i.e. no
restrictions, no breath interlock device, and no ability to get to and from
work. Michigan's Secretary of State places a nationwide hold on revoked
motorists, so moving to another state does not help. Under the Sobriety Court project
approved by lawmakers, certain Sobriety Court judges are permitted to overrule
the Secretary of State's revocation procedures after a minimum 45 day suspension, granting a restricted driver's
license to the Sobriety Court candidate.
Prosecuting Attorneys in the 24th District Court
Please note: Do not contact the prosecutor directly. It is always a better idea to have your lawyer engage in all communications with the prosecutor.
State Prosecutor for Wayne County
Kym L. Worthy (P38875)
Douglas P. Dwyer (P39211)
Wayne County Prosecutor
1441 Saint Antoine St
Frank Murphy Hall of Justice
Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: (313) 224-5777
Fax: (313) 224-8180
e-Mail: kworthy@co.Wayne.mi.us
City of Allen Park Prosecutor
Michael P. Hurley (P37519)
Pentiuk Couvreur & Kobiljak PC
2915 Biddle Ave Ste 200
Wyandotte, MI
48192-5267
Phone: (734) 281-7100
Fax: (734) 281-7102
E-Mail: mhurley@pck-law.com
City of Melvindale Prosecutor
Lawrence J. Coogan (P42433)
Coogan Law
4146 Oakwood Blvd
Melvindale, MI
48122
Phone: (313) 381-0044
Fax: (313) 389-1490
E-Mail: lawrencejcooganlaw@yahoo.com
24th District Court Judges
The following opinions are drawn from my experiences and dealings with the Allen Park judges in the 24th District Court. It's important to understand that these are just my opinions, and other lawyers might disagree. Because I routinely challenge drunk driving cases, however, my experience with a particular judge might be different from another lawyer, especially when that attorney does not take cases to trial. None of the comments here should be viewed as an attempt to discredit a particular judge or reflect poorly upon the judiciary. The Allen Park judges generally do not order jail time in DUI cases, and I generally enjoy cases in this jurisdiction. With that in mind, however, there are serious ramifications to a DUI conviction, so you should treat this case very seriously.
Hon. Richard A. Page
Judge Richard A. Page of the 24th District Court is an excellent judge. We have won several significant victories in his courtroom on difficult cases. While he frequently denies the bulk of our motions at evidentiary hearings, he is open to innovative arguments and legal theories, and the key matters that we have successfully argued before him in the past have resulted in dismissals and/or reductions offered by the prosecutor. At trial, Judge Page is an excellent judge. He is fair to both parties and does not appear to favor either side. At sentencing, he has always been fair and reasonable, although we have had a few difficult cases before him.
Hon. John T. Courtright
Judge John T. Courtright of the 24th District Court is not a defense-friendly judge. At best, defense counsel can count on Judge Courtright to keep his opinions neutral before a trier of fact, and he generally does, in fact, conduct a fair jury trial. At motions and on evidentiary hearings, however, he has a heavy bias in favor of the police and prosecution. Successful cases before Judge Courtright must rely upon extremely compelling arguments and persuasive jury trial skills. At sentencing, however, Judge Courtright has always proven to be fair, at least on first-time offenses. He does not seem too particularly harsh with his sentence unless the client has a prior alcohol-related offense, in which case a moderate jail sentence is almost always ordered.
Directions to the 24th District Court
The court is located at 6515 Roosevelt Ave, Allen Park, Michigan 48101. The court is located just south of the I-94 freeway, where Southfield freeway (M-39) turns to the south east and begins to turn into Southfield Road. It is north west of I-75, taking the Southfield exit towards Allen Park. This court is very easy to find so long as you keep in mind that it is on the South / West side of the divided highway. Parking can be a little difficult in the early morning. (313) 928-0535
If You Are Searching for Qualified Allen Park / Melvindale DUI Lawyers . . .
If you are currently charged with drunk driving in Allen Park, Michigan, and seeking the most experienced Allen Park / Melvindale DUI lawyer to represent you in the 24th District Court, please send us a message or call our office at (888) 941-1122 or locally at (734) 591-0100.
William Maze can provide you with the highest quality representation in your Allen Park drunk driving case. Mr. Maze is an award-winning attorney and one of Michigan's leading drunk driving defense lawyers. He is certified in standardized field sobriety tests and teaches other lawyers how to defend DUI cases. He has been trained on the BAC Datamaster breath testing device at National Patent Analytical Systems and owns two Datamaster devices as well as PBTs. He has received toxicology training in blood and urine testing, and he has attended hundreds of hours of specialized training in DUI defense across the county.
William has handled many Allen Park DUI cases and routinely appears before the judges of the 24th District Court, successfully representing clients through motions and jury trials that have resulted in favorable rulings. If you want to know more about William's nearly 20 years of experience fighting drunk driving cases or what you might expect as a result in your case, call our office and schedule an appointment with Mr. Maze.
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