Recent Articles

Escort Attorneys: Should you hire a DUI lawyer or someone local?

Submitted by Maze Legal Group PC on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 12:22

People charged with drunk driving are frequently tempted to hire a local lawyer. A lot of attorneys focus on this by suggesting that he/she is friends with the judge. Should you hire someone local or someone who really knows the science and legal arguments pertaining to DUI defense? The “local lawyer” option is the old “I golf with the judge” mentality. So a client picks the guy who actually golfs with the judge, and what does that mean? Does the case get dismissed? Does the judge say not guilty at a bench trial? Does the prosecutor offer a non-alcohol? Does the cop run and hide?

Police Fail to Detect Drunk Drivers During Holiday Crackdown

Submitted by Maze Legal Group PC on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 12:21

Thousands of dollars were wasted by police officials through ineffective enforcement of Michigan drunk driving laws over the 2009 holiday season. During the second week of January 2010, the Michigan Department of State Police revealed that only 300 drunk driving arrests were made during the recent holiday crackdown. Officers were required to put in an average of 25 road patrol hours for every drunk driving arrest while assigned to special DUI enforcement teams during peak hours, failing to detect many impaired motorists.

Reasonable Suspicion, Probable Cause, and Field Sobriety Tests

Submitted by Maze Legal Group PC on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 10:21

A police officer requires “reasonable suspicion” to stop a vehicle and “probable cause” to place a person under arrest for DUI. In reality, however, officers stop and arrest drinking drivers on snap decisions. By using standardized forms and key phrases, however, officers can create compelling narratives to support the stop and arrest decision. These reports frequently appear cookie-cutter, but it passes muster in the courts. A motorist may be stopped for any number of reasons.

What is “forensic” science, and why does it make me feel icky whenever a prosecutor uses the word in DUI cases?

Submitted by Maze Legal Group PC on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 10:18

According to Webster’s Dictionary, “forensic” is defined as: Etymology: Latin forensis public, forensic, from forum forum 1 : belonging to, used in, or suitable to courts of judicature or to public discussion and debate 2 : argumentative, rhetorical 3 : relating to or dealing with the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems.

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs: Drugged Driving Under Michigan Laws

Submitted by Maze Legal Group PC on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 10:16

Michigan drugged driving and impairing substancesDriving under the influence of drugs sounds really bad, and this topic has received a lot of attention lately in the media. Images of teenagers driving like lunatics in Reefer Madness dovetail with the traditional images of drunk drivers sauced up and toting bottles enclosed in brown paper bags.

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DUID
driving under the influence of drugs
drugged driving in michigan

Can a person be charged with impaired driving at .07 under Michigan law?

Submitted by Maze Legal Group PC on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 10:14

Under Michigan law, a motorist can be charged with Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) if the driver’s “ability to drive was substantially and materially affected by consumption of intoxicating liquor.” A driver can also be charged with OWI if chemical tests reveal a bodily alcohol content of .08 or more. Prior to 2004, the legal blood alcohol level was .10, but it was reduced under the new federally mandated .08 legislation.

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driving below .08
under the legal limit