Anyone in Michigan charged with a felony offense punishable by more than one year of incarceration has a right to a preliminary exam in Michigan. At the preliminary exam, the prosecutor must present evidence that there is probable cause to believe that a felony has...
Month: April 2018
Driving While License Suspended or Revoked In Michigan: Consequences and Defenses
Pursuant to MCL 257.904 and MCL 257.212, a person is guilty of driving while his or her operator's license is suspended or revoked, or "DWLS", if the prosecutor can prove all of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt:The person was operating a motor vehicle,...
Changes To Itemized Deductions In Tax Year 2018
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 will sharply decrease the number of taxpayers that take itemized deductions on their Form 1040 tax returns. You generally have two options when it comes to tax deductions: (1) take the standard deduction, or (2) itemize your...
Resisting and Obstructing Police Officers: Broad Application Under Michigan Law
Pursuant to MCL 750.81d, an individual who "assaults, batters, wounds, resists, obstructs, opposes or endangers a person who the individual knows or has reason to know is performing his duties is guilty of a felony." The "persons" referred to in this statute include...
Tax Consequences of Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrency
On March 25th, 2014, the Internal Revenue Service issued a notice regarding cryptocurrency and stated it will be treated as property for the purpose of federal taxation. This statement was issued well before 2017, the year that Bitcoin exploded in value and became a...
Duties Of A Personal Representative In Michigan
Congratulations! You have been appointed as the personal representative of a loved one who has passed on and are now charged with settling the final affairs. It is a privilege and an honor to be considered for this important role because of the immense trust that has...
Tax Consequences of Medical Marijuana
Tax law has not been kind to medical marijuana. Although cannabis has been legalized in 29 states and the District of Columbia for medical purposes, it remains outlawed at the federal level. As a result, it has been the subject of harsh tax treatment by Congress and...
Who Gets To Be Personal Representative in Michigan?
The personal representative is the person appointed by a probate court of appropriate jurisdiction in Michigan to administer and wrap up the final affairs of the deceased. In other states, this person may be known as the "executor" or "estate administrator". But who...
