There is no question that stealing is wrong and is punishable as a crime under the law. However, the severity of the offense is amplified when the thief is placed in a position of trust by another person, company or organization and the thief uses his or her...
Criminal Law
What Are The Penalties For False Fire Alarms In Michigan?
Many high school and college students are taught that the First Amendment guarantee of free speech does not extend to words that cause public panic such as screaming “FIRE” in a crowded theatre. Raising a false fire alarm can be socially and economically...
What Are The Penalties For Violating The Governor’s State of Emergency Executive Orders in Michigan?
On March 10th, 2020, the State of Michigan identified the first two presumptive-positive cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in its borders. That same day, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency based on her...
Can You Be Prosecuted For Failing To Return Rental Property In Michigan?
If you are renting furniture, electronics or other items from a rental center and you retain the property without paying the rental fee (or hold the property beyond the agreed-upon rental period), then the rental company will start mailing threatening letters...
What Are The Civil And Criminal Penalties For Ethnic Intimidation In Michigan?
Martin Luther King Jr. famously stated at the March on Washington on August 28th, 1963 - "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."These...
What Is An “Accessory After The Fact” In Michigan?
Imagine that you receive a phone call from a friend that tells you that he just stole money from an ATM and that the police were on his tail. He tells you that he needs to hide the tools he used to break into the machine to access the cash inside. He asks if you would...
Can You Put A GPS Tracking Device On A Motor Vehicle In Michigan?
There are many legitimate reasons why someone would want to track the whereabouts of a motor vehicle. A concerned husband may be suspicious that his wife is cheating on him so he is tracking whether the vehicle is going to an out-of-town hotel. A parent may have...
Michigan’s Eavesdropping Statute: Is It Illegal To Record Phone Conversations?
Michigan law prohibits a person from using a device to intercept a private conversation without the consent of all the parties present. This often leads to many people asking their lawyers if it is illegal for a party of a conversation to record the conversation...
“Porch Piracy” And Mail Theft Becomes Felony Crimes In Michigan
The way that people shop has changed greatly in the last several years. The days of going to a brick-and-mortar store have given way to browsing on Amazon and having merchandise delivered directly to your front door. Unfortunately, those packages left on the porch...
What Are The Penalties For Perjury In Michigan?
When a witness appears in court to testify, there are many rituals present to impress the seriousness of this event upon everyone watching. The witness must raise his hand in the air before the court clerk to take an oath or affirmation. The witness must swear or...
