On January 3, 2007, Governor Jennifer Granholm signed Public Act 564 and Public Act 565 of 2006 into law and significantly increased the maximum penalties for habitual drunk drivers. Known as “Heidi’s Law”, the new statute was named in memory of Heidi Steiner,...
DUI Offenses
Michigan State Police Takes Datamaster Breathalyzer Out Of Service During Fraud Probe
On January 13th, 2020, the Michigan State Police took its 203 Datamaster breathalyzer machines out of service due to fraudulent records submitted during maintenance. The state police have a $1.26 million per year contract with Intoximeters, a St. Louis-based company,...
What Are The Penalties For Operating A Vehicle Under The Influence With A Child Present (“Child Endangerment”) in Michigan? – MCL 257.625(7)
Michigan law has little tolerance for drivers operating a motor vehicle on the road while under the influence of controlled substances and alcohol. Any conviction under these statutes can lead to substantial fines and costs, license sanctions, probation and even jail....
What Is Michigan’s Implied Consent Law?
If you find yourself in a situation where you are pulled over by the police on the road after having too much to drink, you might figure that the best way to avoid prosecution is to simply refuse to take any chemical tests. After all, how can the police prove that the...
What Are The Penalties For Operating A Vehicle With Any Amount Of A Schedule 1 Or 2 Controlled Substance In Your Body In Michigan? – MCL 257.625(8)
Most Michigan drivers are aware that if they drive a vehicle poorly while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, you can be charged and convicted with operating while intoxicated or operating while visibly impaired. However, did you know that you...
Are DUI Checkpoints Legal In Michigan?
Sobriety checkpoints typically involve law enforcement setting up a roadblock on a public road and either stopping every single vehicle or each vehicle in a pattern (e.g. every third or fourth vehicle) to investigate if the operator is too impaired to drive due to...
What Does It Mean To “Operate” A Motor Vehicle For Purposes of Michigan’s DUI Statutes?
Most people think they have a good idea of what it means to "operate" a vehicle when accused of drunk driving. They usually envision the typical scenario of a police officer driving behind a vehicle on a highway that is swerving between the lanes. The police officer...
Can You Be Charged With DUI On A Bicycle In Michigan?
Everyone knows that if you have consumed enough alcohol to be in excess of the legal limit and drive an automobile, motorcycle or truck on the open road, you can be charged and perhaps convicted with operating while intoxicated. But what about other means of...
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Warrantless Blood Draw From Unconscious Motorist After DUI Stop
On June 27th, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court released its opinion in Mitchell v. Wisconsin, ___ U.S. ___ (2019) holding in a very close 5-4 decision that the police officer's warrantless seizure of a blood draw from an unconscious drunk driving suspect did not violate...
What Should You Do When You Are Pulled Over By The Police?
One of the most unpleasant experiences faced by many drivers comes when you see the red and blue flashing lights in our rearview mirror. Many times, you already have an idea about why you are being pulled over; sometimes, you don't. Regardless, how handle that...
