Below is a short video to help people understand the most common plea offer for a Domestic Violence 1st offense in Michigan. I received two calls recently from people asking me to help them decide if they should take this plea deal. The video discusses MCL 769.4a and how it works, and some of the pitfalls people face when they accept this plea deal. Visit my criminal law blog here for more information.
ByMatthew BenedictThis is a difficult topic to discuss. Prosecutors and Politicians have successfully labeled sex offenders as evil living among us. The truth is there are degrees of wrong associated with sex crimes. For years, politicians added more and more criminal offenses that required the defendant to sign up on the sex offender registry. In 2011,…
ByMatthew BenedictRemoving a criminal conviction in Michigan has received a lot of press lately. Not that long ago there was expungement week, a national campaign that provided free legal clinics across the country, and with marijuana legalization in Michigan, legislators are eager to remove moot marijuana convictions from the past. The media quotes a University of…
ByMatthew BenedictCriminal sentencing in Michigan is when the judge renders a sentence upon a criminal law defendant after a verdict or a guilty plea. The criminal sentencing hearing, or just sentencing hearing, typically occurs a few weeks after a trial or plea hearing. Depending on the crime, a lot of work must be completed before sentencing….
ByMatthew BenedictI am a litigator; the courtroom is where I am at my best. This week I tried my third case of domestic violence, or domestic assault, MCL 750.81(2), charged against a parent, where I achieved an acquittal through the Parental Discipline affirmative defense. Parental Discipline is an affirmative defense. When an affirmative defense is utilized…
ByMatthew BenedictThis blog is intended to provide necessary information for criminal defendants charged with domestic violence, MCL 750.81a, in Michigan. Each county prosecutor is different as well as each District Court. The 86th District Court in Grand Traverse County, Leelanau County, and Antrim County is very hard on a person convicted of domestic violence. The no-contact…
ByMatthew BenedictA person accused of drunk driving knows that they are in for grievous consequences if they are convicted. While the punishment for a DUI is not the same in every state, this is not a conviction you want to have on your record. Additionally, most states will make your punishment more severe if you caused…
