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Monroe DUI Attorney



If you are facing DUI charges in Monroe, Michigan . . .

If you are charged with a DUI in Monroe MI, you need an experienced, award-winning Monroe DUI attorney to help you obtain and challenge evidence that can help you in your case. I have been in practice for 20 years, and I have handled over a thousand drunk driving cases. I am an experienced Monroe DUI attorney, and I know the science and the law that can help you fight a DUI charge in Monroe.

A DUI in Monroe Michigan will be handled in the 1st District Court located in Monroe, Michigan.

1st District Court Contact Information and Address:

1st District Court
106 E 1st St
Monroe, MI 48161
Phone: (734) 240-7076

The 38th Circuit Court for Monroe County, located in the same building as the district court in Monroe, Michigan, presides over the 1st District Court. This means that the Monroe County Circuit Court holds superintending control over the 1st District Court in Monroe. The Monroe County Circuit Court also handles all felony criminal cases (including felony drunk driving charges after the preliminary examination) and any appeal from a decision or verdict of the 1st District Court.

What my clients are saying about me:

Monroe Michigan DUI Penalties

If you are seeking a qualified Monroe DUI Attorney or a drunk driving attorney in Monroe, I want to provide you with enough information so that you can make an informed decision regarding your selection of a drunk driving lawyer. A DUI in Monroe Michigan cannot be expunged, and it remains on your record for life. A second DUI within seven years counts as an OWI 2nd and results in a lifetime driver's license revocation, and a third drunk driving conviction any time in a lifetime counts as an OWI 3rd felony DUI in Michigan.

If you plead guilty to drunk driving in Monroe or if you are found guilty of a DUI in Monroe, you face the following penalties:

First Time Offender: Super Drunk Over .17 BAC in Monroe, Michigan

If you take your case to a bench or jury trial and lose, you have an appeal of right to the Monroe County Circuit Court, but if you take a plea, any appeal is discretionary and granted only by leave of the 38th Circuit Court.

First Time Offender: OWI - Operating While Intoxicated in Monroe, Michigan (Same as DUI or DWI in other states)

If you take your case to a bench or jury trial and lose, you have an appeal of right to the Monroe County Circuit Court, but if you take a plea, any appeal is discretionary and granted only by leave of the 38th Circuit Court.

First Time Offender: OWVI - Operating While Impaired in Monroe, Michigan (Counts as a DUI or DWI in some states, but not all)

If you take your case to a bench or jury trial and lose, you have an appeal of right to the Monroe County Circuit Court, but if you take a plea, any appeal is discretionary and granted only by leave of the 38th Circuit Court.

Know the consequences of a DUI Conviction in Monroe Michigan

Monroe DUI Convictions in Michigan: Entry into Canada

The Monroe drunk driving conviction will count as a felony in Canada, even though Monroe will abstract a conviction as a misdemeanor. US citizens who intend to travel to Canada may be denied entry following a DUI conviction in Monroe, Michigan.

OWI 2nd and OWI 3rd in Monroe Michigan

A second offense for either OWI or OWVI within seven years of a prior OWI or OWVI results in tougher penalties, greater likelihood of jail, and a lifetime revocation of a person's driver's license. In many courts, depending upon the circumstances, a jail sentence of a few weeks to six months is imposed on an OWI 2nd offense, with the maximum penalty being a full year in the Monroe County jail.

A third offense for any combination of OWI and OWVI charges any time in a lifetime is a felony OWI 3rd offense, which carries mandatory jail and a possible prison term of up to 5 years. The Michigan Court of Appeals has held that courts must impose a jail sentence of at least 30 days for a third offense drunk driving conviction, so you will spend at least 30 days in jail in the Monroe County jail if you accept a plea or are convicted of an OWI 3rd offense.

Monroe drunk driving charges are serious, but an experienced criminal defense attorney in Monroe can help. William Maze has challenged several Monroe DUI charges and successfully defended many Monroe DUI cases and drunk driving prosecutions by challenging the officer's reasonable suspicion for the traffic stop, the administration of standardized field sobriety tests, and the admissibility and relevance of the Datamaster or blood test. Mr. Maze has a solid reputation as an aggressive Monroe DUI attorney and he has a reputation for fighting cases through motions and taking cases to jury trial.

What other attorneys are saying about me:

If you were arrested and released without charges in Monroe

Arrested But Released on a DUI In Monroe Michigan?

IMPORTANT: If you were arrested by the police but released the next morning from jail without a court date, you need to obtain videos from the police within 30 days before these materials are legally destroyed. This is why it is so important to hire an experienced Monroe DUI attorney. In the case of an OWI blood draw, you may be required to submit paperwork to the Secretary of State within 14 days to save your license if you were charged with a refusal of a chemical test by Monroe police officers. Refusal paperwork and the request for hearing does NOT go to the 1st District Court or to Monroe County Circuit Court! YOU MUST REQUEST A HEARING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE WITHIN 14 DAYS by submitting the 625g permit's Request for Hearing to the Secretary of State or else your license will be automatically suspended.

OWI 2nd and OWI 3rd charges in Monroe may take months to file, but you must act now to protect your rights. Super drunk and child endangerment charges arising out of Monroe will likely be handled by the Monroe County prosecutors office who may also take several weeks to authorize a warrant. During this time, critical evidence can be legally destroyed or recycled unless you act fast! Finally, drugged driving charges in Monroe Michigan sometimes take a year before charges are filed because of a backlog of blood tests at the Michigan State Police Toxicology Unit. You cannot afford to wait until charges are authorized, so call us immediately to discuss your case.