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St Clair Shores DUI Attorney



If you are facing DUI charges in St Clair Shores, Michigan . . .

If you are charged with a DUI in St Clair Shores MI, you need an experienced, award-winning St Clair Shores 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 St Clair Shores DUI attorney, and I know the science and the law that can help you fight a DUI charge in St Clair Shores.

A DUI in St Clair Shores Michigan will be handled in the 40th District Court located in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.

40th District Court Contact Information and Address:

40th District Court
27701 Jefferson Avenue
St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
Phone: 586-445-5280

The 16th Circuit Court for Macomb County located in Mt. Clemens, MI presides over the 40th District Court. This means that the Macomb County Circuit Court holds superintending control over the 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores. The Macomb 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 40th District Court.

What my clients are saying about me:

St Clair Shores Michigan DUI Penalties

If you are seeking a qualified St Clair Shores DUI Attorney or a drunk driving attorney in St Clair Shores, 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 St Clair Shores 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 St Clair Shores or if you are found guilty of a DUI in St Clair Shores, you face the following penalties:

First Time Offender: Super Drunk Over .17 BAC in St Clair Shores, Michigan

If you take your case to a bench or jury trial and lose, you have an appeal of right to the Macomb County Circuit Court, but if you take a plea, any appeal is discretionary and granted only by leave of the 16th Circuit Court.

First Time Offender: OWI - Operating While Intoxicated in St Clair Shores, 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 Macomb County Circuit Court, but if you take a plea, any appeal is discretionary and granted only by leave of the 16th Circuit Court.

First Time Offender: OWVI - Operating While Impaired in St Clair Shores, 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 Macomb County Circuit Court, but if you take a plea, any appeal is discretionary and granted only by leave of the 16th Circuit Court.

Know the consequences of a DUI Conviction in St Clair Shores Michigan

St Clair Shores DUI Convictions in Michigan: Entry into Canada

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

OWI 2nd and OWI 3rd in St Clair Shores 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 Macomb 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 Macomb County jail if you accept a plea or are convicted of an OWI 3rd offense.

St Clair Shores drunk driving charges are serious, but an experienced criminal defense attorney in St Clair Shores can help. William Maze has challenged several St Clair Shores DUI charges and successfully defended many St Clair Shores 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 St Clair Shores DUI attorney and he has a reputation for fighting cases through motions and taking cases to jury trial.

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If you were arrested and released without charges in St Clair Shores

Arrested But Released on a DUI In St Clair Shores 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 St Clair Shores 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 St Clair Shores police officers. Refusal paperwork and the request for hearing does NOT go to the 40th District Court or to Macomb 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 St Clair Shores may take months to file, but you must act now to protect your rights. Super drunk and child endangerment charges arising out of St Clair Shores will likely be handled by the Macomb 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 St Clair Shores 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.