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Utica DUI Attorney



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

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

A DUI in Utica Michigan will be handled in the 41A District Court located in Shelby Township, Michigan.

41A District Court Contact Information and Address:

41A District Court
51660 Van Dyke Ave
Shelby Charter Township, MI 48316
Phone: (586) 739-7325

The 16th Circuit Court for Macomb County located in Mt. Clemens, MI presides over the 41A District Court. This means that the Macomb County Circuit Court holds superintending control over the 41A District Court in Shelby Township. 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 41A District Court.

What my clients are saying about me:

Utica Michigan DUI Penalties

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

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

Utica DUI Convictions in Michigan: Entry into Canada

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

OWI 2nd and OWI 3rd in Utica 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.

Utica drunk driving charges are serious, but an experienced criminal defense attorney in Utica can help. William Maze has challenged several Utica DUI charges and successfully defended many Utica 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 Utica 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 Utica

Arrested But Released on a DUI In Utica 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 Utica 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 Utica police officers. Refusal paperwork and the request for hearing does NOT go to the 41A 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 Utica may take months to file, but you must act now to protect your rights. Super drunk and child endangerment charges arising out of Utica 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 Utica 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.