Criminal Defense in Northville, Michigan

Criminal charges can have a life-changing impact, so it’s vital to bring a solid defense in order to protect your rights and obtain a favorable resolution. Criminal charges can range from drinking and driving offenses to charges related to violent crimes, sex crimes, gun crimes, and beyond – and convictions come with serious social and legal consequences. Criminal proceedings for offenses occurring in the Northville area are held at the 35th District Court, located at 660 Plymouth Road, Plymouth, MI 48170. If you’re in this challenging situation, you shouldn’t delay reaching out for the professional legal counsel of an experienced criminal attorney in Northville.

Common Legal Phrases

Reasonable Suspicion

Under Michigan’s “Stop and ID” law, police officers can stop you in a public place and require you to provide your identification, if the officer has reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. This begs the question – what is reasonable suspicion? Police have reasonable suspicion when evidence shows that a person has committed a crime or is committing a crime. Reasonable suspicion is not merely a hunch, suspicion, or gut-feeling of wrongdoing. If law enforcement has reasonable suspicion, they’re able to briefly stop you for further investigation. If police didn’t have the reasonable suspicion required to initiate the encounter, it’s an illegal stop. 

Probable Cause

In order for police to make an arrest, obtain a warrant, or conduct a search, the officer must first have probable cause to believe that a crime is being committed or has been committed. While this may seem identical to reasonable suspicion, the main difference is the degree of certainty that the officer must have. Probable cause is a higher standard for the government to prove compared to reasonable suspicion, so it’s likely that additional evidence is needed to support a finding of probable cause. To determine if probable cause existed in a given situation, the inquiry is viewed from the perspective of a reasonable person, by determining whether a reasonable person would believe that a crime had been committed or was being committed by a particular person. 

If you believe that your rights have been violated due to lack of reasonable suspicion or probable cause that you were committing a crime, it’s important to call an experienced criminal defense attorney in Northville to advocate your rights.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

In Michigan and throughout the United States, the standard that must be met by the prosecution in order to convict a defendant is “beyond a reasonable doubt”. This is a high standard for the prosecution to meet. In order for a court to rule in favor of the prosecution, they must prove every single element of a charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Failure to prove even one element of the offense means that charge cannot result in conviction. It’s important to note – this standard of proof doesn’t mean beyond a single doubt, but rather a reasonable doubt, meaning that reasonable conclusion may be made. 

Despite the difficulty of proving each element of an offense beyond a reasonable doubt, prosecutors are trained in doing so. For this reason, it is vital to obtain expert legal counsel to level the playing field and help cultivate the strongest defense for your case. 

Sex Crimes

Criminal Sexual Conduct

Cases of sexual assault aren’t limited to rape, but rather, criminal sexual conduct charges can encompass a wide variety of illegal conduct. Convictions for criminal sexual conduct carry serious legal consequences and are accompanied by social stigma that may impact many areas of your life, such as education, housing, and employment. 

Overview of the Degrees of Criminal Sexual Conduct

The purpose of the distinctions between the varying degrees of criminal sexual conduct are to differentiate between “sexual contact” and “sexual penetration”. Sexual contact affects only the body surfaces of the victim, whereas sexual penetration involves intrusion into the body’s cavities.

Lesser Sex-Based Offenses

Aside from criminal sexual conduct, there are lesser sex-based offenses that may be charged. After bringing a strong defense, a criminal sexual conduct charge may be reduced to. These offenses include:

·      Disorderly Person – Obscene Conduct

·      Indecent Exposure

·      Prostitution

·      Solicitation

Although these offenses are largely considered less serious than criminal sexual conduct, conviction of these offenses can still carry a lasting impact on your life. To avoid these collateral consequences and ensure that you’re bringing a strong defense, it’s beneficial to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney in Northville to aid in your case. 

Sex Offender Registry

Under the Sex Offender Registration Act, if you have been convicted of a sex crime you may be required to register as a sex offender, either at the discretion of the court or as mandated by the charging statute. One important exception exists for juvenile offenders;, if at the time of the alleged criminal act, if you were under the age of fourteen you aren’t required to register. Aside from the stigma and publicity of being a registered sex offender, you may also face up to $550.00 in registration fees. 

The term “sex offender” is not a one-size-fits-all category, which is why there are three tiers of registered sex offenders. Tier I is the lowest level, where offenders must comply with SORA registration requirements for up to fifteen years. Tier II is the mid-level of sex offenders, where a person must comply with SORA registration requirements for up to twenty-five years. The highest level of registered sex offenders fall within Tier III, who must comply with the SORA registration requirements for life.

As this demonstrates, the benefit of obtaining the professional counsel and expertise of a Northville criminal defense attorney can have a significant impact which extends far beyond the disposition of your case. 

Call a Criminal Defense Attorney in Northville, Michigan Today

To us, it’s personal. When you’re facing criminal charges in Northville or Wayne County, contact Geherin Law Group. Through his 27-years of experience as a criminal attorney, Daniel T. Geherin has received over 265 5-star reviews on avvo.com, and gained a strong reputation in obtaining favorable outcomes for clients facing a vast array of charges. We’re available 24/7 and we’ll put our years of criminal justice experience to work in protecting your interests. Contact us or call anytime at (734) 263-2780. Dan and his team of lawyers and paralegals will always treat you personally and fight aggressively to win your case.