Michigan Criminal Attorneys Blog

April 27, 2015

Troy Traffic Tickets

Below is a list of traffic tickets which need to be addressed at the 52/1 District Court in Troy, Michigan when the traffic offense occurs in one of the following communities: Troy, Clawson. The Judges currently serving the 52/4 District Court are the Honorable Maureen McGinnis and the Honorable Kirsten Nielsen Hartig.

Misdemeanor traffic tickets require the individual cited to appear in court to address the matter. Civil infractions can be either contested in court (if the individual makes a timely request) or payment can be made in person, by mail, or online to satisfy the ticket. The fines listed below are subject to change. Misdemeanor traffic offenses also carry a potential penalty that may include the following depending upon the offense: jail time, probation with conditions, fines, costs, restitution, driver’s responsibility fees, and driver’s license sanctions. Failure to appear or pay tickets on a timely basis can result in a bench warrant for the individual’s arrest, additional fines and costs, and suspension of driving privileges. If you receive a misdemeanor traffic ticket, or wish to contest a civil infraction, you should hire an experienced local attorney, such as the attorneys at Hilf & Hilf, PLC.

Drivers License Violations

April 27, 2015

Rochester Hills Traffic Ticket

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

Below is a list of traffic tickets which need to be addressed at the 52/3 District Court in Rochester Hills, Michigan when the traffic offense occurs in one of the following communities: Addison Township; Auburn Hills; Lake Angelus; Oakland Township; Orion Township; Oxford Township; Rochester; Rochester Hills; Village of Lake Orion; Village of Leonard; and the Village of Oxford. The 52/3 District Court is located at 700 Barclay Circle in the city of Rochester Hills, Michigan 48307. The Judges currently serving the 52/4 District Court are the Honorable Julie A. Nicholson, the Honorable Lisa L. Asadoorian, and the Honorable Nancy Tolwin Carniak.

Misdemeanor traffic tickets require the individual cited to appear in court to address the matter. Civil infractions can be either contested in court (if the individual makes a timely request) or payment can be made in person, by mail, or online to satisfy the ticket. The fines listed below are subject to change. Misdemeanor traffic offenses also carry a potential penalty that may include the following depending upon the offense: jail time, probation with conditions, fines, costs, restitution, driver’s responsibility fees, and driver’s license sanctions. Failure to appear or pay tickets on a timely basis can result in a bench warrant for the individual’s arrest, additional fines and costs, and suspension of driving privileges. If you receive a misdemeanor traffic ticket, or wish to contest a civil infraction, you should hire an experienced local attorney, such as the attorneys at Hilf & Hilf, PLC.

Drivers License Violations

April 27, 2015

Novi District Court Traffic Tickets

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

Below is a list of traffic tickets which need to be addressed at the 52/1 District Court in Novi, Michigan when the traffic offense occurs in one of the following communities: Commerce Township; Highland Township; Lyon Township; Milford Township; Novi; Novi Township; South Lyon; Village of Milford; Village of Wolverine Lake; Walled Lake; Wixom. The 52/1 District Court is located at 48150 Grand River Avenue in the city of Novi, Michigan. The Judges currently serving the 52/4 District Court are the Honorable Robert Bondy, the Honorable Travis Reeds, and the Honorable David Law.

Misdemeanor traffic tickets require the individual cited to appear in court to address the matter. Civil infractions can be either contested in court (if the individual makes a timely request) or payment can be made in person, by mail, or online to satisfy the ticket. The fines listed below are subject to change. Misdemeanor traffic offenses also carry a potential penalty that may include the following depending upon the offense: jail time, probation with conditions, fines, costs, restitution, driver’s responsibility fees, and driver’s license sanctions. Failure to appear or pay tickets on a timely basis can result in a bench warrant for the individual’s arrest, additional fines and costs, and suspension of driving privileges. If you receive a misdemeanor traffic ticket, or wish to contest a civil infraction, you should hire an experienced local attorney, such as the attorneys at Hilf & Hilf, PLC.

Drivers License Violations

April 17, 2015

How Does Michigan Law Classify Drug Charges?

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

Drug possession, cultivation, and manufacturing charges are very serious and require skilled legal representation. Michigan, like other states, recognizes that drug related crimes can vary in terms of seriousness. In the State of Michigan, there are 5 categories of drug crimes. Defendants facing any of the following drug related charges need to secure expert legal representation.

Schedule 1 Controlled Substances include drugs like marijuana, heroin, mushrooms, ecstasy, and LSD. Schedule 2 Controlled Substances include cocaine, opium, morphine, and oxycodone. Medical marijuana also falls under this umbrella. Schedule 3 Substances consist of drugs that have some medical purposes, but can lead to dependence and abuse. Some examples include lower power morphine, anabolic steroids, codeine, and more. Schedule 4 Substances are considered less serious than Schedule 3 and include drugs like Xanax and Valium. Lastly, Schedule 5 Substances include medicines consisting of ephedrine, codeine, mixtures with opium among others.

Those charged with Schedule 1 or 2 are facing very serious consequences. Defendants with lesser charges should not mistakenly consider a reduced charge as something insignificant. All drug charges can result in severe consequences in Michigan and need to be taken seriously. For this reason, defendants in Michigan should contact a firm with a longstanding history of providing legal representation in drug related cases ranging from Schedule 1 through Schedule 5.

April 2, 2015

Retail Fraud in Troy Michigan

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

Retail Fraud (also known as shoplifting) can have serious implications on an individual’s reputation, employment or career, ability to get school loans or attend school, and immigration status (for persons that are not citizens). There is the potential for incarceration, probation with conditions, community service, drug testing, economic crimes classes, counseling, fines, cost, and restitution for an individual who is convicted of retail fraud.

Retail Fraud always involves an allegation of a theft from a store which is open to the public for business at the time of the offense. It can occur by either physically moving or concealing merchandise with the intent to steal, or altering or removing a price tag with the intent to defraud.

Retail fraud can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony offense depending upon the circumstances:

March 6, 2015

Clawson City Criminal Ordinances – Offenses Against Governmental Operations

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

The following are misdemeanor offenses against governmental operations that are regularly prosecuted by the Clawson Michigan city attorney under the Clawson Michigan local ordinances (These offenses can also be prosecuted under corresponding State laws as well by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office). The section (Sec.) numbers listed below are from the Clawson Criminal Code.

Sec 46-351. Obstructing government operations. A person commits the offense of obstructing government operations if he or she intentionally obstructs, impairs or hinders the performance of a governmental function or the use of government property by using or threatening to use violence, force, physical interference or obstacle. For purposes of this section, the term “government” includes any principal subdivision or agency of the United States, the state, city, or any agency of local government operating within the city of Clawson. The term “governmental function” includes any activity which a public agency or public servant is legally authorized to undertake. State law reference – Obstruction of police officer, MCL 750.479.

Sec. 46-352. Rendering a false alarm. A person commits the offense of rendering a false alarm if he or she knowingly causes a false alarm or fire or other emergency to be transmitted to or within a fire department or any other governmental agency that deals with emergencies involving danger to life or property. State law reference – False fire alarms, MCL 750.240; false report on crime, MCL 750.411a.

March 5, 2015

Clawson City Criminal Ordinances – Drug Offenses

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

The following are misdemeanor drug offenses that are regularly prosecuted by the Clawson Michigan city attorney under the Clawson Michigan local ordinances (These offenses can also be prosecuted under corresponding State laws as well by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office). The section (Sec.) numbers listed below are from the Clawson Criminal Code.

Sec 46-231. Possession of marijuana. (a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Marijuana means all parts of the plant Cannabis Sativa, whether growing or not; the seeds of such plant; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin. The definition does not include the mature stalks of the plant, fiber produced from the stalks, oil or cake, or the sterilized seed of the plant which is incapable of germination.

March 4, 2015

Clawson City Criminal Ordinances – Offenses Against Property

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

The following are misdemeanor offenses against property that are regularly prosecuted by the Clawson Michigan city attorney under the Clawson Michigan local ordinances (These offenses can also be prosecuted under corresponding State laws as well by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office). The section (Sec.) numbers listed below are from the Clawson Criminal Code.

Sec 46-81. Theft of property. A person commits the offense of theft of property if he takes, steals or appropriates to his or her own use public or private property belonging to another person (Code 1978, section 21-46) State law reference, similar provision MCL 750.356.

Sec 46-82. Theft of services. A person commits the offense of theft of services if he intentionally obtains services known by him to be available only for compensation by deception, threat, false token, or other means to avoid payment for the services. (Code 1978, section 21-32) State law reference, similar provision MCL 750.356.

March 4, 2015

Clawson City Criminal Ordinances – Offenses Involving Tobacco

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

The following are misdemeanor tobacco offenses that are regularly prosecuted by the Clawson Michigan city attorney under the Clawson Michigan local ordinances (These offenses can also be prosecuted under corresponding State laws as well by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office). The section (Sec.) numbers listed below are from the Clawson Criminal Code.

Sec. 46-2. – State law misdemeanors. Every act prohibited by state law as a misdemeanor is prohibited, and whoever violates the provisions of this section within the city shall, upon conviction, be punished by the same penalty provided by state law, except that the penalty shall, in no case, exceed the maximum authorized for an ordinance violation. (Code 1978, § 21-2)

Sec. 46-3. – Use of tobacco products on school property.

March 4, 2015

Clawson City Criminal Ordinances – Offenses Against Public Peace and Order

by Hilf & Hilf, PLC

The following are misdemeanor offenses against public peace and order that are regularly prosecuted by the Clawson Michigan city attorney under the Clawson Michigan local ordinances (These offenses can also be prosecuted under corresponding State laws as well by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office). The section (Sec.) numbers listed below are from the Clawson Criminal Code.

Sec 46-181. Disturbing the Peace Generally. Any person who shall make or assist in making any noise, disturbance or improper diversion, or any rout or riot, or ring or sound any gong, by which the peace and good order of the neighborhood are disturbed, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Sec 46-182. Disorderly house. It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any noisy or riotous persons to assemble in any house owned, occupied or controlled by him or her, to the annoyance or disturbance of the neighborhood and the public peace.