Ann Arbor Michigan DUI Lawyers

Being arrested for drunk driving in Michigan will initiate an unwelcome and potentially overwhelming legal process. It is difficult to defend yourself and the consequences for being found guilty can be severe. It is a mistake however to assume there is no opportunity for a successful defense. You still have rights, and hiring an experienced Michigan OWI/DUI lawyer can make a difference in the outcome of your case.

Not all lawyers practice drunk driving defense or they do so in a limited manner. The Ann Arbor Michigan DUI Lawyers at Barone Defense Firm exclusively practice DUI/OWI defense. That allows them to focus on Michigan DUI laws, the DUI court system and developing winning DUI defense strategies. Using their knowledge, experience and legal skills they will attempt to keep you from being convicted.

Washtenaw County DUI Attorneys Barone Defense Firm will review your case, answer questions and outline your legal options during a free meeting. There is no obligation, so call (888) 747-6771 or fill out the form to the left, and start the process of regaining normalcy in your life.

The offense of drunk driving in Michigan can be referred to as Unauthorized Blood Alcohol Level (UBAL), Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) and Driving Under the Influence (DUI). It is important to note that you can have a blood alcohol content below the .08% legal limit for intoxication and still be charged with Michigan OWI/DUI. A law enforcement officer can make an alcohol related driving arrest if there is suspicion that your ability to drive is impaired or you show signs of being substantially affected by an intoxicant.

Following an arrest for driving under the influence in Washtenaw County, your license will be suspended. The duration of the suspension depends on a number of factors, including whether you refused to submit to a breath or blood test after being arrested, have prior MI DUI offenses or caused an accident with injury.

Test refusal usually results in a one-year license suspension. You can fight the suspension and request a restoration hearing with the Driver Appeal Assessment Division of the Secretary of State. This is a separate issue from the criminal case, though equally complex. In fact, the presumption of DAAD is that you will lose your driving privileges. Having skilled legal counsel, however, can help you retain your driving privileges. Note that you only have 14 days from the date of your arrest to request a hearing with DAAD.

If you are found guilty of drunk driving in Michigan, the state will again seek to suspend your license. The issues affecting a license suspension are not straightforward and a qualified, experienced OWI/DUI defense attorney can help you sort through the specifics of your case.

For help with your license, contact the Ann Arbor DUI Attorneys with the Barone Defense Firm now.

A first offense for operating while intoxicated in Michigan can result in up 93 days in jail, up to 360 hours of community service, a $100 to $500 fine and a minimum 6-month license suspension.

The penalties increase with each successive drunk driving or impaired conviction, with the third or greater offense being classified as a felony. DUI convictions remain on an arrest record for life, which could impact your ability to find or keep a job or open a line of credit. With increased data sharing with the U.S., Canada is more strictly imposing its policy of denying entry to anyone with a criminal arrest record.

Protect your future and contact the Washtenaw County DUI Attorneys at the Barone Defense Firm. They will protect your rights and seek to keep your record clean.

The DUI defense attorneys at the Barone Defense Firm only practice Michigan OWI/DUI defense. They are very well trained and experienced in drunk driving defense and their goal is to get your case reduced or dismissed.

In addition to providing you with a thorough and aggressive DUI defense, they will put your mind at ease by answering your questions and making themselves available throughout your case. The Ann Arbor Michigan DUI Lawyers at the Barone Defense Firm have a reputation for success and fairness, and they accept the responsibility of helping you to their fullest extent when you hire them.

The success of a DUI/OWI case partly depends on good investigation techniques. Washtenaw County Michigan DUI Attorneys Barone Defense Firm will compile as much information as they can during the development of their defense. This includes listening to your story, reviewing arrest video, analyzing the arrest report, reading the prosecution's 'discovery', requesting maintenance records on breath or blood testing equipment, interviewing witnesses and studying recent court decisions. Each case is different, and the Barone Defense Firm will work with the specifics of your case to craft the most appropriate defense.

The Barone Defense Firm remains on the cutting edge of Michigan DUI defense by improving their skills and knowledge at legal seminars and through the study of trial cases. That effort provides you will effective representation in a complex area of law.

Principal of the Barone Defense Firm, Patrick Barone started his legal practice to help people caught up in strict drunk driving laws and subjected to stiff penalties.

Mr. Barone has been identified as a Michigan 'SuperLawyer' and listed in 'Best Lawyers in America. He is an adjunct professor at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School where he teaches a drunk driving related course that combines criminal law, constitutional law and forensic science. Patrick Barone is a member of the Michigan State Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Oakland County Bar Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the National College of DUI Defense and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Adding to his understanding of all sides of a DUI, Patrick Barone has completed police training courses in DUI arrests, is a certified instructor in the administration of standardized sobriety field tests and is certified by the manufacturer of the breath testing machine used in Michigan on issues of diagnostics and calibration. He is a frequent lecturer on DUI subjects, has co-authored two well known books on DUI related issues and was recently selected as the executive editor of 'The DWI Journal, Law & Science'. Patrick Barone has received advanced training in DUI defense and litigation, most notably from Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College and National College of DUI Defense seminars.

MI DUI Lawyer Patrick Barone graduated from Oakland University and received a juris doctorate from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University.

The Ann Arbor DUI Attorneys with the Barone Defense Firm will review your Michigan DUI for free and give you an honest assessment of your case. For more information, call (888) 747-6771 or fill out the consultation request form to the left. Time is important for a successful DUI defense, so don't delay.