Michigan OWI-DUI Defense Attorneys

Facing OWI Charges in Michigan?

There is No Substitute for Experience and a Track Record of Success

If you have been charged with OWI (Operating While Intoxicated), you need a knowledgeable DUI lawyer to protect your freedom and reputation. The Michigan OWI-DUI defense attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C., are ready to defend your OWI/DUI case anywhere in Michigan. Clients appreciate the comprehensive and supportive legal representation from the dedicated staff and team of OWI attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C.

An OWI charge can be a misdemeanor or a felony. The level of the charge would depend on the number of previous convictions for OWI, if there were an injury or death, and many other factors. The OWI Defense Attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. have the experience, skill, and dedication to handle your OWI case successfully. They will work tirelessly and zealously to achieve the best possible result for you in your case.

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A Michigan OWI conviction could mean severe consequences, including fines, a driver’s license suspension or revocation, community service, counseling, drug and alcohol testing, and even jail or prison time. Being arrested for OWI in Michigan is a serious legal issue. You need to contact an experienced OWI attorney immediately to build a good defense strategy in your case.

The OWI attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. know Michigan drug and alcohol-related driving laws and represent clients facing charges in Oakland County, Macomb County, Washtenaw County, Wayne County, Livingston County, and throughout the state of Michigan.

Aggressive OWI-DUI Defense Attorneys

Michigan OWI defense is complex and technical. Skilled and successful OWI attorneys will tell you that defending an OWI case is sometimes more difficult than defending a homicide case. Do not leave your defense to chance, plead guilty, or trust your case to the lowest bidder. Contact an OWI defense lawyer with advanced legal and scientific knowledge who knows the Michigan court system, Michigan judges, and Michigan prosecutors. The OWI-DUI defense attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. are aggressive, resourceful, creative, and passionate about our clients and their cases. We will turn over every rock and explore every loophole to find a way to get an advantage for our clients. Their problems are our problems.

There is simply no higher goal and LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. than an outright dismissal or substantial reduction in charges if possible.

OWI-DUI Penalties in Michigan

First Offense – Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) or (OWPD)

  • Up to 93 days in jail.
  • $100 to $500 fine.
  • Up to 360 hours of community service.
  • Driver’s license suspension for 30 days, followed by license restrictions
  • for 150 days.
  • Possible vehicle immobilization.
  • Possible ignition interlock.
  • Six points added to the driving record.

High Blood Alcohol Content (BAC of .17 or higher)

  • Up to 180 days in jail.
  • $200 to $700 fine.
  • Up to 360 hours of community service.
  • Driver’s license suspension for one year. Eligible for restrictions after 45 days of suspension with an ignition interlock device on all vehicles the offender owns or intends to operate.
  • Possible metal license plate confiscation if the offender operates a vehicle without a properly installed ignition interlock device.
  • Mandatory vehicle immobilization if the offender is subsequently convicted of operating a vehicle without a properly installed ignition interlock device.
  • Six (6) points added to the offender’s driving record.

Operating While Visibly Impaired (OWVI)

  • Up to 93 days in jail.
  • Up to a $300 fine.
  • Up to 360 hours of community service.
  • Driver’s license restrictions for 90 days (180 days if impaired by a controlled substance).
  • Possible vehicle immobilization.
  • Four (4) points added to the offender’s driving record.

Second Offense OWI within Seven (7) Years of Operating While Intoxicated

  • Five (5) days to one year in jail.
  • $200 to $1000 fine.
  • 30 to 90 days of community service
  • Driver’s license revocation and denial for a minimum of one year (minimum of five (5) years if there was a prior revocation within seven (7) years).
  • License plate confiscation.
  • Vehicle immobilization for 90 to 180 days, unless the vehicle is forfeited.
  • Possible vehicle forfeiture.
  • Six (6) points added to the offender’s driving record.

Third Offense OWI Within a Lifetime is a Felony (Heidi’s Law)

  • One to five (5) years of imprisonment.
  • $500 to $5,000 fine.
  • Probation, with 30 days to one year in jail.
  • 60 to 180 days of community service.
  • Driver’s license revocation and denial if there are two (2) convictions within seven (7) years or three (3) convictions within 10 years. The minimum period of revocation and denial is one year (a minimum of five (5) years if there was a prior revocation within seven (7) years).
  • License plate confiscation.
  • Vehicle immobilization for one to three (3) years, unless the vehicle is forfeited.
  • Possible vehicle forfeiture.
  • Vehicle registration denial.
  • Six (6) points added to the offender’s driving record.
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What if you know you are “guilty”? Is hiring a top OWI-DUI defense attorney worth it?

Many clients do not dispute driving while intoxicated and want to take responsibility. They want to know how we can help them avoid unduly harsh punishment. In many cases, we can discover unforeseen weaknesses in the case and obtain a better plea bargain than they ever expected. Sometimes, the fight is not to get an acquittal; instead, we use our vast experience, outstanding reputation, and finely honed negotiating skills to get our clients favorable plea bargains and lenient sentences. Judges in Michigan tend to go overboard on OWI cases. Some Michigan judges jail defendants on first offenses. We will do everything possible and explore every avenue to achieve extraordinary results regardless of solid evidence against you.

Challenging the Intoxilyzer 9000 Test

In most Michigan OWI cases, police request a breath sample with an Intoxilyzer 9000, also known as a breathalyzer. Blood tests are not uncommon, but breath tests are utilized most frequently. The Intoxilyzer 9000 and the breath test results are vulnerable to attack by a skillful Michigan OWI Attorney. You might assume that since the Michigan State Police have approved using the Intoxilyzer 9000 breathalyzer, its accuracy and reliability are not subject to credible challenge. The opposite is true. Most people have no idea how inadequate Intoxilyzer 9000 can be and how many variables can unexpectedly and significantly affect the results. The Intoxilyzer 9000 is only an evidence-gathering device. Don’t assume that you are guilty. The Michigan OWI-DUI attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C., understand the prosecutor’s case’s weaknesses. They will use their advanced skills and experience to defend your rights.

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Free Consultation with a Top OWI-DUI Defense Attorney

Don’t trust your Michigan OWI case to an amateur or a general-practice lawyer – take advantage of our years of experience, trial work, and legal expertise with OWI laws. Do not wait. The OWI-DUI defense attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. approach every case with the care and attention you expect and deserve. We have a well-earned reputation for providing the highest caliber of defense in Oakland County, Wayne County, Macomb County, Washtenaw County, Livingston County, and throughout Southeastern Michigan. Our Defense Team has an unparalleled track record of achieving extraordinary results. Call us for a free consultation today.

Call us today at (248) 263-6800 for a free consultation or complete an online Request for Assistance Form. We will contact you promptly and find a way to help you.

We will find a way to help you and, most importantly,
we are not afraid to win!

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