Bloomfield Township
Traffic Tickets Fight Your Michigan Traffic Ticket
If you were cited for a traffic violation in Oakland County, Michigan, your only option isn’t paying the fine or admitting guilt. You can fight the traffic ticket and seek to have penalties reduced or your case dismissed. To effectively contest your ticket, you need the help of an aggressive attorney who will work toward a favorable result on your behalf. Backed by over 35 years of combined experience, our Michigan Traffic Ticket Lawyers at Fraiberg & Pernie are proficient and persistent. We will use their in-depth legal knowledge and resources to challenge your traffic ticket. Our team can handle any and all civil traffic and moving violations, from speeding tickets to reckless driving. You will get the defense you need from our Oakland County attorneys.
You could find your driving privileges revoked, which is why hiring legal counsel is so important. Call us now at 248-986-2682 contact us online.
Potential Consequences of Driving With License Suspended in Michigan (DWLS)
Driving without a valid license is illegal. If you are caught driving with a suspended license in Birmingham, MI, you could face serious civil and criminal penalties. Although it is impossible to predict the exact penalties you could face if convicted, it is important that you understand the gravity of the charges against you. Typically, the court will take into consideration your driving history if you are being charged with a DWLS in Michigan and it involves a drunk driving offense or another serious offense. Our goal is to build a strong case on your behalf, which prevents you from facing the most severe consequences or prevents a conviction altogether.
Our defense lawyers can help you navigate your legal process, schedule your free case review now to get started!
What Constitutes Reckless Driving in Michigan?
In Michigan, a reckless driving charge is levied when a person drives in a manner that willfully or wantonly disregards the safety of others and property. The law states that such conduct is prohibited on public highways, frozen bodies of water, or other places open to the public, including parking lots.
Reckless driving is a serious traffic offense that can be charged for a variety of reasons, and it’s somewhat up to law enforcement to interpret what constitutes reckless driving.
A few examples of charges for reckless driving include:
- Excessive speeding
- Swerving
- Illegal lane changing
- Racing
Many times, police officers charge drivers with reckless driving before they have enough evidence to substantiate the charge. Our job is to thoroughly investigate the nature of the arrest and determine the best court of action. For example, if we can speak to an eyewitness who can testify that you were not speeding or behaving recklessly, that could bode well for you. Other factors that may be considered in your case are weather conditions, your vehicle, other vehicles on the road, and lighting conditions.
What Are the Penalties for Reckless Driving in Michigan?
The exact penalties you could face for reckless driving depend on the nature of the charge. The offense is typically charged as a misdemeanor, resulting in a maximum of 93 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $500.
If serious bodily impairment or death results from reckless driving, the offense is charged as a felony, and the conviction penalties increase substantially.
The penalties you could face include:
- Extensive jail time
- Exorbitant fines
- Mandatory education classes
- Points on your driving record
- Revocation or suspension of your license
- Probation
- Community service
- Higher insurance rates
- Criminal record
What’s the Difference Between Reckless Driving and Careless Driving?
Michigan has a law on the books that prohibits motorists from engaging in careless driving. The offense is different from reckless driving in that a “willful or wanton” disregard for the safety of others or property is absent from careless driving. However, careless or negligent driving may still endanger others or property.
Whereas reckless driving is generally a misdemeanor, careless driving is a civil infraction that may result in a fine.
Driver’s License Restoration in Michigan
Everyone knows the consequences of a drunk driving offense are severe. There are many fines and costs to pay, the possibility of jail time, and the loss of your driving privileges for an extended period. How long your driver’s license will be revoked depends on how many DUI convictions you have on your record.
Your Michigan driver’s license will be suspended according to the following guidelines:
- A first DUI conviction – License suspension for a maximum of 30 days
- A first DUI conviction with a BAC higher than 0.16 – License suspension for a maximum of one year
- A second DUI conviction within seven years – License suspension for a minimum of one year
- A third DUI conviction within 10 years – License suspension for a minimum of five years
If you have a suspended license for multiple DUI offenses in Oakland County, MI, Fraiberg & Pernie is committed to getting your driving privileges back. Our drunk driving attorneys, Attorney Eric Pernie, a former police officer, and Attorney Matthew Fraiberg, a former prosecutor, understand the thorough process of restoring your driver’s license and what is expected of you to succeed.
If your Michigan driver’s license has been suspended or revoked after being convicted of drunk driving, this means your driving privileges will be taken away, and you must apply for license reinstatement with the Secretary of State as soon as the period of suspension is over. Habitual offenders must apply for driver’s license restoration to the Driver Assessment and Appeal Division (DAAD).
There are several requirements regarding documentation and a substance abuse evaluation (SAE), which is a form that is completed by a certified doctor or substance abuse therapist. For your request to be granted, all you must do to obtain a hearing date is to complete an SAE. Additionally, you will also need to turn in letters from people in the community who know something about your past and present drinking and drug use habits.
At the hearing, the hearing officer will review all related documents and will ask you several questions to ensure your verbal answers are the same as all the responses in the SAE and letters. If you do not take the proper steps to adequately prepare for your hearing to restore your driver’s license or to obtain a restricted driver’s license, you will risk being denied. This is why it is imperative to hire an experienced drunk-driving lawyer from Birmingham to guide you throughout the process. Our attorneys know the ins and outs of the driver’s license restoration process in Michigan and can ensure you are well-equipped for the hearing.
Exploring All Legal Defenses to Your Traffic Charges
To build an effective defense strategy for cases involving serious traffic violations, we must thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding your arrest. This means talking to witnesses, reviewing the arrest report, and inspecting your criminal and driving records.
We defend traffic offenses in:
- Birmingham
- Royal Oak
- Bloomfield Township
- West Bloomfield Township
- Southfield
- Pontiac
- Troy
- Rochester Hills
- Auburn Hills
- Novi
We do everything in our power to gather as much evidence as possible that can support an argument on your behalf.
A few examples of legal defenses we may use on your behalf include:
- The law enforcement officer made an illegal arrest
- The arresting officer’s questioning was suspect
- You were unaware of the license suspension
Michigan often takes six weeks to respond with a hearing date. During that time, our Oakland County traffic ticket lawyers can prepare you for the hearing. We know exactly what to expect, including the questions that you will be asked. Do not hesitate to get your driving privileges back with our experienced legal assistance.