A police report might reduce an entire evening to the size of a few pages. The actual charge might be contained onto a single line.
It is rare to find a life that is so elegant.
Perhaps dinner started at seven. When it was nine there was a fight. Someone left at ten and returned the next day. A neighbor then called the police just before midnight. Maybe the driver went out with friends, then took the wheel. He was arrested a couple of miles later. All of this activity could have resulted in a criminal case by the time it was morning.
For criminal defense lawyers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one useful task is putting the sequence back together.
Begin earlier than your arrest
A majority of people will be familiar with the shocking incident that saw flashing lights, officers at the door or in handcuffs. However, understanding the incident could need a deeper dive.
In the case of domestic violence such as a domestic violence case the relationship between persons involved is legally relevant under Michigan law. The firm’s information identifies spouses and ex-spouses, individuals who share a child, the current or previous partners in love as well as those who have lived or used to live together.
It is also crucial to take into account the events that led up to the police intervention. Did there have to be a fight? Who was present? When did this interaction begin? Anyone left and came back? Did anyone talk to each other prior to or after the event?
These aren’t a set of questions that were designed to fabricate a story. These questions can help Grand Rapids domestic violence defense attorneys to understand the allegations within their true sequence, instead of considering an arrest by police as the starting point of everything.
Also, the charge itself is important. Michigan is a distinct state when it comes to domestic violence charges. The firm’s documentation also highlight that previous convictions could influence the severity of a subsequent charge.
The OWI Stop has its own timeline
A drunk driving case may unfold in a much shorter amount of time however, the sequence of events is still important. The reason for the driver’s actions, the officer initiated contact, the results of the stopping, the roadside procedures and declarations, the test as well as the subsequent arrest are all crucial. If you mix all of the details, it is possible to conceal the fact that the various parts of the encounter have different goals.
Michigan is the state that has been accused of operating while intoxicated, also known as OWI as per MCL 257.625. The firm’s announcement states that a roadside preliminary breath test, commonly called PBT, commonly referred to as PBT, is a test for screening purposes that is not admissible at trial as evidence of drunkenness; however, it could be used in determining the probable cause.
It’s for this reason the drunk driving attorneys in Grand Rapids Michigan reconstruct the stop instead of just focusing on the number the driver remembers from the roadside.
The Timeline can be found on several phones.
There are many criminal investigations that do not start by police being witnesses themselves.
The allegations that suggest a sexual offense could be attributed to events from earlier in life, such as a previous relationship, a family member or even a work-related surroundings. According to the company’s description one can be informed about an investigation prior to being detained.
In that case, chronology can be distributed across multiple sources. Messages can establish how people communicated. Digital records may help clarify a series of events. The same time period could be described differently by different people who were involved.
That doesn’t mean a text message is a guarantee that is a proof or a disproof of an assertion. Criminal defense lawyers in Grand Rapids may have to think about how communications, statements, credibility and other information are connected.
Documentation and Memory aren’t the Same Thing
After a stressful event people tend to remember instances, not time stamps. “It was later that night” is a common phrase in conversation, but it’s too vague to be a valid answer to a crucial legal issue.
Documents can sometimes help organize these memories. Records that exist, such as messages, call logs photos receipts, court papers and court documents, could aid in establishing the chronology. The judge will decide on the relevant information.
Documents shouldn’t be altered to make the situation appear more favorable. A defense attorney can determine the significance of information and the best way to handle it.
The Case Number doesn’t cover the whole evening
Shawn Haff, a criminal lawyer in Grand Rapids with more than 16 years of experience, reveals that the Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan handled more than 1,500 legal proceedings over its 25years of experience. The firm’s experience includes OWI, domestic abuse, assault, drug-related charges and sexual offenses, weapons, fraudulent transactions at the store, driver’s license restoration and expungements.
Past results, such as dismissals, acquittals or reductions in charges, aren’t able to predict the outcome of any new case.
Every new case comes with its own person and sequence, along with allegations and evidence. This is why it’s important.
An arrest can happen in minutes. A label for a charge can be made in a couple of words. To grasp the sequence of events leading up to it, it is often necessary to slow down the evening and look at the events that actually transpired.