Kalamazoo criminal defense

Michigan became the first Midwestern state to legalize recreational marijuana with the passage of Proposal 1 on November 6, 2018. The law is officially known as the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act. While Michigan's recreational marijuana law went into effect one month after passage, there are still many misconceptions about what that means. 

The arraignment is essentially the start of the formal criminal justice court process.  Individuals have certain rights that must be upheld during the arraignment process, including the nature of the crime, the potential penalty upon conviction, the right to an attorney, the right to enter a plea, and the right to have bond set. 

Under what's known as Heidi's Law, a 3rd drunk driving offense in a lifetime can be charged as a felony. Pursuant to MCL 257.625(9)(c), it doesn't matter how much time has elapsed between convictions, and the penalties can be as steep as a $5,000 fine and 5 years imprisonment. 

Possession of "wet," or unsuable is now unlawful under a recent Michigan Court of Appeals opinion. The possession of unusable marijuana, in any quantity, will disqualify an individual from invoking immunity under § 4 of the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA).