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Attorney At Law

616.235.2000

West Michigan
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Traffic Laws in Michigan

 

Here to help you

Traffic laws vary from state to state, and Michigan has a very specific set of infractions for which drivers face penalty if convicted. The penalties can vary, and your exposure to those penalties can be professionally managed by an experienced Grand Rapids traffic attorney like those at The Law Office of Jeffrey J. O'Hara.

Michigan law recognizes several types of traffic offenses. It clearly distinguishes civil infractions from misdemeanor and felony traffic offenses. Civil infractions resulting in a Grand Rapids traffic violation ticket are civil proceedings, but having an experienced Grand Rapids traffic violation lawyer can help you avoid the most severe penalties in any case.  Call The Law Office of Jeffrey J. O'Hara for fast and effective traffic ticket defense in Grand Rapids.

A driver cited for a Grand Rapids traffic violation does not plead guilty, not guilty, or nolo contendere. Instead, the driver must either admit responsibility, admit responsibility with explanation, or deny responsibility for the civil infraction violation. Defendant drivers are not convicted but instead are found responsible. Because a civil infraction is not a crime, findings of responsibility are not reported on the defendant’s criminal record, but appear on the defendant’s Master Driver Record maintained by the Secretary of State.

Traffic violations

Mandatory court appearances are required for specific traffic infractions, including:

  • Allowing an intoxicated person to drive
  • Allowing an unlicensed person to drive   
  • Possessing an altered license   
  • Driving a moped without a license    
  • Disobeying a police signal   
  • Unlawful bodily alcohol level (UBAL)
  • Driving under a denied, revoked, or suspended license
  • Leaving the scene of a personal injury or property damage accident
  • Carrying an open container of intoxicant in a motor vehicle
  • Operating under the influence of liquor (OUIL) or drugs (OUID)
  • Operating while intoxicated (OWI)
  • Operating while visibly impaired (OWVI)
  • Drag racing
  • Reckless driving

A district court judge rules on all civil infraction cases.  When appearing before a judge, you are well advised to have an experienced Grand Rapids traffic violation attorney at your side. A skilled Grand Rapids traffic lawyer like those at the Law Office of Jeffrey J. O'Hara will guide you and represent you in a manner designed to lessen your exposure to the harsher penalties that are possible for Grand Rapids traffic violations.

Let us help you

Contact The Law Office of Jeffrey J. O'Hara by calling (616) 235-2000 today. Whether facing OWI charges or fighting a speeding ticket in Grand Rapids, we will handle your case effectively, giving you the best legal advice available. You can also contact us online.

 
 
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CONTACT FORM



ADDRESS
The Law Office of Jeffrey O'Hara
303 Waters Building
161 Ottawa Avenue NW
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

PHONE
616.235.2000

EMAIL
heddaemartin@sbcglobal.net

 

Copyright 2009, Jeffery J. O'Hara, Attorney at Law

         

Jeffrey J. O'Hara is located in Grand Rapids, MI and serves clients in and around Grand Rapids, Grandville, Byron Center, Comstock Park, Ada, Jenison, Belmont, Marne, Caledonia, Cannonsburg, Lamont, Jamestown, Rockford, Sparta, Lowell, Allendale, Conklin, Alto, Moline, Hudsonville, Zeeland, Allegan County, Kent County, Muskegon County, Ottawa County.

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