44th District Court - Royal Oak, Michigan - Oakland County - Criminal Defense Attorney, Josh Jones

44^th District Court – Royal Oak, Michigan

The 44^th district court is located at 400 East 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI. The court maintains two sitting judges: the Honorable Derek Meinecke (2013 - Present) and the Honorable Terrence H Brennan (1991 - Present).

The court has exclusive jurisdiction in all civil litigation up to $25,000, small claims, garnishment proceedings, evictions, and land contract and mortgage foreclosures.

In the criminal area, the court handles all arraignments, most misdemeanor cases, the setting and acceptance of bail, bench and jury trials, misdemeanor sentencing, and preliminary examinations in felony case. It also handles all traffic cases including parking, informal and formal hearings, and trials.

A schedule of traffic fines, costs and points can be found here. If you are simply looking to pay a traffic ticket or fine or have general inquires you may visit the Traffic Division during office hours, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. The Traffic Division is located on the 1st floor of the Court Building.

It is imperative to know which court you must attend and which court you must deal with. The Law Office of Josh Jones understands the importance of knowing what you need to do, where you need to go, and how is your future going to be impacted.

We provide you with the best legal representation, so you are never lost, confused or worried. Contact us today so that we can begin to walk this path together. 

Importance - Traffic Stop - Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney, Josh Jones - July 22, 2013

Initial Traffic Stop - Importance

Not all individuals drive a motor vehicle, but it sure seems like it. With that said, many instances that involve Police Officers occur when an individual is driving on the roadways.  Police have a wide discretion when it comes to stopping a motor vehicle.

A Police Officer must have witnessed a traffic violation when making a traffic stop; this will continue to be effective when or if the officer has ulterior motives prior to making the stop. Therefore, once the police have a valid reason, such as a traffic violation, he or she is able to pursue his or her own investigation of the activities occurring inside that particular vehicle.

When looking at cases involving traffic stops, Defense Attorneys will start at the beginning. “Why was my client initially stopped or pulled over?” If the initial traffic stop is not valid, because there was no reason for pulling the vehicle over, then a crime that the police discovered after the stop may be precluded from being entered into evidence at trial. If this occurs the more serious crime that particular individual was facing could be dismissed.

With all of this said, it is important to know that police will be able to stop a vehicle for numerous or voluminous reasons. This rule of law is one of the first thought of by any Defense Attorney when he or she has a client that is charged with a crime that involved a motor vehicle.

PLEASE DO NOT RELY upon any of the information contained in this article when trying to represent yourself. You should always consult with an attorney before relying upon any written advice, article, blog etc.

Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney, Josh Jones - Outlining Minor-In-Possession of Alcohol [MIP]

Minor-In-Possession of Alcohol -- It Happens A Lot 

The State of Michigan takes a strong stance on alcohol and drug related criminal offenses. This is shown by the zero-tolerance law followed when it comes to underage drinking, coined Minor in Possession (MIP).

If convicted of an MIP an individual can face a maximum $100 fine for his or her first offense, which may include rehabilitative treatment or prevention program, performing community service, and possible drug an/or alcohol screening, which would all be payable by the convicted defendant.

The one thing to remember is that underage drinkers have options when or if convicted of an MIP. In most instances, the minor will be granted into a diversion program. This means that the minor will be on probation for a specified time (usually around six-months) and upon successful completion of his or her probationary period the minor will have the case automatically dismissed by the prosecutor. Moreover, successful completion of probation will include completing all the terms of probation (ordered by the court or the designated probation officer) and paying all fines and costs issued by the court.

Facing any criminal charge (whether it is a felony or misdemeanor) can feel devastating. However, it does have to feel that way. With the right lawyer standing by you and walking with you through the court process you all your worries will be subsided. Call the Law Office of Josh Jones today for your free consultation. We focus on solutions, not problems.

DO NOT RELY ON THESE LEGAL OPINIONS AND OBSERVATIONS WHEN REPRESENTING YOURSELF IN COURT. THESE ARTICLES ARE NOT MEANT TO COMPENSATE OR EFFECUATE LEGAL REPRESENTATION. YOU SHOULD AND MUST CONTACT AN ATTORNEY AND DISCUSS WITH HIM OR HER THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY AND ALL IDEAS, STATEMENTS, OPINIONS, EXPRESSIONS OR OTHERWISE STATED ON THIS SITE. HOPE TO SPEAK WITH YOU SOON.

Larceny - Property Of Another Outlined - Michigan Criminal Defense Lawyer, Josh Jones

Larceny - Taking Property of Another 

The crime of larceny can loosely be defined as the taking of something from another. The State of Michigan makes this particular area of law somewhat complex. This is not because the law itself is confusing, but rather there are numerous variations of punishment based upon the circumstances of the individual case.

First and foremost, MCL 750.356 states that “[a] person who commits larceny by stealing any of the following [pieces of] property of another person is guilty of a crime,” which includes:

(a) Money, goods, or chattels.

(b) A bank note, bank bill, bond, promissory note, due bill, bill of exchange or other bill, draft, order, or certificate.

(c) A book of accounts for or concerning money or goods due, to become due, or to be delivered.

(d) A deed or writing containing a conveyance of land or other valuable contract in force.

(e) A receipt, release, or defeasance.

(f) A writ, process, or public record.

(g) Nonferrous metal.

Once the property falls within one of the above categories, an individual charged with larceny will face, if convicted, MCL 750.356 brings about one of the following punishments:

1.     [A] person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than $15,000.00 or 3 times the value of the property stolen, whichever is greater, or both imprisonment and a fine . . . [if t]he property stolen has a value of $20,000.00 or more.

2.     [A] person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $10,000.00 or 3 times the value of the property stolen, whichever is greater, or both imprisonment and a fine . . . [if t]he property stolen has a value of $1,000.00 or more but less than $20,000.00.

3.     [A] person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $2,000.00 or 3 times the value of the property stolen, whichever is greater, or both imprisonment and a fine . . . [if t]he property stolen has a value of $200.00 or more but less than $1,000.00.

4.     If the property stolen has a value of less than $200.00, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00 or 3 times the value of the property stolen, whichever is greater, or both imprisonment and a fine.

Moreover, if an individual is convicted of a subsequent larceny charge than he or she will face an even hasher punishment than noted above. This is common in Michigan. The more crimes you commit the higher the sentencing exposure.  

Learn the law, maintain your rights, and lawyer-up. Whose got your back? 

PLEASE DO NOT RELY ON THESE LEGAL OPINIONS AND OBSERVATIONS WHEN REPRESENTING YOURSELF IN COURT. THESE ARTICLES ARE NOT MEANT TO COMPENSATE OR EFFECUATE LEGAL REPRESENTATION. YOU SHOULD AND MUST CONTACT AN ATTORNEY AND DISCUSS WITH HIM OR HER THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY AND ALL IDEAS, STATEMENTS, OPINIONS, EXPRESSIONS OR OTHERWISE STATED ON THIS SITE. HOPE TO SPEAK WITH YOU SOON. 

6th Circuit Court, Oakland County, Michigan - Criminal Defense Attorney, Josh Jones

6^th Circuit Court – Oakland County, Michigan

The Circuit Court is a division of the state judiciary, and it serves as a trial court of general jurisdiction serving all the citizens of Oakland County and the townships, cities and villages located within. The court is located at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI. The court currently has two satellite offices for Adult Probation and Juvenile Probation. The court oversees the counties felony criminal charges, convictions, sentencing and probation.

The court will also oversee or has the jurisdiction to preside over misdemeanor cases and charges. This will generally happen when the misdemeanor charge is also attached to a felony charge. If you were in need or are looking to file a Personal Protection Order (i.e. a PPO), the 6^th Circuit court would be the proper court for such an order. More information can be found here. The Law Office of Josh Jones also will or can assist in filing and properly preparing a PPO on your behalf.

There are fourteen (14) judges that oversee the court’s criminal docket. Charges any particular judge will see ranges from trespassing to murder. The court see the worst of the worst, but also the dumbest of the dumbest when it comes to criminal charges. A list of these judges, along with their bios, can be found here.

The large number of judges makes it difficult to know the expectations of any particular criminal charge; however, that difficult can be minimized by having the appropriate counsel by your side when walking into the 6^th Circuit Court. The Law Office of Josh Jones understands the stress, pain and worry that criminal charges bring. We focus on taking the stress out of any criminal mess.

If you need to check the status of your criminal case, which may still be pending at the 6^th Circuit Court, click here and enter the appropriate information. The court also posts its holiday schedule here, which indicates dates the court is closes. 

Genesee County 7th Circuit Court - Michigan - Criminal Defense Attorney Josh Jones

7^th Circuit Court – Genesee County, Michigan

The Circuit Court is a division of the state judiciary, and it serves as a trial court of general jurisdiction serving all the citizens of Oakland County and the townships, cities and villages located within. It is comprised of nine (9) elected judges, and additionally, it has 80 individual making up its clerical, professional and administrative staff. The court is responsible for overseeing the Public Defender Program, Court Services Division, County Law Library, Financial Services Division, Felony and Misdemeanor Matters, Adult Probation, and Jury Commission. 

The court is located at 900 S. Saginaw, Flint, MI, and its doors open at approximately 8:00 A.M. Monday through Friday, except for Holidays when the court is closed. A list of holidays and days the court is closed can be found here. If you need to contact the court for any reason, a list of numbers and departments can be found here.

It is important to note and know that all persons will pass through metal detectors and x-ray machines in order to ensure that no weapons or illicit substances are brought into the courthouse, which includes cellphones with video capturing capabilities. The procedure for checking individuals when entering the courthouse will cause a short delay; however, be aware of this will cause the delay to be shortened dramatically.

The Circuit Court generally presides over felony criminal matters; however, it will also oversee or has the jurisdiction to preside over misdemeanor cases and charges. This will generally happen when the misdemeanor charge is also attached to a felony charge. The court see the worst of the worst, but also the dumbest of the dumbest when it comes to criminal charges.

The large number of judges makes it difficult to know the expectations of any particular criminal charge; however, that difficult can be minimized by having the appropriate counsel by your side when walking into the 7^th Circuit Court. The Law Office of Josh Jones understands the stress, pain and worry that criminal charges bring. We focus on taking the stress out of any criminal mess.

If you need to check the status of your criminal case, which may still be pending at the 7^th Circuit Court, click here and enter the appropriate information. 

67-2 District Court, Davison Michigan - Josh Jones - Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney

67^th District Court: 2^nd Division A - Davison, Michigan

The court is located at 200 E. Flint St., Ste. 3, MI. Judge John L. Conover oversees the court’s criminal docket and Magistrate Cora Gregory assists with Arraignments traffic infractions.

The court has jurisdiction of legal matters occurring in Davison Township, Forest Township, Richfield Township, Atlas Township, City of Davison, Village of Goodrich, and Village of Otisville. In many instances and for many matters before the court, hearings will be held at the “Central Court” downtown in Flint at the Flyod McCree Building located at 630 S. Saginaw, Flint, MI. 

The court oversees misdemeanor and felony arraignments, issues arrest and search warrants, sets bail and accepts bonds, and presides over preliminary exams for felony offenses while disposing of all civil infractions and misdemeanors. The traffic division located within the court processes traffic tickets. Defendants can admit responsibility by paying the ticket or admitting with explanation. There is also the process of setting the matter for a hearing (informal or formal). Make sure you obtain the best outcome for your case and contact an attorney for your traffic and criminal matters.

Traffic fines can be found here. You can check your record with the 67^th District Court here.

Contact Josh Jones today. He is familiar with the 67^th District Court, in Davison, and will take care of your legal matter with professionalism. He is available to speak with you 7-days a week by phone, text, email or instant message.