If you have been charged with any crime, a potential jail sentence is often your primary concern. Our law firm is here to help you explore all the options available to you in order to help you avoid jail or prison time. At Grabel & Associates, we understand your concerns and will work to find the best possible sentencing option for your Michigan case.
If you have been charged with a crime in Michigan, you need an experienced legal defense team to guide you through the details of your case and help you make informed decisions regarding sentencing. Some of the options that our lawyers can explore for Michigan criminal charges are:
Judges must refer to the Michigan Sentencing Guidelines when making a decision in your case, and our lawyers will ensure that your best interests are considered. Don't let a judge decide your fate without first speaking to a proficient Michigan attorney.
In the state of Michigan, special courts exist for specific crimes or groups of people. These courts include juvenile courts for minors charged with a crime, veteran's courts, and drug and alcohol treatment courts.
In a juvenile court, judges have experience with minors and the unique repercussions of sentencing a minor. Our team will ensure that your juvenile case is handled with extreme care and consideration for your future, and will aggressively defend you in a Michigan juvenile court to ensure the best result.
Veteran's courts deal solely with past military personnel. These courts are very aware of the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues or special circumstances contributing to crimes committed by veterans. If you have been charged with a crime and have served your country in the military, let us defend your rights and fight to ensure the most beneficial outcome.
Drug and Alcohol Courts deal with criminal activity resulting from drug or alcohol addiction. Addiction can cause people to act irrationally and these alternative courts take into account both rehabilitation and punishment. Our lawyers can help you explore this sentencing option to obtain both assistance for your addiction, and a more advantageous sentence for your crime. You may be subject to certain requirements such as support groups, education completion, and drug testing, but our team will ensure you understand the potential results of a Michigan drug or alcohol treatment court decision.
A Special Alternative Incarceration facility could be available to you in your Michigan criminal case. This program keeps you out of prison and instead allows a select few probationers to participate in an intensive boot camp style incarceration. Probationers participate in military-style exercises, work assignments, education, and treatment before moving on to intensive supervision. This second phase allows integration into the community in a halfway house setting. Probationers are then advanced to supervision similar to traditional probation. Low-risk offenders and prisoners can greatly benefit from this sentencing option, and our expert team will give you a great understanding about how SAI could affect your situation.
If a person between 17 and 21 commits a crime, a dismissal may be possible under the Michigan Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA). This option is available for any offense except criminal sexual conduct (CSC), traffic offenses, and offenses that could result in a life sentence.
If a person between the ages of 17 and 21 is granted youthful trainee status and the person completes probation, the felony or misdemeanor charge will not appear on that person's record. Our lawyers will ensure that any young adult eligible for youthful trainee status is given the opportunity to have a clean record. We make sure you understand the legal issues surrounding your case so that you can make an intelligent decision regarding HYTA, and ensure you understand what every potential action means for your future.
According to the Michigan Penal Code (333.7411), persons charged with particular drug crimes can avoid jail and instead abide by other orders set out by a Michigan judge. Options under 7411 include payment to the court and drug rehabilitation. This sentencing option allows a person to keep his or her record clean, as the person will never actually be charged with a crime upon completing the judge's orders. If you have been charged with a drug crime, contact Grabel & Associates and let us guide you through the details of 7411 sentencing in Michigan and provide you with an exceptional understanding of what it could do for you.
If you are found guilty of a crime in Michigan, you may also be able to access delayed sentencing. If a judge feels you are not likely to commit another crime or be a danger to the public, your sentence could be postponed for up to one year. This period allows the accused to petition for a smaller sentence, and gives you and your attorney time to explore alternative sentencing options. During a delayed sentence, the defendant must abide by certain conditions, and the crime still is included on record regardless of completion. Let our team help you understand how delayed sentencing would affect your situation.
Read about the differences between Delayed and Deferred Sentences.
Probation in Michigan is an option for many people facing a variety of charges. If you have been charged with a crime other than murder, treason, criminal sexual conduct (CSC) in the first degree, CSC in the third degree, or armed robbery, you may be able to avoid a prison sentence with the alternative of probation.
A judge will order probation for persons not likely to reoffend of up to 5 years for felonies, and up to 2 years for misdemeanors. The terms of the probation are subject to change, but will be initially decided upon a probation order.
Under the Michigan Penal Code (771.3), conditions of probation include: during probation, the probationer will not violate any law; the probationer will not leave the state without the court's consent; the probationer will report to the probation office as required; the probationer will pay any prescribed fees, state costs, assessments and restitutions; the probationer will comply with any acts required (such as the Sex Offender Registration Act).
Conditions of probation may also include: community service, mental health treatment or counseling, house arrest, electronic monitoring, and community corrections programs, alcohol or drug testing, education completion, curfew, or prohibition from certain locations, among other things.
If you want to avoid jail time, the team at Grabel & Associates will help you understand what conditions could apply to your probation and will guide you in deciding if probation is best for you.
After serving a portion of a sentence in Michigan, you may be eligible for parole. The Michigan Parole and Commutation board will decide on parole for prisoners. If your release will not increase risks to society, the lawyers at Grabel & Associates may be able to help get you out of prison. You will need legal guidance throughout this process, as many aspects of your release are investigated and reviewed. If you want the best chance of achieving parole in your Michigan criminal case, secure the representation of the sentencing option experts at Grabel & Associates.
If you want to stay out of prison, call Grabel & Associates now at 1-800-342-7896 for a free consultation. Do not try to explore Michigan sentencing options without competent legal representation. We will make sure you completely understand the jail alternatives available to you, and will work to get you the best result in your Michigan case. Our clients are consistently impressed by our lawyer's understanding approach to criminal defense, and your case will certainly receive the same, exceptional attention. You can even set up a consultation with distinguished trial attorney Scott Grabel. If you want to stay out of jail, let the firm of Grabel & Associates relentlessly defend your future.