Ann Arbor Criminal Defense Blog

In the Michigan Supreme Court case of People v. Arnold, the Court upheld an alternative sentencing scheme for defendants convicted as a sexual delinquents.

The Court held that a sexually delinquent person may be sentenced to either imprisonment between 1 day and life or by the current felony sentencing guidelines.

What Happened in the Case

The Defendant was convicted by a jury in the Monroe County Circuit Court of aggravated indecent exposure and indecent exposure by a sexually delinquent person, as well as a fourth-offense habitual offender. Read What is Indecent Exposure?

In the next November election, Michigan voters will decide whether marijuana will be legal for recreational personal use. It is a real possibility that marijuana use and possession will soon be legal.

This leads to the question – what about all those people who have convictions on their record for possession or use of marijuana?

It may not seem fair that many people will be stuck with marijuana convictions on their record once the basis for that conviction is no longer a crime.

Open-carry is the ability of people to openly carry a firearm in Michigan.

Where Can I Find the Authority for This?

There is no specific law allowing open-carry of guns. There just simply is not a law against it. Open carry is the opposite of concealed. The firearm must be seen – such as in a holster.

The Firearm Must Be in The Open

You may only carry a concealed firearm if you have a concealed pistol license. Otherwise carrying a concealed firearm is a felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison. MCL 750.227.

Do you have an old conviction that’s holding you back from getting your concealed pistol license? Many criminal convictions will prevent you from getting a CPL, described more below.

If you do then it’s time for an expungement. An expungement is the legal process to make it as if the conviction did not happen.

Why Do Criminal Convictions Prevent You from Getting a CPL?

All felonies will prevent you from getting a concealed weapons license. The only way to get a CPL when you have been convicted of a felony is to get that felony expunged. A gun rights restoration case call allow to possess a firearm if you are a felon but not help you get a CPL.

The Michigan State Senate voted yesterday to prevent cities from banning dog breed-specific ordinances.

There are 30 Michigan cities with dog breed-specific ordinances. The ordinances mainly regulate pit-bulls.

Twenty other states prohibit dog breed-specific regulation.