Ann Arbor Criminal Defense Blog

The City of Ann Arbor has many rules regarding the ownership of dogs. This article outlines those rules. Violations of Ann Arbor Dog Laws The following acts are all civil infractions (with one exception noted below). A first offense is a fine of $25 to $500, and a second offense of certain violations below may…

The Michigan Court of Appeals in the case of People v. Neal answered a pressing question related to the indecent exposure statute: Does the exposure have to be in a public place? The Court concluded that the indecent exposure statute does not require a person be in public for a conviction. What is Indecent Exposure?…

The Michigan Court of Appeals in People v. Brown discusses the Michigan Gross Indecency Law. In this case, the Court of Appeals affirms the rule that for a conviction under this law the gross indecency must be in public. What is Gross Indecency Law in Michigan? In this case, the defendants were charged with gross…

The Michigan Supreme Court in People v. Brown answered a pressing question: Is it prostitution if it was only hands? In this case, defendants owned a massage parlor where nude female employees provided manual stimulation to nude male customers. The defendants argued that this was not prostitution because the definition of prostitution only applies to…

The Michigan Supreme Court Case of People v. Kowalski focuses on the law of accosting a minor for immoral purposes under MCL 750.145a. Specifically, the Court answers the question of what does it mean to ‘accost’ a minor? What Happened in the Case Defendant was speaking with a “girl” on the internet whom he believed…

The Michigan Supreme Court in People v. Tennyson discusses the Michigan law of contributing the delinquency of a minor. In this case, the Court sought to determine whether evidence that a child was present in a home where a defendant was in possession of drugs and firearms is legally sufficient for a conviction under the…

The Michigan Supreme Court in People v. Roger held that a person can be prosecuted under the motor vehicle code drunk driving statute for operating a snowmobile while intoxicated on the road. The Case Facts The facts of the case aren’t complicated. Defendant Roger was riding a snowmobile down the shoulder of the highway. He…

The Court of Appeals in People v. Favreau ruled that Defendant’s conviction for disorderly person was improper because a hotel room is not a public place. The disorderly person public intoxication statute requires a person to be intoxicated in a public place for a conviction. The Case Facts Defendant was staying overnight in a hotel…

The Michigan Court of Appeals in People v. Reynolds discusses what it means to have a “concealed weapon.” Reynolds was charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon under Michigan Law MCL 750.227. After a jury trial convicted him of that crime, he appealed. The Court of Appeals analyzed the elements and issues with carrying a concealed…

The short but important Michigan Supreme Court decision in People v. Stevens holds that an inoperable gun cannot be the basis of a felonious assault conviction. What Happened in the Case The Defendant Stevens pointed a starter pistol at another person. He was charged with felonious assault under MCL 705.82. The firing pin of the…