Should I plead not guilty to MIP?

Plead NOT GUILTY!!! A good lawyer in most cases should be able to make sure the MIP does not end up on your criminal record. Even though an MIP is just a misdemeanor, it stays on your criminal record for life! I encourage you to use www.attorneyqna.com to find a 10.0 rated criminal defense lawyer. Most retained criminal defense attorneys will offer you a free telephone consultation. Feel free to consult with an attorney in any part of Michigan as it is not uncommon for criminal defense lawyers to travel throughout the state. Mr. Loren Dickstein, Esq. LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. 3000 Town Center, Ste. 1310 Southfield, MI 48075 (248) 263-6800 Fax: (248) 357-1371 [email protected] www.notafraidtowin.com AV Rated (Preeminent) by Martindale-Hubbell Blog: http://www.notafraidtowin.com/blog.html Click on the picture to see the profile of the lawyer answering your question. The information provided on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

You should plead not guilty and hire a lawyer. If you are convicted of MIP you will have a criminal record, which could affect your employment opportunities in the future. If you are competing for a job against a candidate that does not have a prior record and is otherwise equally qualified as you, the employer will probably choose the candidate with the clean record.

Since you're asking if you should plead not guilty, it would appear that you already know that you're guilty and wondering what the chances are that you can beat your case. The prosecutor has to prove that you possessed or consumed alcohol. This can be done in a variety of ways. Many people are under the failed assumption that a breath test of some kind is required to prove an MIP or that you've got to be holding a beer when the cops show up. Whether you should plead guilty or not depends on if you want a criminal record or not. A criminal record will hinder you for a very long time. Pleading guilty right off of the bat is equal to your throwing in the towel and not making the prosecutor prove anything. Don't quit so easy. You should plead not guilty to allow yourself an opportunity to see what evidence the prosecutor has to prove his charge. Then you can assess if you want to do a plea or have your trial. The above poster is correct that a good lawyer can get you out of it without a criminal conviction, but beware of what attorneys tell you. Don't pay a thousand bucks to some clown promising you the world without doing some research first. Some courts allow "diversions" to avoid criminal convictions for MIP and some prosecutors will agree to "divert" the charges as well. There is another law called HYTA that may or may not be an option. But these are usually decisions that are based on a matter of policy, not how slick your lawyer is. So be carefull if and when you decide to hire someone to help you with this.

Plead not guilty and hire a lawyer. Jules N. Fiani Attorney at Law 810-227-7200 www.jnfiani.com [email protected]