One issue that is gaining traction in the Michigan criminal justice system is the concerns of criminal defense attorneys having a defendant’s constitutional rights violated. The matter has been raised amid COVID-19, and our courts move to many online hearings. To gain insight into this issue, we spoke to several…
The Michigan Supreme Court made a directive to the state Court of Appeals review the conviction of a man in a murder-for-hire case. This man was convicted despite another man confessing to the killing as a hit man. The 40-year-old man was convicted of first-degree murder back in 2005. This…
Current Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith has been charged with 10 separate criminal corruption offenses relating to the alleged misuse of money forfeited to Macomb County. This money comes from the forfeiture of funds and property of criminal defendants, most typically people accused of drug trafficking. He is charged with…
The United States Supreme Court has recently ruled to limit the rights of people accused of crimes. The Supreme Court declared that states can bar defendants from using the “insanity defense” in criminal cases. This ruling basically allows states to determine what they will allow for defenses in that area.…
Eric Smith, the Macomb County Prosecutor, charged with embezzlement, was given a Personal Recognizance (PR) Bond at his arraignment today. Smith and his former chief of operations were given $100,000 personal bonds on numerous criminal charges related to the alleged embezzlement of $600,000 from drug and alcohol forfeiture funds since…
The Detroit Free Press has reported Michigan the first coronavirus case at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. This brings the number of state prisoners to 24 along with seven Michigan Department of Corrections employees that have tested positive for the disease. What this means to the future of criminal justice…
Did you know that up until now, if you were charged with a misdemeanor it was not required that the prosecutor provide you with the police report used to charge you? Previously, it was left to the prosecutor whether they wanted to share items of discovery like a police report…
A special prosecutor will decide if a former jail administrator will face criminal charges related to inappropriate conduct alleged between him and inmates. These accusations first came to light when several corrections officers approached a newly named Undersheriff and told him about the jail administrator’s alleged activity. The case was…
After a lengthy court battle which ended up in the Michigan Supreme Court, Livingston County Chief Judge Michael Hatty signed an order vacating a citizen’s conviction for illegally manufacturing marijuana. The Supreme Court found that the police had violated the Fourth Amendment by conducting an unreasonable search and seizure which…
It is fairly common knowledge that if you have a court date, you are expected to show up on time for that date. In a criminal case, you are personally required to be present for most all hearings. In a civil case, the requirement to be personally present is typically…