Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
COVID-19 has presented problems in our society that nobody could have expected. With a backlog in our courts and our economy compromised, one crime that is on the rise in domestic violence. This issue was first addressed in an article by New York Times journalist Amanda Taub on April 6, 2020. Since that time, the state of Michigan has seen a significant uptick in domestic violence cases with little relief to these situations. We spoke to lawyers and employees in the criminal system to discuss the issue.
Scott Grabel is the founder of Grabel and Associates, which is known as the top criminal defense firm across the state of Michigan. When asked about the rise of domestic violence reports, Grabel commented, “COVID-19 is causing a lot of tragic issues across our country. In addition to the rise of deaths, we are seeing domestic violence (DV) increasing, and the main reason for that is frustration. People are worried about their next paycheck; they are arguing over politics and are stuck in the house. This becomes a recipe for bad decisions.”
William Amadeo is a partner at McManus and Amadeo in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a Senior Associate for Grabel and Associates covering Wayne and Shiawassee Counties. Amadeo is known as one of the top criminal defense lawyers across the state of Michigan. When asked about this situation, Amadeo said, “I’ve seen a lot of calls in Pittsfield Township for DV’s. Studies show that a woman usually does not report a domestic violence incident until the 7th time she has been abused, and even then, she often will not show up to court. With no court to handle out of custody defendants, this will become a difficult time for prosecutors. Arianne Slay was running for the prosecutor in Washtenaw County and was on the phones all day working to correct this tragedy due to the rise in our county. This is a time when prosecutors and defense lawyers need to work in unison.”