2025
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LicensingUser ReviewsMystery Shopping CallsOur goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Ann Arbor criminal defense lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.
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Gregory Dean Law assists clients in and around Ann Arbor with their legal challenges. Its founding lawyer, Gregory Dean, practices in different areas of law, including criminal defense. He has been advocating for the rights of accused individuals for more than two decades. Some of the misdemeanor and felony cases he handles are assault, drug possession, drunk driving and OWI, juvenile offenses, and larceny. Dean assesses clients' concerns and takes legal actions according to their needs. He has been in practice since 1994.
Federal Criminal Attorneys of Michigan represents clients in Ann Arbor. Its criminal defense attorneys handle cases such as theft, fraud, child pornography, drug crimes, and federal conspiracy. The lawyers have more than 30 years of experience covering several areas of federal and criminal defense. They leverage their relationships and past experience with prosecutors and judges to obtain insights into the client's defense. The firm's lead attorney, Sanford A. Schulman, has handled over 4,000 cases in his legal career.
Velarde Law Firm serves individuals in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas who are facing charges under penal statutes. The firm takes steps toward the protection of defendants' legal and procedural rights. The office takes a realistic approach when explaining the prosecution's case to clients. In addition to criminal defense, the firm practices general litigation involving civil law matters and inheritance concerns. Jenelle M. Velarde, the attorney, used to work in the prosecutor's office.
Drukis Law is a multi-practice firm that aims to protect the freedom of individuals facing misdemeanor and felony charges in the Ann Arbor metro. Its lawyer, Edward Drukis, handles a variety of criminal cases, such as drug possession, suspended license, drunk driving, assault, and domestic violence. He also helps drivers navigate the process surrounding license restoration and prepare for their appeal hearings. Drukis's other practice areas include family law, personal injury, probate, real estate, and bankruptcy.
Immigration Law PLLC is a practice based in Ann Arbor. It offers its legal services to individuals, businesses, and organizations from across the United States and abroad. One of its practice areas is criminal law, including dealing with DUI, traffic tickets, and traffic accidents with injuries. It handles different types of immigration matters involving work permits, marriage and family visas, and citizenship. Representation for personal injury victims is also available. Brad Thomson was the media chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association in Michigan.
Debolski, Debolski & O’Connor Law Offices, caters to Ann Arbor residents who have been charged with committing a crime. The firm tackles cases involving criminal misdemeanors and averts the hassles of conviction, including loss of employment and jail time. The office handles felony counts involving illegal drugs and violent offenses such as assault. The group also has experience representing individuals in personal injury suits. Its attorneys have more than 40 years' worth of collective law practice experience.
McCririe Law PLLC features a criminal lawyer near Ann Arbor. Its lead attorney, Bill McCririe, has more than 38 years of experience fighting on behalf of those charged with criminal offenses. As a former assistant prosecutor, he has an inner knowledge of the state's judicial system and uses that experience to help his clients obtain positive outcomes for their cases. In addition to criminal defense, he also practices DUI defense and divorce law.
With an office located in Northville, the Fausone Bohn LLP law firm has been providing criminal defense to Ann Arbor's civilian and veteran clients for over 25 years. Fausone Bohn LLP attorney Mark Mandell represents clients being charged with or investigated for crimes, such as DUIs and other alcohol-related violations, marijuana and other controlled substances, domestic violence, and assault and battery. Mandell is a member of the Michigan Bar Association.
Sam Bernstein of Ann Arbor law firm ArborYpsi Law represents those facing criminal charges throughout southeastern Michigan. Bernstein bases his criminal defense strategy on individual clients, the criminal charge, and the community and court in which the case is prosecuted. He handles criminal cases that include drunk driving, firearms, assault, drug charges, and traffic tickets. ArborYpsi Law handles both plea bargains and court cases, and represents non-citizens charged with crimes. Sam Bernstein is the Law Treasurer of the Washtenaw County Bar.
(4)Jonathan D. Shapiro PLC is a criminal defense attorney in Ann Arbor. He handles cases such as weapons crimes, domestic violence, and drug charges, helping his clients to navigate the legal system and preserve their rights while fighting criminal charges. Whenever possible, Mr. Sharpiro is dedicated to helping clients avoid jail time or reduce their sentences. He holds memberships in the Washtenaw County Bar Association, as well as the State Bar of Michigan.
The Thompson Law Firm, PLLC, offers criminal defense counsel and representation to clients in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas. The firm was founded in 2018, and its legal team advises clients on their rights and options and develops defense strategies to help reduce or dismiss charges. Kenneth A. Thompson began working in the legal industry as a courier at the age of 18 for more than 140 Detroit area law firms. Currently, his legal practice focuses on personal injury, probate, and family law.
NachtLaw PC is an Ann Arbor law firm that defends clients against criminal charges. The firm helps clients understand the merits and risks of different legal strategies. It seeks positive outcomes for its clients in criminal cases that involve charges of sexual misconduct, federal crimes, drug offenses, and white-collar crimes. It also handles legal matters regarding civil rights, veteran's claims, and employment law. The firm's founder, attorney David Nacht, holds the highest possible rating from the law-information agency Martindale-Hubbell.
Wilson P. Tanner III, PLC, is a private multi-practice law firm that serves the residents of Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas. It provides criminal defense services for various charges, including DUIs, drug crimes, white-collar crimes, and domestic violence. It also handles driver’s license appeals and hearings. Other practice areas of the firm include family law. Wilson P. Tanner III has been practicing law for more than two decades. He can serve clients in English and Spanish.
Blank Law, PC, aggressively represents people in and around Ann Arbor. It advocates for the rights of individuals dealing with criminal offenses. The firm takes on cases related to child abuse and pornography, human trafficking, prostitution, indecent exposure, internet sex crimes, and minor solicitation. It also serves clients facing charges of domestic violence, arson, armed robbery, carjacking, murder, and kidnapping. Nicole Blank Becker, the founding partner, has been practicing law for more than two decades.
Joshi, Attorneys + Counselors, is an Ann Arbor-based firm serving individuals, families, and businesses. It offers representation and advice for criminal defense cases, assisting with the investigation, pre-trial stage, and trial, and pursuing post-conviction remedies. The firm handles cases in other practice areas, including family and business law and international litigation. Managing partner Ashish Joshi is admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court and in the states of New York and the District of Columbia.
David S. Steingold is an attroney serving clients in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas. His practice concentrates on criminal defense in state and federal courts. Some of the cases he has handled include theft and property offenses, bribery and extortion, homicide, and assault and domestic violence. He also deals with appellate cases that cover sentence modification, motions for a new trial, and petitions for habeas corpus. Steingold has been in legal service since 1978 and is admitted to practice in Arizona.
Elmen Legal establishes the innocence of Ann Arbor residents facing criminal charges. Since 2014, founder Robert Elmen has advocated for the rights of individuals in a variety of violent crimes, including domestic violence, assault, manslaughter, and murder. The attorney also represents clients accused of a variety of criminal offenses, including sexual misconduct, drug-related charges, DUI, and theft crimes. Robert's legal achievements have earned him a spot on the National Trial Lawyers' Top 40 Under 40 list.
Margolis, Gallagher & Cross Law Firm of criminal defense attorney in Ann Arbor that offers criminal defense representation in Michigan's state and federal courts. It handles criminal cases from investigation through to trial and protects clients' constitutional and statutory rights throughout. The firm works to avoid negative legal consequences resulting from convictions, including drunk driving, white-collar crimes, and other criminal offenses. The law firm also handles criminal appeals, challenging jury instructions, attorney error, and other legal errors that may have affected the outcome.
Disclaimer: Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
The Ann Arbor Police Department's non-emergency dispatch number is (734) 994-2911.
You can request a copy of the accident report from the records section of the Ann Arbor Police Department. It is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, excluding holidays.
It is preferable to voluntarily appear in court with your attorney rather than be carried in handcuffed. A warrant may be canceled, and a personal bond awarded if you appear in court voluntarily. It indicates that no fee is required before release. The court will instead accept your pledge to appear on future court dates. Additionally, you can call the Michigan State Police or the local law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where you believe the warrant was issued.
There is a similar path most criminal cases follow, including the investigation, the filing of charges, and the court appearance. Within the timeframes provided by the legislative, the government must conclude its investigation and file criminal charges in Ann Arbor. If they delay too long, you might seek dismissal of your case under the statute of limitations. In Michigan, the statute of limitations for most misdemeanors is six years, and for most felonies, it is ten years. There is no statute of limitations for violent offenses like murder, terrorist activities, and criminal sexual conduct of the first degree.
It depends. The US Constitution, US Supreme Court precedent, and state and federal laws—including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act—guarantee medical privacy. However, police and other law enforcement authorities can obtain private medical information in certain situations in Ann Arbor. If a driver is hospitalized after an accident and accused of OWI in Michigan, police can access hospital test results without a warrant. Michigan courts have decided that "Perlos demands" for health information do not breach medical privacy rights and utilize test results to charge and convict a criminal defendant of OWI.
A criminal defense lawyer will serve as your guide, offer guidance on how to proceed, and shield you from pushy police officers and overzealous prosecutors if you have been charged with a DUI or OWI in Ann Arbor. You shouldn't just plead guilty and take the consequences, though. Contrarily, you may be able to use a variety of legal defenses.
Yes. If you're arrested in Ann Arbor, you need a local lawyer. Some customers think a local attorney—one who practices in the local courts and has built contacts with the prosecutors and judges—is part of the "system," a cog in the machine. But that's not true. Lawyers must always get the best result for their clients. In contrast, a local attorney's knowledge of the terrain is invaluable. Understanding what arguments a prosecution is likely to make or how a court is likely to rule on a motion goes a long way toward helping you achieve excellent results.
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