A recent series of articles in the Detroit Free Press: http://www.freep.com/article/20110724/NEWS06/107240496/Arrest-location-could-determine-outcome-drunken-driving-penalty talks about the “geographic” impact of an OWI-OUIL-DUI arrest in Michigan. “It looks like the reporter was asked to do a feature on Judge Small of Bloomfield, in anticipation of her sentencing of former NBA star Jalen Rose,” said Mike Nichols. “Instead, it looks like the reporter tried to compare the average sentences for judges who are in neighboring jurisdictions to one another. The problem is, that analysis doesn’t tell the whole story,” he added.
Nichols challenged the figures used to estimate the cost of a drunk driving case in fines, costs and fees: “I don’t know where the figure of $10,000.00 came from,” he said. Nichols added “that number is exceedingly low. When you add up insurance rate increases, the collateral costs to your career, travel restrictions, car rental prohibitions and the priceless integrity of your record, it is easily double that figure.”
Nichols is the author of the OWI Handbook by West Publishing, an adjunct professor of DUI Law and Practice at Thomas M Cooley Law School in Lansing, the co-chair of the Ingham County Bar Association, a member of the National College of DUI Defense (completing the Mastering Scientific Evidence Course 2 consecutive years), The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a faculty member for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s Drunk Driving update. If you want to unturn every stone and achieve the best result possible, contact the attorneys at the Nichols Law Firm at 517.432.9000 today. |