OWI is short for Operating While Impaired. In 2004, Michigan changed its drunk driving laws to eliminate what was formerly known as Operationg Under the Influence of Liquor (OUIL) and the lesser offense of Operating While Impaired (OWI). Now, OWI is the more serious of the two types of drunk driving charges when you are arrested. Only OWI causing death, OWI causing serious injury or OWI with a child under 16 are more serious. There is a charge that is less serious known as Operating While Visibly Impaired (OWVI). If you are charged with OWI there are many options and you should not give up your right to a trial without fully exploring them and without fully analyzing the evidence that the government claims that it has against you. Moreover, you have the right to an evidentiary hearing at which you can ask the judge to throw out the evidence against you if the police violated your constitutional rights.