OWI/DUI Defense Attorney

A drunk-driving charge moves fast — Michigan's implied consent rules put your license at risk within days of arrest, not after trial. Get a defense built on former-prosecutor insight from day one.

What We Handle

First-offense OWI (Operating While Intoxicated)
High-BAC ("Super Drunk") charges
Second and third-offense OWI
OWI causing injury or death
Zero-tolerance charges for drivers under 21
Implied consent / breath test refusal hearings

Why Speed Matters

Michigan's implied consent law gives you a very short window — as little as 14 days — to request a hearing challenging an automatic license suspension after a breath test refusal or failure. Miss that window and the suspension takes effect regardless of what happens in the criminal case itself. Talking to a defense attorney immediately after arrest, not after your first court date, is what protects that window.

Why a Former Prosecutor Matters

Attorney Christopher Fleming spent more than five years as an Assistant Prosecutor for Lenawee County before founding this firm. That means direct, firsthand experience with how OWI cases get charged and evaluated — how field sobriety tests hold up, how breath and blood test evidence gets challenged, and where the prosecution's case is strongest and weakest. Defense strategy built on that insight starts from a realistic read of the case against you, not guesswork.

What's at Stake

Beyond fines and potential jail time, an OWI conviction in Michigan typically means license suspension or restriction, points on your driving record, higher insurance rates for years afterward, and — depending on the charge — a possible ignition interlock requirement. A "Super Drunk" (high BAC) or repeat-offense charge carries steeper penalties on all of those fronts. What's realistically at stake in your specific case depends on your BAC, prior record, and the circumstances of the stop — exactly what a free consultation is for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Michigan's implied consent law means that by driving on Michigan roads, you've already consented to chemical testing if lawfully arrested for OWI. Refusing carries its own automatic license consequences, separate from and in addition to the criminal charge itself. Whether refusal made sense in your specific stop is worth discussing at a free consultation.

Often yes, at least temporarily — Michigan imposes license sanctions administratively, separate from the criminal case, and on a short timeline. You generally have a limited window to request a hearing to challenge that suspension. Acting quickly after arrest, not waiting for your first court date, is what preserves your options here.

Michigan's "Super Drunk" law applies to a significantly higher blood alcohol content than the standard OWI threshold, and carries enhanced penalties — including a longer license restriction period and mandatory ignition interlock. The exact thresholds and consequences are worth reviewing against your specific test results.

It depends entirely on the facts — how the stop was conducted, whether field sobriety and chemical testing were administered and documented correctly, and your record. Some first-offense cases resolve through negotiated reductions; others are worth contesting outright. A case review is the only way to know which applies to yours.

Even a first offense carries real consequences beyond the immediate penalty — license impacts, insurance increases, and a permanent record in Michigan (OWI convictions cannot be expunged from your driving record, only in limited cases from your criminal record). Self-representation carries real risk on a charge with this many moving parts.