The fall in Ann Arbor is football season, but it's also the first experience for many new college students. Coming to college is an exciting time for the entire family, but things can go wrong pretty quickly. I get calls from about 15 families a week where a freshman is ticketed for committing a crime in Ann Arbor.
The most common offense is minor in possession, but I also see a lot of fake ID, UIP and disorderly conduct tickets. All of these charges are criminal misdemeanors and if not handled correctly could leave the person with a criminal record. What a way to start your college career; you work so hard all your life to get admitted into a great school, and boom, you're about to put a big red stamp on your resume with a criminal record.
This does not need to be result. If the client is willing to turn this incident into a learning experience, it is very likely we can work together to avoid a criminal record, and keep the entire case non-public. I view these cases as valuable learning experiences where the young student gains insight and awareness. and can go forward with better judgment and avoid further trouble. These are manageable type cases, but if this case didn't happen, that same student could find themselves in a worse situation down the road where the stakes are higher, and it may not be as manageable.
These same students that I help as young students contact me months and years later to clarify how they should respond to questions on applications for grad school and jobs, and we work together to understand what they should put for their answers. I consider myself that client's attorney for life, and want these students to thrive once they leave Ann Arbor. As a graduate of the University of Michigan, I take a personal stake in their ability to go on to do great things. GO BLUE!
The most common offense is minor in possession, but I also see a lot of fake ID, UIP and disorderly conduct tickets. All of these charges are criminal misdemeanors and if not handled correctly could leave the person with a criminal record. What a way to start your college career; you work so hard all your life to get admitted into a great school, and boom, you're about to put a big red stamp on your resume with a criminal record.
This does not need to be result. If the client is willing to turn this incident into a learning experience, it is very likely we can work together to avoid a criminal record, and keep the entire case non-public. I view these cases as valuable learning experiences where the young student gains insight and awareness. and can go forward with better judgment and avoid further trouble. These are manageable type cases, but if this case didn't happen, that same student could find themselves in a worse situation down the road where the stakes are higher, and it may not be as manageable.
These same students that I help as young students contact me months and years later to clarify how they should respond to questions on applications for grad school and jobs, and we work together to understand what they should put for their answers. I consider myself that client's attorney for life, and want these students to thrive once they leave Ann Arbor. As a graduate of the University of Michigan, I take a personal stake in their ability to go on to do great things. GO BLUE!
