The Michigan Drunk Driving Lawyer

DUI cases in Michigan begin at the trial court level and can be appealed once as a matter of right to the Michigan Court of Appeals, which can uphold or reverse the trial court’s ruling, or it can remand the case (send it back) to the trial court with instructions. The defendant can then petition the Michigan Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeals’ ruling, meaning there is no automatic right to have the Michigan Supreme Court hear an appeal. Finally, the highest court that can review a Michigan DUI case is the United States Supreme Court, though again, the defendant must first petition the Court to hear the appeal. However, the U.S. Supreme Court will only review a case in limited circumstances — final judgments that involve a question of federal statutory or constitutional law. Most DUI cases that are appealed will not go any further than the Court of Appeals.