Your Rights

Please read the following statements of your rights. If you understand these rights you can continue to the bottom of this page and click on the plea you wish to make. If you do not understand any of these rights, you may ask questions by calling the court at 517-279-4328 before pleading to the charge against you. You have certain rights to include the following:

• You have the right to plead guilty or no contest (and not have a trial);
• You have the right to plead standing mute or not guilty and to have a trial, by either a Judge or Jury;
• You have the right to hire an attorney or to represent yourself;
• In some cases you have the right to have an attorney appointed to represent you in this case at public expense if you are indigent (without means to pay for an attorney);
• You have the right to have a bond set pending any trial in this case;
• You have the right to have a reasonable time in which to prepare your defense;
• You have the right to cross-examine (ask questions of) any witnesses called against you;
• You have the right to subpoena and call witnesses on your own behalf;
• You have the right to testify at any trial, and the right to remain silent; if you remain silent, that silence cannot be held against you;
• You have the right to appeal from any conviction, as provided by statute and court rules.

Mandatory Court Appearance

(Unless waived by the court)

• Personal Injury Cases
• Reckless Driving
• Operating Vehicle While Impaired
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Operating While Intoxicated
• Driving while license is revoked or suspended
• Operating vehicle with unlawful Blood Alcohol Level
• All juvenile misdemeanors
• All nontraffic offenses