A 2014 state law previously banned Tesla’s direct to consumer sales model. A settlement was reached in January 2020 with Michigan Attorney General
Read more at mLive.com
Despite voters' overwhelming approval of the law, it took 12 years for Michigan courts to fully recognize the law’s protections.
Read more at Detroit Free Press
Michigan stands alone in its legal harshness, resulting in harm to parents as well as those who help them.
Read more at Above The Law
In April 2020, inside a local, Ottawa County, MI sandwich shop, my client expressed his opinion regarding the Governor's COVID orders .... and was charged with "disturbing the peace," a misdemeanor under MCL 750.170. We moved to dismiss the charge on 1st Amendment grounds arguing that the statute was unconstitutionally applied against my client in a manner that unconstitutionally punished his 1st Amendment rights of free speech and expression in a public place.
In its opinion regarding our motion to dismiss, the Court denied our motion, but limited the prosecution to only presenting evidence of his "threatening" conduct (of which the State's witness had already testified in an evidentiary hearing Mr. Steffes did not threaten her).
The prosecution continued its case against my client despite the court's opinion and order.
We then moved to limit the prosecution from using any expressive, non-violent words during trial, arguing, again, that any testimony discussing his non-violent expressive conduct necessarily required testimony about what he was communicating by means of his expressive conduct. This was based upon the Court's prior order and the testimony of the State's witness that she had not been threatened by Mr. Steffes (she did testify that she felt threatened by the content of his speech, but the Court ordered that this was protected speech and could not be used against him in the prosecution's case).
Today we were back in Court to argue the motion. Prior to the commencement of arguments, the Prosecution admitted that due to the Court's order it "could not proceed" and therefore dismissed the case.
This is a HUGE win for proponents of First Amendment civil rights, but, once again, the "forgotten man" suffers under the financial strain of protecting that interest. We are asking once again (and thanking you in advance) for any assistance to help cover his attorney fee costs.
To donate and help, go to this GoFundMe page
Michigan still makes it nearly impossible to access some public information.
Read more at The Detroit News
Online casino sites will launch soon. The 15 provisional licenses issued in early December indicate that several companies are preparing to virtually open their online casinos.
Read more at Legal US Poker Sites
The act, which had bipartisan support, allows victims of crimes and their children to apply for identification numbers and substitute addresses with assigned post boxes for the state to mail state documents and items such as driver's licenses.
Read more at U.S. News
The Michigan Senate voted Wednesday to codify court-recommended changes in the state’s Sex Offender Registration Act. State lawmakers approved altering registration protocols for sex offenders.
Read more at mLive
The Michigan Senate on Thursday approved criminal justice reform bills that would end automatic driver's license suspensions for unpaid fines and fees not related to dangerous driving.
Read more at The Detroit Free Press
The seven-bill package, the “Clean Slate” laws, was passed by the state House and Senate with bipartisan support. Under the legislation, misdemeanors will be automatically expunged seven years after sentencing, with felonies handled the same way 10 years after sentencing or the end of a sentence.
Read more at the Ionia Sentinel-Standard
