OWI / drunk driving · August 14, 2024

Your Rights When Pulled Over In Michigan

(Ported from the firm's current site — original. For the firm to review before launch.)

Welcome to Outlaw University! This is going to be the first in a series of videos talking about drunk driving and what would I do if I was involved in a drunk driving stop. Obviously, the best defense is to not get behind the wheel of a car if you've been drinking but if you've made that mistake it's not the end of the world – we can help. So first of all this is the run-of-the-mill drunk driving, nobody was hurt, nobody was injured, nobody died. I'm pulled over for let's say some civil infraction and the officer comes to my window and asks for my registration, proof of insurance, and driver's license. I roll down my window, I give the officer all of that information.

The officer is going to ask me have I been drinking this evening and my response, here's where I have to be very polite, that's the first thing I would suggest throughout this is to be very polite at all stages, so I've given them my insurance, my registration, my driver's license, now the officer asks me "how much have you had to drink tonight?" Now again, politely kindly I would respond, "I'm not gonna answer those questions for you officer. I'm not going to tell you what I consumed, what I ate, what friends I saw, where I was. I'm just not going to do it."

Now the officer is probably not going to take that kindly or is not going to take that for an answer and the officer is just going to try and persuade you to answer his questions. Example: "Well I just need to know and then you can be on your way."

Don't do it. Just very politely say, "I'm not going to answer those questions for you." Just provide the officer the documentation, and this is where things get interesting.

Stay tuned in our series to find out what happens next!

This article is general legal information for Michigan readers, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results never guarantee future outcomes. For advice about your situation, call (269) 373-5430. Attorney advertising.