If you or someone you love was just arrested anywhere in Michigan — Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor — the clock is already running. After a warrantless arrest you're entitled to a judge's probable-cause review within about 48 hours, and the arraignment that follows is where a District Court judge sets your bond and reads exactly what you're charged with. What you say to police before then can decide the whole case. Don't guess. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour, and get the Michigan arrest-to-arraignment process explained in plain English before you make a single decision.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Michigan.
Right now, before anything else: stop talking to police and clearly say the words 'I am invoking my right to remain silent and I want a lawyer.' In Michigan that invocation has to be unambiguous — just going quiet isn't enough to stop questioning. Then don't discuss the case on a recorded jail phone line, don't post anything online, and don't let anyone 'explain your side' for you. Your next real moment is the arraignment, which must happen without unnecessary delay (about 48 hours after a warrantless arrest, MCR 6.104), where the judge sets your bond. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, and we'll walk you through what to expect at that first hearing and how bond works in Michigan District Courts.
Here's the Michigan feature that blindsides people: your felony isn't really 'a felony case' until a District Court judge agrees it is. Within roughly three weeks of arraignment — a probable cause conference 7 to 14 days out, then a preliminary examination 5 to 7 days after that (MCL 766.4) — the prosecutor has to actually show probable cause for each charge in a live hearing many states traded for secret grand juries. It's a genuine off-ramp: charges get dismissed or reduced here, and sworn testimony gets locked in for trial. Yet defendants routinely waive the exam without understanding what they're giving up. Before you waive anything or grab a quick plea at the District Court level, call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour, and find out what your prelim is actually worth.
If you can't afford a private attorney, Michigan has real options — appointed counsel screened at your first court date, plus these verified statewide resources for defense, appeals, and clearing your record. We're independent of all of them; this is information to help you find the right door.
I was just arrested in Michigan — how long until I see a judge?
If you were arrested without a warrant, Michigan requires a judicial probable-cause determination within about 48 hours, and your arraignment has to happen without unnecessary delay (MCR 6.104). That arraignment is where bond gets set — your first real shot at getting out. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour, and we'll explain what to expect at that first hearing.
What's the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in Michigan?
Michigan misdemeanors come in tiers — 93-day, 1-year, and a 2-year 'high-court' misdemeanor that's prosecuted like a felony. A felony means more than a year, served in state prison rather than county jail. Which tier you're facing changes which courthouse handles your case and how much exposure you have. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to find out where your charge falls.
Do I qualify for a free public defender in Michigan?
You have a right to appointed counsel if you can't afford a lawyer (MCL 780.991), funded through the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission across roughly 120 local trial-court systems. Your financial eligibility is screened at your first court contact. If you're unsure how to ask or what to expect, call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, and we'll walk you through it.
What actually happens at a preliminary examination?
In a Michigan felony, the prelim (MCL 766.4) is a District Court hearing — held after a probable cause conference, usually within about three weeks of arraignment — where the prosecutor must show probable cause for each charge or the case can be dismissed or reduced. It's a genuine screening step many states no longer use, and waiving it without understanding it can cost you. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to learn what your prelim is worth before you give it up.
How much prison time am I really facing in Michigan?
Felony minimums are scored on a guidelines grid (MCL 777.1 et seq.) using offense and prior-record variables, but since People v Lockridge that range is advisory — a judge can sentence outside it if the sentence is reasonable. Class A felonies can reach life; lower classes are far less. Only a licensed attorney can score your specific case. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand the framework first.
I have prior felonies — how does that change my sentence?
Michigan's habitual-offender statutes (MCL 769.10–769.12) raise your maximum: 1.5x for one prior, 2x for two priors, and up to life for three or more — with a 25-year mandatory minimum when someone with three-plus priors (one a listed felony) commits a new 'serious crime.' Priors reshape every plea decision, so this is worth understanding early. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour, to talk it through.
Is my 17-year-old charged as an adult in Michigan?
Not automatically — not anymore. Since 'Raise the Age' took effect October 1, 2021, juvenile (Family Division) jurisdiction covers offenders under 18 (MCL ch. 712A). Serious cases can still be waived or designated into adult court, but the old '17 equals adult' rule is gone. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand which court your child's case belongs in.
Can I get my Michigan record expunged, and when?
Often yes. Under Clean Slate, eligible 93-day-plus misdemeanors auto-clear 7 years after sentencing and felonies 10 years out with no application (caps of 2 felonies / 4 such misdemeanors), and you can also apply after 3, 5, or 7 years. Assaultive and serious offenses are excluded, and a new conviction resets the clock. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to check where you stand.
The police questioned me about a fight — could self-defense apply?
Maybe. Michigan's Self-Defense Act (MCL 780.972) gives you no duty to retreat anywhere you're lawfully present, and once self-defense is properly raised the prosecution must disprove it beyond a reasonable doubt. Whether it fits your facts is a real legal question that turns on exactly what happened. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand how it works before you talk to anyone else.
I'm not a U.S. citizen — can a Michigan charge affect my immigration status?
It can. Immigration consequences are decided under federal law by USCIS and the immigration courts (EOIR), not by the Michigan judge handling your criminal case — but the Michigan plea or conviction you take is what those federal authorities look at. Certain offenses can trigger removal or block relief, so the criminal and immigration sides have to be handled together. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, and we'll explain the landscape; a Michigan attorney with immigration awareness can advise on your specific plea.
Does calling this line make you my lawyer?
No. Legal Hotline gives legal information, not legal advice, and the call creates no attorney-client relationship — we're not a law firm and not a public defender. What we can do is explain Michigan's criminal process clearly and, if you want, help you book a paid consultation with a Michigan-licensed attorney. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, to start.
We send Michigan defendants who need representation to licensed criminal defense attorneys across the state — from the 36th District Court and Third Circuit in Wayne County to Oakland, Kent, Genesee, and the courts up north. If you'd like to receive matched consultation requests from people facing real charges, we'd like to hear from you. Mention attorney network intake when you call 1-844-690-0555, or reach out to learn how the referral process works.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
In Michigan, bond gets set at an arraignment within about 48 hours, a felony's probable cause conference and preliminary exam run within weeks, and what you say before that first hearing can decide everything. You don't have to figure it out alone or in the dark. Call 1-844-690-0555 now — free, 24/7, in plain English — and understand exactly what you're facing before you make your next move. It's legal information, not legal advice, and it creates no attorney-client relationship — just clarity when you need it most.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.