Michigan Criminal Defense Blog
Explore legal insights, criminal defense guidance, and practical information from Ryan Maesen Attorney at Law. These articles are designed to help individuals in Grand Rapids and throughout Michigan better understand the criminal justice process, their rights, and the decisions that may affect their future.
Learn about DUI / OWI charges, domestic violence, drug offenses, criminal court procedures, probation violations, warrants, license restoration, and serious felony defense.
Why I Represent Criminals Part III
Defending those accused of a crime is a tremendous uphill battle. Even if the prosecution has a weak case, they will rarely admit a mistake and proceed with charges even if they know a jury will likely find against them. I don’t know why this is. Maybe ego or hubris. Sometimes they justify it by
Why Represent Criminals Part I
Why do attorneys represent criminals? I think most criminal defense attorneys get asked this once in a while. If someone discovers I recently got a jury to return a not-guilty verdict in favor of my client, I sometimes get the follow-up question: How can you do that? You are getting criminals off. As those are
Criminal Sexual Conduct ( More Info )
Michigan has 4 degrees of criminal sexual misconduct. The penalties for these crimes are amount the most serious under Michigan law. If you are facing one of these charges, get a very good attorney immediately. In most cases, these charges are not going to resolved by probation or a slap on the wrist. If the
Double-murder parolee held after Holland-area arrest for drugs, gun
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A man convicted of two Illinois murders will remain locked up pending trial on gun and drug charges, a judge ruled Friday, Oct. 9. Harold Ernest Shields Jr., 37, was indicted this week after he allegedly sold crack cocaine and possessed a handgun and ammunition as a felon in the Holland area. Shields
CSC Case adjourned until next month
LUDINGTON — A Ludington man accused of four counts of criminal sexual conduct involving a victim under 13-years-old, appeared in 51st Circuit Court today. Benjamin Michael Bentz, 33, of 202 Fourth St., Ludington, was arrested Nov. 7 by the Ludington Police Department and charged with three felonies of CSC first degree and one count of
Grand Rapids man confesses to using Craigslist in armed robbery of video game systems
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Those who warn of the danger of video games may have more ammunition after a 25-year-old Grand Rapids man pleaded guilty to responding to Craigslist ads offering X-Box and PS3 game systems for sale by robbing the sellers at gunpoint. Leroy Montrell Simpson faces as much as life in prison after
Michigan Funeral Homes Pays Family $80 Grand For Dropping Casket And Spilling Body
A Michigan funeral home dropped the casket carrying Ellnora James, causing her body to fall to the ground before the memorial service could begin. The Ivy K. Gillespie Funeral Home in Grand Rapids, Michigan agreed to an $80,000 casket lawsuit settlement with the James’ family for the funeral fiasco. Relatives of Ellnora James witnessed her