Michigan traffic tickets.
At an informal hearing in Michigan you are not allowed a lawyer. Ask for one and the prosecutor comes too.
How it works in Michigan.
District court, and most moving violations are civil infractions, not crimes, decided at an informal or a formal hearing. The Secretary of State keeps the record.
At twelve or more points you face a driver assessment reexamination, after which an analyst may restrict, suspend or revoke. There is no automatic point suspension.
Points
Remain two years from the date of conviction
Most convictions
Stay on the record at least seven years, some at least ten
Fatality and impaired driving convictions
Permanent
Driver Responsibility Fees
Eliminated by legislation signed in March 2018, fully gone by 1 October 2018
At an informal hearing you are not allowed a lawyer.
MCL 257.746 says that at an informal hearing "the person cited may not be represented by an attorney, nor may the plaintiff be represented by the prosecuting attorney". To bring a lawyer you must request a formal hearing, and that brings the prosecutor in against you. It is a genuine trade off and most drivers never learn it exists.
Second surprise: twelve points does not suspend you automatically. It triggers a reexamination where an analyst’s discretion, not arithmetic, decides what happens.
Common violations and what they carry.
Speeding, 6 to 10 over
Civil infraction
Two points.
Speeding, 11 to 15 over
Civil infraction
Three points.
Speeding, 16 or more over
Civil infraction
Four points.
Disobeying a signal or stop sign
Civil infraction
Three points.
Careless driving
Civil infraction
Three points.
Reckless driving, OWI, fleeing
Criminal charge
Six points, half the reexamination threshold on a single charge.
The statewide citation appearance day count, and the surviving scope of MCL 257.321a after Clean Slate, are not verified.
What actually helps here.
The Basic Driver Improvement Course
If you had no more than two points when the ticket was issued, you get sixty days from the Secretary of State's notice to complete a minimum four hour course and exam.
The ticket goes on your record but the points are not posted, and neither the ticket nor the points are reported to your insurer.
You can do this once in a lifetime.
Choosing which hearing
At an informal hearing you may not be represented by an attorney, and neither may the plaintiff be represented by the prosecuting attorney.
A formal hearing lets you bring a lawyer, and brings the prosecutor in as well. The request must be made at least ten days before the scheduled informal hearing.
The appearance date on the citation
A request for a formal hearing must be made at least ten days before the scheduled informal hearing. A default judgment can be set aside within fourteen days of notice.
Yes at a formal hearing, no at an informal one
An attorney can admit responsibility for you and can appear at a formal hearing. At an informal hearing attorneys are barred outright, which is the trade off to weigh before you choose.
Read this first.
How it works
You send us the ticket. That is your entire job. Four steps and a flat fee in writing.
What we fight
Speeding, red light, cell phone, reckless driving, suspended licence and CDL tickets.
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Free review, no obligation, and a straight answer about whether fighting it is worth your money.
Send us the Michigan ticket.
Free review, no obligation, and a straight answer about whether fighting it is worth your money. Representation in Michigan is provided by an attorney licensed in Michigan.