College students are known for working hard, studying hard, and sometimes, partying hard. Occasionally, students with otherwise bright futures find themselves charged with crimes relating to alcohol or controlled substances, computer crimes such as “sexting” or Internet violations, and even sex offenses such as “date rape” allegations.
While some of these offenses may seem “trivial” in nature, they often leave young people with lasting misdemeanor convictions that can affect them the rest of their lives. The job market is tough enough without having to reveal a criminal conviction! And, worse yet, some of these offenses are extraordinarily serious, and may result in a felony conviction, jail or prison time, and possible expulsion or suspension from the university.
If you are a college student who has been arrested and/or are facing criminal charges, the criminal defense law firm of Geherin Law Group, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, provides your best defense and we will diligently defend your rights, reputation, interests and future.
We are located just off I-94 and near Briarwood Mall. We have represented thousands of students from the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College, and many other local schools.
If you get a ticket or are arrested at a football game, we can help. If you have received a court notice or notification of a criminal charge, we can help. If you find yourself facing a serious felony or “small” misdemeanor, we can help. If you receive notice of a disciplinary action at your school, we can help.
We recognize that college students often are on limited budgets. While some schools offer low-cost or free legal support to students, college students can and often do retain their own attorneys – especially when charged with misdemeanor or felony offenses that can affect their futures.
We often offer reduced rates to college students, accept most credit card payments, and typically consider payment / installment plans for representation. We’re also a part of the M-Card Discount plan through the University of Michigan to reduce attorney fees for students and employees of the university who face discipline or criminal charges.
Contact us for aggressive and intelligent protection of your rights and future. We are available 24 hours by telephone and e-mail to set up a free initial consultation. Our 24-hour answering service allows us to respond to you promptly and when you need us most.
Our criminal defense attorneys have extensive experience helping college students who have been charged with:
At GLG, we are dedicated to excellence in criminal defense – not just in concept, but in practice, and we have a strong record to prove it. Our high-quality, high-tech investigative resources get to the heart of the charges our clients face. We thoroughly scrutinize our clients’ arrests for any sign of questionable police procedures that may have violated their rights.
We understand what is at stake. If you are convicted, you may not just face jail time and fines. You may also have to deal with losing valuable financial aid, being prohibited from residing on campus housing and dormitories as well as face suspension by your school’s administrative board. Moreover, a blemish on your record can affect your employment eligibility and your reputation amongst your peers and the rest of the community.
You can count on us for strong representation and support when you need it the most. We specialize in criminal defense and have dedicated our careers to helping people – old and young – defend against a criminal allegation. Take the first step toward protecting your present and your future.
If your child has been arrested or received a disciplinary notice from the University of Michigan or other area school, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed and unsure about your next steps. That’s completely normal. The FAQs below address the questions parents and guardians ask us most often when they first reach out. If you don’t see your question answered here, contact Geherin Law Group, PLLC, directly. We’re available 24 hours a day, and we offer free initial consultations.
A criminal charge comes from the government, usually the state of Michigan or a local municipality, and is handled in a court of law. A school disciplinary charge comes from the university and gets handled internally through the school’s own conduct process. These are two completely separate systems, and yes, you can face charges in both systems at the same time for the same incident. What happens in one proceeding doesn’t automatically determine the outcome of the other, which is exactly why you need a defense attorney who understands both.
Not necessarily. University disciplinary systems and criminal court systems operate independently of each other. If a school closes its disciplinary case, that decision has no bearing on what the prosecutor does with a criminal charge. A prosecutor can still move forward with charges even if the school takes no action. Don’t assume a favorable school outcome will protect you in court. You need to defend both cases separately, and you need a lawyer who can do that for you.
The school won’t just drop the matter because a student doesn’t respond. The disciplinary process will move forward anyway, and the outcome will almost certainly be worse than if the student had participated and presented a defense. Schools can impose penalties like suspension or expulsion, whether or not students are present. They can also place holds on school accounts, transcripts, and class registration. It’s best to contact an attorney the moment you receive a disciplinary notice.
A disciplinary finding won’t appear on a standard criminal background check. However, graduate school applications, professional licensing applications, and some employers will ask directly whether you’ve ever faced institutional disciplinary action. If you answer dishonestly and they find out, that could be worse than simply disclosing the finding upfront.
Of course, it’s better still not to have a finding on your record at all. Don’t treat a disciplinary finding as a lesser matter just because it didn’t happen in a courtroom.
No. Hiring an attorney is a smart, responsible decision, not a confession of guilt. Everyone facing a criminal charge or school disciplinary action has the right to representation, and exercising that right is exactly what any reasonable person should do. Prosecutors and university conduct officers deal with law firms every day. The decision to hire a lawyer isn’t a signal of guilt. It’s a signal that you’re taking the situation seriously and that you intend to protect your rights.
Your child’s case is their case. Attorney-client confidentiality means we protect their information, and you as a parent don’t automatically have access to it just because you’re family or because you’re helping to pay for representation. If your child wants to include you in conversations, our law firm will work with you as part of their team. If they’d rather keep things private, we’ll respect their choice.
Contact our college criminal defense attorneys in Ann Arbor, 24 hours day, seven days a week by phone or e-mail. We offer free consultations and reasonable rates. Located just off I-94 and near Briarwood Mall, we handle cases throughout Southeast Michigan.
Learn more about what you can expect when it comes to ECRT Hearings at University of Michigan here.
