Getting the call that your son or daughter has been arrested while attending college in Ann Arbor is one of the worst moments a parent can experience. Especially when you’re hundreds of miles away in New Jersey, New York, or Ohio. Your first instinct might be to call a local attorney to help. But the attorney you call in that moment may not be the right one for this situation.
Your child is now facing the Michigan criminal court system, and possibly the University of Michigan’s own internal disciplinary process at the same time. A charge like OWI, domestic violence, or drug possession in Ann Arbor moves through the local courts here in Washtenaw County, under Michigan law, in front of Michigan judges. Your child’s best chance is to work with an Ann Arbor criminal defense attorney who knows the local law and legal landscape. And if you’re wondering what happens on the university side of things, an attorney who handles college discipline defense in Michigan will be far better positioned to navigate the University of Michigan’s conduct process than from out of state with no familiarity with how those proceedings work.
Common Criminal Charges Against Michigan Students
The Ann Arbor Police Department and University of Michigan’s own campus police are active, and they make arrests. OWI, which is what Michigan law calls drunk driving, are among the most common charges students face. Michigan law takes a tiered approach to these offenses. A first-time OWI can bring potential jail time, fines, license suspension, and points on a driving record. If the blood alcohol level was significantly elevated, Michigan’s enhanced penalty provisions kick in with even steeper consequences.
Drug possession charges are another story entirely. The severity depends heavily on the substance involved and the quantity. Possession of certain controlled substances can be charged as a felony in Michigan, even for a first offense, depending on the drug. Domestic violence charges carry their own set of consequences, including mandatory arrest policies that law enforcement follows in Michigan. Whatever your son or daughter is accused of, they need a defense lawyer who regularly represents UM students with a strong track record of success.
Why Does It Matter That the Attorney Is Local and Licensed in Michigan?
To practice law in Michigan courts, an attorney must be licensed by the State Bar of Michigan. An attorney licensed only in New York, New Jersey, or Ohio cannot simply walk into the 15th District Court and represent your child. They would need to seek special permission, which is not guaranteed and is not a substitute for actual Michigan practice experience. And even if they could technically appear, local knowledge is a completely different thing from bar admission.
An attorney who regularly appears before the judges at the 15th District Court understands how those courtrooms operate. They know the procedural preferences, the tendencies in how cases are handled, and how the local prosecutor’s office approaches negotiations. That kind of familiarity is built over years of showing up in those rooms. It cannot be replicated by someone flying in from out of state for a single hearing.
The University Side
A criminal arrest can trigger a completely separate process through the University of Michigan’s conduct system. The university’s Office of Student Accountability handles alleged violations of the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities. That process can run alongside the criminal case, and the potential consequences on the university side include suspension or expulsion from school.
Students facing conduct allegations may find themselves accountable to both the legal system and the university at the same time. Two separate proceedings, two separate sets of rules, two separate timelines. The university’s process uses different standards than a criminal court, and the outcome of one does not automatically determine the outcome of the other.
Having the same attorney handle both sides of this situation has real practical value. They can track what’s happening in both proceedings simultaneously, coordinate strategy so that statements or actions in one forum don’t create problems in the other, and advocate for your child in both contexts. That kind of continuity matters when the stakes include both a criminal record and academic standing.
The Next Step to Protect Your Child
If your child was arrested in Ann Arbor on an OWI, drug possession, or domestic violence charge, the right move is to contact a Michigan-licensed criminal defense attorney who practices in Washtenaw County. Not someone who practices in your home state. Not a general practice attorney who has never appeared in the 15th District Court. Someone who knows this jurisdiction, knows these courts, and can handle both the criminal case and any university proceedings that follow.
At Geherin Law Group, PLLC, we represent University of Michigan students facing criminal charges in Ann Arbor and throughout Washtenaw County. We also handle university disciplinary matters. If your son or daughter has been arrested, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible.