Note: This is what they are supposed to do. Whether they give a damn about you and the outcome is up to the individual attorney

What it is supposed to be

In Michigan, public defenders play a vital role in the criminal justice system by providing legal representation to people who cannot afford private attorneys.

They help ensure that everyone, regardless of income, receives a fair trial as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

Public defenders handle cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies and work at different levels based on experience and qualifications.

What Public Defenders Do

Public defenders represent clients in criminal cases at all stages of the legal process, including:

• Arraignments – Advising clients on their rights and entering pleas.
• Pretrial Hearings – Filing motions to suppress evidence, dismiss charges, or seek reduced bail.
• Trials – Presenting evidence, cross-examining witnesses, and making arguments in court.
• Plea Bargaining – Negotiating with prosecutors to reduce charges or sentencing.
• Sentencing – Advocating for fair punishments or alternatives like probation or rehabilitation programs.
• Appeals – Challenging wrongful convictions or excessive sentences in higher courts.

Because public defenders handle many cases at once, they must work quickly and efficiently while giving each client strong representation.

Levels of Public Defenders and Their Qualifications

Public defenders in Michigan progress through different levels based on education, experience, and case complexity.

1. Entry-Level Public Defender (Assistant Public Defender I)

• Education: Must have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• License: Must pass the Michigan Bar Exam and be licensed to practice law in Michigan.
• Experience: No prior courtroom experience required, though internships or clerkships in criminal law are helpful.
• Duties: Handles misdemeanor cases and low-level felonies under supervision.

2. Mid-Level Public Defender (Assistant Public Defender II & III)

• Education: J.D. degree and active Michigan law license.
• Experience: At least 2-5 years of criminal defense or prosecutorial experience.
• Duties: Takes on more serious felony cases, may argue motions in higher courts, and supervises newer attorneys.

3. Senior Public Defender (Assistant Public Defender IV)

• Education: Same as lower levels but with extensive trial experience.
• Experience: 7+ years in criminal defense, often handling serious felonies like murder or sexual assault cases.
• Duties: Represents high-profile clients, trains junior attorneys, and may work on appeals.

4. Chief Public Defender

• Education: J.D. degree and Michigan law license.
• Experience: 10+ years in criminal defense, with leadership and administrative experience.
• Duties: Manages the public defender’s office, oversees budgets, and sets legal strategies for the department.

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Making laws as fast as possible. Look over here…Not over there.

Some of Michigan’s new laws in 2025 include minimum wage increases, paid sick time, and automatic voter registration. 

Minimum wage
The minimum wage in Michigan increased to $10.56 per hour on January 1, 2025, and will increase again to $12.48 per hour on February 21, 2025.

The 85% rate for minors under 18 increased to $8.98 per hour on January 1, 2025, and will increase to $10.61 per hour on February 21, 2025.

The tipped employee rate increased to $4.01 per hour on January 1, 2025, and will increase to $5.99 per hour on February 21, 2025.

The Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) will go into effect on February 21, 2025. It applies to almost all Michigan employers, including part-time, temporary, and exempt employees.

Employers with 10 or more employees:

• Must allow employees to accrue up to 72 hours of paid sick time per year.

Employers with fewer than 10 employees:

• Must allow employees to accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick time and 32 hours of unpaid sick time per year.

How is sick time accrued?

Employees accrue one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked

What can employees use sick time for?

• To care for themselves or family members
• During certain public health emergencies
• For certain purposes related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

Who is covered by the ESTA?

All Michigan employers, except the U.S. government, must comply with the ESTA.

• Paid Medical Leave Act – FAQs

• EARNED SICK TIME ACT* Poster

3 Days to Yourself

(But you’ll have to wait till April 2025)

• Unemployment benefits: Increased from 20 to 26 weeks, with a maximum weekly benefit of $614
• Organ donor tax credit: Up to $10,000 to help cover costs like lost wages and medical bills
• Cage-free eggs: Stores must sell eggs from cage-free farms
• Automatic voter registration: When applying for a driver’s license or ID, or applying for Medicaid or leaving prison
• CPR in high schools: Coaches must be certified in CPR and AED use\
• Equal treatment for children born through surrogacy: Includes access to birth certificates and other government records
• LGBTQ family rights: Eliminates a costly process to legitimize parental rights
• Family recognition of parental rights: Makes it easier and cheaper for families to get formal recognition of their parental rights

And now for something completely different…

Whitmer has made big promises. Here’s how she’s done (according to this media outlet) Read More Here

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Same Thing – Different Day

Whitmer’s $3B plan to fix Michigan roads calls for more corporate, marijuana taxes, taxes at the pump and you can just imagine the ones you don’t know about.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has introduced a comprehensive three billion dollar initiative aimed at repairing the state’s road infrastructure, proposing increases in corporate and marijuana taxes although specific details remain vague. Additionally, Whitmer is advocating for all taxes collected at the pump to be dedicated entirely to road maintenance and improvements.

The plan will trumpet the well known and worn thin “make sure that corporations pay their fair share to do business in Michigan” and  “without putting the costs on the backs of everyday Michiganders”

It’s the latest infrastructure plan from Whitmer, who won office in 2018 on a pledge to “fix the damn roads.” 

Her 2019 proposal to raise fuel taxes by 45 cents per gallon was not taken up in the Legislature.

The next year, Whitmer went it alone with a $3.5 billion bonding plan for upkeep and reconstruction of some of Michigan’s busiest roadways, but the state will spend decades paying off the debt and the money is drying up. 

Whitmer will also propose levying an additional 32% wholesale tax on marijuana products to match those applied to tobacco products like cigarettes. Her office’s budget recommendation last week also called for expanding that tax to nicotine products that don’t contain tobacco, like vapes and pouches, which have avoided taxation for years.

Hey you want to read more or just crawl under a rock. Go here to Read More.

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