Grand Rapids Michigan DUI Lawyer Charles Boekeloo

For over twenty years, Charles Boekeloo has dedicated his practice to serving criminal defendants with skill, compassion and respect. Attorney Charles Boekeloo specializes in handling all types of criminal matters, no matter how large or small. Attorney Boekeloo has a well-earned reputation for fighting hard for each client and obtaining the best possible results, whether that means preventing a charge from being filed, taking a case to trial, or negotiating the best possible deal.

If you or someone you know in Western Michigan needs the assistance of an experienced criminal lawyer, please contact Charles Boekeloo today at 866-435-4591, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

Jurisdictions Attorney is Licensed in: All state courts in Michigan. All federal courts in Michigan and Northern Ohio

Colleges Attended, Degree & Year Graduated: University of Michigan, BA, 1977, University of Detroit, JD, 1982

Professional Memberships & Achievements:
Member of State Bar of Michigan, Criminal Law and Litigation Sections
Grand Rapids Bar Association
Kent County Criminal Defense Bar (Past President)
Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan
Michigan Defense Trial Counsel
Federal Bar Association
Panel Member of Criminal Defense Trial Counsel for the Federal Western District of Michigan
President of the Rockford Public Schools Board of Education

Yes. You should hire an attorney as quickly as possible. You may be entitled to a Court Appointed Attorney at Public expense if you qualify as an indigent person. An indigent person is one who cannot hire an attorney without causing substantial hardship to himself/herself or dependent family. If you have been charged with a crime, you may complete a Request for Court Appointed Counsel at your first court appearance. If you qualify, an attorney will be appointed for you. The court may require you to repay some or all of the cost of your defense if it determines you are able.

Just that—an absolute right to remain silent if a person is in custody and is being questioned by police as the suspect of a crime. This is an adversarial setting between the police and the suspect. The police may use various tactics to get a suspect to admit to a crime or make incriminating statements. These tactics may include appealing to a person`s guilt or conscience, engaging in ploys like `good-cop/bad-cop,` lying about the evidence against the person, making promises of leniency or release if the suspect confesses to a crime or outright intimidation. This is such an inherently coercive setting for a person that the U.S. Supreme Court ordered that the now-famous standard Miranda warnings be read to a person before the questioning process begins. You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say will be used against you. You have the right to a lawyer. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed to you.

It seems that, despite the warnings, people often ignore these rights and give incriminating statements to police that they later say are false, inaccurate or the result of abuse, coercion or intimidation. Also, people often forget that any communication or information given to police is considered a statement – not just a written or signed statement. These statements will be used against a person – just like the warning says.

An analogy: If you have a baseball bat, and someone tells you that if you hand him the bat he will hit you over the head with it, would you give that person the bat? Think about the right to remain silent the same way – remain tight-lipped and ask for a lawyer

DEFINITIONS:
"Per Se" Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Level
As of August 2005, all states have DUI laws that deem "per se intoxicated" any driver with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .08 percent. This means that drivers with a BAC at or above .08 are intoxicated in the eyes of the law, and no additional proof of driving impairment is necessary.

"Zero Tolerance" Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Level
All states carry "zero tolerance" laws that target drivers under the legal drinking age. These laws penalize persons under 21 for operating a vehicle with any trace of alcohol in their systems (a BAC above 0.0), or with negligible BAC levels such as .01 or .02 percent.

"Enhanced Penalty" Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Level
Many states impose harsher penalties on DUI offenders with a particularly high BAC at the time of the offense, typically .15 to .20 percent. DUI offenders with a BAC at or above their state's enhanced penalty standards will likely face additional jail time, harsher fines, and more severe driver's license sanctions.

"Implied Consent" Laws
"Implied consent" laws require vehicle drivers to submit to some form of chemical test, such as breath, blood, or urine testing, if suspected of DUI. If a driver refuses to submit to such testing, implied consent laws carry penalties such as mandatory suspension of a driver's license, usually for six months to a year.

Note: Persons arrested for DUI will be subject to additional criminal law penalties not addressed here -- including jail time, fines, and community service. Such criminal penalties are typically more discretionary than those identified in this chart, and are therefore more difficult to accurately predict. Generally speaking, first-time DUI offenders can expect to incur a fine, and face the possibility of jail time. Repeat DUI offenders will incur harsher fines, and will almost certainly be sentenced to a number of days in jail. Penalties will be harsher still if the DUI offender was involved in an accident in which someone else was injured or killed.

DEFINITIONS:
Administrative License Suspension/Revocation
The Administrative License Suspension/Revocation penalties indicated here refer to minimum mandatory penalties imposed on drivers whose BAC is above the state limit for intoxication, or drivers who refuse to submit to BAC testing. Administrative suspension or revocation of a driver's license is usually carried out by a state agency (such as a Department of Motor Vehicles), distinct from any criminal court penalties. Most states impose harsher penalties for second or third DUI offenses, typically defined as those that occur within five years of a prior DUI offense.

Note: the penalties identified here do not include variations for DUI offenders operating commercial vehicles, or drivers who have violated "zero tolerance" and "enhanced penalty" DUI laws (see Table 1). Most states recognize different sanctions for these types of DUI offenses.

Mandatory Alcohol Education and Assessment/Treatment
Alcohol education and treatment/assessment penalties for DUI offenders can include mandatory attendance at DUI prevention programs, and assessment of potential alcohol dependency problems. Such programs are often made "conditions" of a suspended sentence or probation, meaning that a DUI offender can avoid jail time and payment of hefty fines if he or she completes participation in the program. This chart indicates each state's utilization of alcohol education and treatment/assessment programs.

Vehicle Confiscation
Vehicle confiscation penalties allow a motor vehicle department or law enforcement agency to seize a DUI offender's vehicle, either permanently or for a set period of time. Such penalties typically apply only to repeat DUI offenders, and often the return of the vehicle requires payment of fines and significant administrative costs. This chart indicates each state's utilization of vehicle confiscation as a penalty for DUI.

Ignition Interlock
A vehicle ignition interlock breath-testing device measures a vehicle operator's BAC, and will prevent operation of the vehicle if more than a minimal amount of alcohol is detected (i.e. BAC level of .02). DUI offenders will usually be required to pay the costs of installation, rental, and maintenance of an ignition interlock device.