Bruce Alan Block, PLC - Attorney at Law

10/14/2021

New Michigan Law to allow one (1) drunk driving (OWI or DUI) conviction to be expunged. The new legislation will allow a one-time OWI or OWVI conviction to be expunged 5 years after the person completes their probation. The new law becomes effective on February 23, 2022. This is a major shift in policy that surprisingly had bipartisan support in the state house and senate. Historically, drunk driving offenses could NEVER be expunged.

To be eligible you cannot have more than one OWI conviction and you must apply to have it expunged. If your OWI resulted in injury or death you cannot expunge it. Same if it happens to someone holding a CDL in a commercial vehicle. This is the first time since the invention of the automobile that OWI convictions are eligible to be removed. We can help. Call us.

04/23/2021

Good day for the Fourth Amendment and the right to be left ALONE by the government.

An anonymous call alleging that a driver could be drunk wasn’t enough for police to make a traffic stop in Huron County

04/14/2021

Finally. Long overdue. We have been helping people clean their records for 25 years. Now, so many more people will qualify to expunge their criminal records. This is exciting news, but the new law is complicated. Let us help you remove your conviction from your public record. Call our office to discuss.

Michigan clean-slate laws that make it easier for convicted nonviolent criminals to erase past felonies from public view took effect Sunday, April 11.

12/11/2020

The Michigan Senate passed a bill on 12-10-2020 that would allow first time OWI or DUI offenders to expunge a single conviction five years after the person completes probation. All I can say is: FINALLY! The Senate Bill would only allow someone with a single drunk driving conviction. Those with OWI 2nd and OWI 3rd would NOT be allowed to expunge them. This is a step in the right direction, as we are all human and can make a mistake. The Michigan House and Governor will still have to sign off on this Bill before it would become law.

UPDATE Jan 2021: The Michigan governor did not sign this legislation so it did not get enacted into law. Given the strong bipartisan support it will hopefully be reintroduced again in 2021.

10/14/2020

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/whitmer-signs-clean-slate-michigan-allowing-automatic-felony-expungement

FINALLY. Michigan and Florida used to be the stingiest states in the Union for expungement of criminal offenses. This is a good thing for Michigan. My office will be reading and digesting the 8 separate bills and in a few weeks we will be ready to help people figure out if their charge will be automatically expunged or if they need to file a petition to expunge. We can help if a petition to expunge is necessary.

Hundreds of thousands of people will be eligible for expungement under new laws signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

10/02/2020

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/02/michigan-supreme-court-strikes-down-gretchen-whitmers-emergency-powers/5863340002/

Glad to see separation of powers still works even during difficult times.

The court found Whitmer lacked the authority to exercise powers under the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act because the act is unconstitutional

08/11/2020

By: Julia Gilbert In 2015, Keith Wood was arrested at the front entrance of a courthouse in Mecosta County for handing out pamphlets on jury nullification. Jury nullification occurs when a jury finds a Defendant “not guilty” despite all evidence to the contrary because they believe the law itsel...

06/09/2020

Attorney Bruce Block wants to help you. He knows what it takes to keep you out of jail.

06/05/2020

In 28 years of practicing criminal law I have not seen a person charged under the Michigan rioting statute. This law is no joke. MCL 752.541 provides "It is unlawful and constitutes the crime of riot for 5 or more persons, acting in concert, to wrongfully engage in violent conduct and thereby intentionally or recklessly cause or create a serious risk of causing public terror or alarm."

It is just as unlawful for a person to engage in conduct that urges other persons to burn or destroy property or interfere with a police officer in performance of their duties. Violation is a 10-year felony. Just congregating with 4 or more people with the intent to riot is a 5-year felony. Serious consequences. Although I have not seen this type of criminal charge used before, I can put my my 28+ years of criminal defense experience, including numerous jury trials, to work for you. If you have been charged -- call my office

A second person is facing charges in connection to the rioting in downtown Grand Rapids Saturday night.

06/05/2020

Finally. It feels good to be open for business and working again fulltime at the office. Working at home was OK, but I found there were too many distractions. Whether you have a divorce, custody, or criminal case give my office a call. We are here for you and your legal needs.