Macomb County Criminal Lawyer

If you are facing a felony or misdemeanor criminal defense matter, do not take a chance with your future. Call (810) 394-2952 now to speak to William Barnwell, a top rated Macomb County, MI criminal lawyer for all DUI, felony, and misdemeanor cases. If you have been arrested, are facing jail or prison time, or are being investigated by a detective or police as a part of a criminal investigation, contact Barnwell Law for respected, proven, and top-rated criminal defense. With over 600 five-star ratings, Barnwell Law is one of the most highly reviewed criminal defense firms with consistent results for felony and misdemeanor criminal defense.

Barnwell Law has central offices in Warren, Michigan, and in Fort Myers, Florida. William is a skilled trial attorney who has won multiple jury trials on matters ranging from DUI/OWI, drunk driving, assault, felonious assault, domestic violence, retail fraud, and drug crimes. William has also secured victories on murder and homicide cases, criminal sexual conduct, and other life-offense cases.

William focuses his practice exclusively in the area of criminal law. He is highly active throughout Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County, St. Clair County, Genesee County, and has practice experience in nearly every part of the State of Michigan and throughout the State of Florida.

If you are looking for a top and best criminal defense attorney in or near Warren, Michigan, contact William Barnwell of Barnwell Law today at (810) 394-2952. Barnwell Law has defended countless people in all Macomb County district courts, the 16th Circuit Court, and courts throughout the state of Michigan. A winning trial attorney who has handled numerous public cases, William Barnwell will give your case the attention it deserves.

Barnwell Law is extremely well-known in the 37th District Court and all District Courts throughout Macomb County. Bill Barnwell served for years throughout Macomb County and is recognized as a leader in the legal community. Bill Barnwell is respected by his peers in the court system throughout Macomb County.

Macomb County, MI Domestic Violence and Assault and Battery Attorney

Macomb County prosecutes many assault based crimes. This includes Domestic Violence cases. Domestic Violence can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on several factors. A related charge is often Assault with the Intent To Do Great Bodily Harm Less than Murder or Strangulation. Sometimes these cases are prosecuted with minimal evidence, or omit critical details.

If there is not a domestic component, the case can be charged as felony or misdemeanor assault. Common charges are also Aggravated Assault or Felonious Assault. The prosecution has the burden of proof to prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that a defendant did not use reasonable self-defense. Barnwell Law has successfully taken a number of assault based cases to trial in the 37th District Court and elsewhere and has achieved Not Guilty jury verdicts. This included cases other attorneys said there was no chance of acquittal.

Macomb County Criminal Sexual Conduct and Sex Crime Attorney

If you are facing a felony sex crime case in Warren, MI, your case will begin in the 37th District Court. If there is enough evidence to bind you over to trial, your case will then go to the 16th Circuit Court in Mt. Clemens. Some common sex crimes cases are:

• Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st Degree

• Criminal Sexual Conduct 2nd Degree

• Criminal Sexual Conduct 3rd Degree

• Criminal Sexual Conduct 4th Degree

• Child Pornography

• Accosting a Child for Immoral Purposes

If you have been charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC), you could face anywhere from two years in prison up to life in prison. In addition, harsh penalties such as the sex offender registry (SORA) list could follow you for 15 years up to the rest of your life. Barnwell Law has successfully beat numerous sex crime cases where the allegations were false or the evidence was lacking.

Macomb County DUI, OWI, OUIL and Drunk Driving Lawyer

In Michigan, a first offense DUI or OWI offense with no injuries to another driver is a misdemeanor offense with a possible jail sentence of 93 days . If your blood alcohol contest was allegedly .17 or over, however, it will be an enhanced misdemeanor with up to 180 days in jail. A so-called “super drunk” or “High BAC” case has an added burden of a “hard suspension” on your license for 45 days and a possible jail sentence of up to 180 days. A third offense is a felony with up to five years in prison with a mandatory minimum of at least 30 days in jail. If there is a serious injury to another driver, you could face 5 or 10 years in prison depending on your alleged bodily alcohol content (BAC).

Bill Barnwell is one of the rare criminal defense attorneys and Macomb County criminal defense lawyers in Michigan who has actually taken DUI and OWI cases to a jury trial and obtained Not Guilty verdicts. The vast majority of drunk driving cases result in a plea of some kind. Before taking a plea, it is important to make sure a valid defense doesn’t exist. Some defenses can include: A bad police stop, not enough proof that you were over the legal limit at the time you were driving, and in some cases, not enough proof you were even the driver, such as when the police make contact with a vehicle that is already stopped.

Macomb County Drug Crime Attorney

Drug offenses are serious felonies. These can include felony drug procession cases or more serious felony cases involving distributing or delivery and manufacturing. Common drug cases involve cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, ecstasy, methamphetamines (“meth”), magic mushrooms, or prescription drugs such as Xanax, Adderall, and other controlled substances. Possession crimes can range from 2 years up to 10 years depending upon the substance alleged. Cases involving dealing or even just mere sharing of drugs with no money involved can range up to 20 years. If you are facing a federal drug case, the penalties can even harsher. Whether your case is a first time drug offense that could be eligible for “7411” status that can ultimately dismiss your case, or a repeat offender facing decades in prison, Barnwell Law is here to help.

Theft and Retail Fraud Cases

Warren and Macomb County sees many cases involving alleged stealing. Common charges are:

• Retail Fraud 1st Degree
• Retail Fraud 2nd Degree
• Retail Fraud 3rd Degree
• Embezzlement
• Larceny
• False Pretenses

Retail Fraud cases are alleged thefts that occur in stores open to the public. If the value of the item is under $200, the maximum penalty is 93 days in jail. If the value is over $200 but under $1,000, the maximum is one year in the county jail. If the value is over $1,000 then the maximum is up to five years in state prison. Larceny cases are alleged thefts that happen outside of stores open to the public and have a similar maximum penalty for misdemeanor and felonies. Embezzlement cases involve cases where someone had a right to have possession of goods or money, but then allegedly convert it to their own use. Embezzlement cases range from 93 day misdemeanors to serious 20 year felony cases. Bill Barnwell has taken these cases to trial and has won.

It is important not to minimize the effects of even a “petty theft”. Even if the value of the alleged item was a few dollars, a conviction can have lifetime consequences for employment and your future. If you are not a US citizen even petty theft cases are considered “crimes of moral turpitude” that can result in your removal from the county. It is worth every penny to hire a skilled criminal defense attorney to help protect your future.

Contact Barnwell Law Today to Defend Your Rights

If your future is in the balance you need a skilled Macomb County criminal defense lawyer. Barnwell Law has helped people all over Michigan and is a respected and top attorney in Macomb County, Metro-Detroit, and beyond. We defend all felony and misdemeanor criminal cases and are respected throughout Macomb County and Michigan. Contact Bill Barnwell today at (810) 394-2952 to protect your future.

The following are just a sample of some of the types of cases that Barnwell Law can help you with:

• Drunk Driving, DUI, OWI, OUIL, felony drunk driving, misdemeanor, drunk driving
• Criminal Sexual Conduct, CSC, 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Degrees, Aggravated Indecent Exposure, Indecent Exposure, Child Pornography, Prostitution, Solicitation, Offer to Engage, sex crime investigations, Using a Computer to Commit a Crime.
• Homicide, Murder, Manslaughter, First Degree Murder, Second Degree Murder, Assault with Intent to Murder (AWIM)
• Assault, Assault & Battery, Felonious Assault, Assault with the Intent to do Great Bodily Harm Less than Murder, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Strangulation
• Retail Fraud, Larceny, Embezzlement, False Pretenses, Credit Card, Financial Transaction Device
• Juvenile criminal 
• Gun offenses, Carrying a Concealed Weapon (CCW)
• Home Invasion 1^st Degree, Home Invasion 2^nd Degree, Home Invasion 3^rd Degree, Breaking and Entering, Entering Without Permission
• Drug Offenses, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Analogues, Possession of Heroin, Possession of Fentanyl, Maintaining a Drug House, Possession With the Intent to Deliver, “7411” cases.
• Fleeing and Eluding, Resisting and Obstructing, Police/Prison and jail crimes, Stalking, Aggravated Stalking
• Disorderly Conduct, Disturbing the Peace, Driving While License Suspended, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Failure to Report and Accident, Reckless Driving, Malicious Destruction of Property
• Probation Violations
• Federal Offenses, Conspiracy, Tax Fraud
• Arson
• HYTA (Holmes Youthful Trainee Act) Dismissals, 7411 Dismissals
• All other criminal cases

Why Barnwell Law?

Results matter. Whether it is taking a case all the way to trial in front of a jury, or obtaining other highly favorable outcomes such as dismissals, reductions, and avoiding jail and prison time, William Barnwell has delivered for countless clients. He has been featured on every major local television news station for insights into high profile criminal cases, and has handled numerous high-profile criminal cases himself with favorable outcomes.

A common complaint with many clients is that they can’t reach their attorney, or are not informed about their case. Bill Barnwell handles your case from beginning to end. You have a direct line of communication to him about your case. He can be reached at all hours of the day. He is respected by judges and attorneys alike. When your future is in jeopardy, often times the only the thing that stands in the way between losing your freedom or job is your defense attorney. With over two decades of professional experience as a community leader and years of experience as an effective criminal lawyer, William is uniquely positioned to walk with you through your darkest hour.

Who Should Call?

Anybody who wants top-notch representation that has been arrested, has discovered that a warrant for their arrest has been issued, who is facing a current criminal case and needs a defense attorney, or has learned they are facing or may be facing a criminal investigation. In life, you get what you pay for. If you pay for lackluster defense, that is what you will receive. If you pay for proven quality, you get quality. Countless clients have affirmed that Barnwell Law was worth every dollar they spent. People from all walks of life have chosen Barnwell Law. This has even included police officers who themselves found themselves charged with crimes.

What Happens Once I Hire Barnwell Law?

William will get right to work on your case. He will get the evidence and review it and give you a preliminary assessment of the strength of the prosecution’s case. He will give you a personalized game plan of how your case should be approached. Every case is different and the facts of your particular case will be applied to the law to help you determine if a trial or plea is in your best interest. If need be, protracted plea negotiations will take place with the prosecutor to get you’re the best possible outcome given the facts of your particular case. For plea cases, Bill will want you to stand out from other defendants in the courtroom. Therefore, he will often recommend a personalized plan of proactive measures to help you stand out. For trial cases, he will ensure you get the most passionate and zealous defense a case can have before a jury or judge.

What Happens Once I Go to Court for a Felony or Misdemeanor?

In a criminal case, the first step is an arraignment. This is when you stand before a Judge or Magistrate and are told what you are being charged with, and the “worst-case” scenario of a maximum penalty. If your case is a felony, it will be set for a Probable Cause Conference where Bill will meet with the Prosecutor to determine whether or not your case will hold a Preliminary Exam or Probable Cause Hearing at your next court date. At a Preliminary Exam, the prosecution has to secure witness testimony to show that there is enough evidence for your case to continue to Circuit Court.

If your case proceeds to Circuit Court it will be set for another procedural Arraignment and Pretrial. There may be one or more pretrials in Circuit Court, where your case is either resolved with a plea or set for trial. If your case pleads, it will likely have a separate sentencing hearing 3-6 weeks later. If your case proceeds to trial, the timing of the trial will depend on other factors with the court calendar.

For misdemeanor cases, after your arraignment, the case is set for a pretrial conference. Similar to a felony pretrial conference, William will meet with the Prosecutor to determine whether or not your case can resolve without a trial. If your case is not dismissed or resolved with a favorable plea, then your case will be set for trial. Regardless of whether the charge is a felony or misdemeanor, your case concludes upon being sentenced or found Not Guilty at trial.

What Are a Sample of Courts that Barnwell Law Practices in?

Barnwell Law has practiced in nearly every part of the state. This includes, but is not limited to: The 37^th District Court in Warren and Center Line, the 41-A District Court in Sterling Heights and Shelby Township, the 38^th District Court in Eastpointe, the 39^th District Court in Roseville and Fraser, the 41B District Court in Clinton Township, the 42^nd District Court in Romeo and New Baltimore, the 36^th District Court in Detroit, the 44^th District Court in Royal Oak, the 72^nd District Court in Port Huron and Marine City, and the 20^th Judicial Circuit Court and County Court in Fort Myers and Lee County Florida. However, keep in mind these courts are only a sample, and Barnwell Law is known and has a presence throughout both states.

Regardless of which court and city your criminal case is in, call William today at (810) 394-2952 to secure your rights and freedom today.