* Any alcohol in the blood of someone under 21 in Michigan is illegal; it does not become a separate driving offense until .02%.

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How many drinks does it take?  

 

Assume the answer is 1.  If you had more than one, don’t drive.  Especially today, when everyone has ride software like Uber and Lyft, the ten dollars it will cost to get a ride home are very insignificant compared to the total cost of around $5,000.00 you can expect from a drunk driving charge.

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Is a Drunk Driving a Felony or a Misdemeanor in Michigan?

 

Generally, it is a misdemeanor.  It only becomes a felony when you have been charged for the third time or if there is an accident causing injury or death.

 

Can you plead to a lesser offense than OWI in Michigan?

 

Generally, no.  Operating while visibly impaired is a lesser form of Drunk Driving; it has fewer points and lower fines and is a relatively standard  plea bargain down from an ordinary drunk driving.  There are states where one can get a reckless driving as a plea bargain from drunk driving – Michigan is not one of them.  Michigan has made reckless driving result in a suspension of your license such that reckless is actually worse than impaired…

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There is some helpful information about this on the Michigan State Police website.  Click here for that:   http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,4643,7-123-72297_64773_22774-75633--,00.html

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