When someone is charged with a crime, it can become a very frustrating and heartbreaking situation. To be charged, this means that a police report was presented to the prosecutor, the prosecutor submitted a warrant request to the judge, and the judge authorized the warrant. Once this happens, it is not the job of the investigating officer to pick up the defendant, read them their rights, fingerprint them and schedule an arraignment. In this process, a lot of things can become compromised. Some attorneys feel that if a defendant does not know about a warrant, they should try to avoid the situation. Others in the legal profession feel that self-surrender is the most beneficial way to approach this subject. Today, the issue of self-surrender in Washtenaw County is going to be addressed. 
Scott Grabel is the founder of Grabel and Associates which is known as the top criminal defense firm in the state of Michigan and has a dominant presence in Washtenaw County. When asked about self-surrender, Grabel provided commentary when he said, “Washtenaw County is a court system that truly appreciates the self-surrender situation. While I’m always a proponent of the self-surrender, Washtenaw County is more appreciative than many other courts in our state. There is no upside to having a defendant avoid the process; instead, the attorney should coordinate on the surrender and then advocate for their client.”
Joe Brugnoli is one of the top criminal defense lawyers in the Grand Rapids area and has practiced in Washtenaw County on capital cases. When asked about the topic of self-surrender, Brugnoli stated, “When I’ve been brought in on Washtenaw cases they have been for the most serious of crimes. Whenever a defense lawyer is faced with this challenge, the first step is to walk in with your client and set the tone for the next phase. There is a solid group of Judges and Magistrates in Washtenaw County that will appreciate your efforts. If the case is triable, it will help you navigate the system, if the case is one that ends in a plea, the cooperation will be one step closer to obtaining the best possible outcome for the defendant.”