Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog

The world has seen unprecedented action and activity as the number of coronavirus COVID-19 cases continues to increase worldwide. It is apparent that the coronavirus spreads fairly easily between people when they are in close contact whether the person transmitting the disease has symptoms or not. There have been just over 1,600 cases of coronavirus nationwide, which have resulted in 41 deaths. The virus saw its first outbreak in Wuhan, China and has been spreading worldwide at an alarming pace. Italy, Spain and other countries are going into complete lockdowns to try to curb the spread of coronavirus. The state of Michigan has seen less than 50 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far, but this number is expected to increase. People with confirmed cases have been asked to self-quarantine (isolate) themselves from other people for at least 14 days to avoid transmitting the disease to other people.

What Happens If You Are Ordered To Quarantine?

If you test positive for corona virus COVID-19, the only sure-fire way to not spread the disease is to isolate yourself from others while dealing with the sickness. It is recommended that people quarantine for at least 14 days if they test positive for the virus or feel symptoms related to the virus. Common symptoms include a high fever, a dry cough, and a respiratory infection that have proven to be fatal to some people. Countries in Europe like Italy and Spain have forced quarantine on basically everyone in the country except for trips to the grocery store and pharmacy. Most shops, restaurants, bars etc. have been shuttered during this pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak has caused mass hysteria and panic worldwide. The hardest hit areas as of this writing have been in Europe and China. The effects of the virus have now hit the United States in the forms of travel bans, event size restrictions, and general disruption of every day American life as we know it. Schools have been cancelled, sports leagues have suspended play, and an increasing number of people have caught the coronavirus in the United States. As of now there have been just over 1,600 cases of coronavirus nationwide, which have resulted in 41 deaths. The virus saw its first outbreak in Wuhan, China and has been spreading worldwide at an alarming pace. Italy, Spain and other countries are going into complete lockdowns to try to curb the spread of coronavirus. The state of Michigan has seen less than 50 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far, but this number is expected to increase. While many people have been sent home to work remotely, others face the possibility of losing their jobs due to the coronavirus. Courtroom matters are typically handled in person, so the effects of the coronavirus can be significant for Michigan courts.

Coronavirus Affecting Michigan Courts

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bridget Mary McCormack issued a memo on March 11, 2020 to all state trial courts recommending adjournments. The aim of this memo is to adjourn all jury trials, whether they were civil or criminal unless there was some special reason in a specific case such as a defendant being held in custody for an extended amount of time awaiting trial. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently declared a State of Emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak. This recommendation to adjourn all trial is meant to apply for the duration of the State of Emergency until the situation gets under better control.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has compromised the lifestyles of all walks of life. One such population that is overlooked during these trying times are the incarcerated. A recent op-ed from Dr. Amanda Klonsky in the New York Times has brought national attention to this issue. To gain insight into how the incarcerated are dealing with the effects in the state of Michigan and for potential solutions, we spoke to three of the top criminal defense lawyers in our state.

Scott Grabel is the founder of Grabel and Associates. Grabel’s firm is known as the top criminal defense team in the state of Michigan. When asked about how COVID-19 is affecting the incarcerated, Grabel said, “A lot of our practice is based on appeals. Our appellate team has a new option to advocate for those that are incarcerated. The health of those housed at the Michigan Department of Corrections comes at the center of concern right now. As criminal lawyers, this has become a time when criminal evaluations and criminal appeals will reach historic highs.”

William Amadeo is a partner at McManus and Amadeo in Ann Arbor, Michigan and a Senior Associate at Grabel and Associates. Amadeo is known as the top criminal defense attorney in Washtenaw County, Michigan and gave his thoughts on the issue when he said, “The time to work as a team is before us. The elderly and the young at the Michigan Department of Corrections have very different needs and it is easy for those housed in our jails and prisons to be overlooked. Dr. Amanda Klonsky leads a prison education organization and her analysis should carry a lot of weight. Arianne Slay is a candidate for Washtenaw County Prosecutor and she has a platform that speaks of “Restorative Justice” which is central our state’s future and this issue. The words of Prosecutor Slay and Dr. Amanda Klonsky ring very true during these trying times.”

The fear of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a dramatic effect on our legal system. Many counties in Michigan are adjourning jury trials until further notice. The criminal defendant who is fighting for their freedom is now faced with a challenging proposition: Will their freedom be compromised for the health and safety of society. To discuss the impact of this issue in the state of Michigan, we spoke to three of the top criminal defense attorneys in our state.

Scott Grabel is the founder of Grabel and Associates. Grabel’s law firm is known as the top criminal defense team across the state of Michigan and generally runs over 40 jury trials per year. When asked about the impact of COVID-19 on jury trials, Grabel stated, “This has become a wait and see proposition. While I’m sure that trial dockets will stabilize at some point, we don’t know how long this process will take. This will allow us to prepare even more so for our clients but also creates a lot of uncertainty to the criminal justice system.”

William Amadeo is a partner at McManus and Amadeo in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a Senior Associate for Grabel and Associates. Amadeo is known as one of the top trial lawyers across the state of Michigan and has had his docket compromised. Amadeo provided commentary when he said, “From March 31 to June 25, I had five jury trials across the state. My Lenawee County trial on March 31 has been adjourned for an indefinite period. The other cases are in limbo. There is a chance that resolutions could be reached during these trying times, but I have been in a cold war of sorts on these cases. There is a chance that COVID-19 will allow cooler heads to prevail, but the unknown is frustrating for people faced with the loss of their freedom. As a criminal defense lawyer, it is time for all of us to step our game up with communicating with our clients.”

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a dramatic effect on the Michigan criminal justice system. Governor Whitmer has declared a state of emergency, and trial courts have implemented emergency measures. One such action the Michigan Supreme Court is Administrative Order No 2020-1 to advise trial lawyers and court participants to use caution. While these measures are in place to protect society, another aspect of COVID-19 is what role it will play in the 2020 Michigan Judicial Elections. To gather insight on this issue, we had the chance to speak to three of the top lawyers in the state of Michigan.

Scott Grabel is the founder of Grabel and Associates, which has offices in Lansing, Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Grabel’s law firm is known as the top criminal defense team across the state of Michigan. When asked how COVI-19 will affect the judicial elections, Grabel stated, “2020 is going to be an essential election in our trial courts. With the fear of this horrible disease and with the crime rate in Michigan being at historical highs, we will need reasonable minds on our bench. These factors may also lead to a minimal voter turnout, which is concerning for our justice system.”

William Amadeo is a partner at McManus and Amadeo in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a Senior Associate for Grabel and Associates. Amadeo is known as one of the top criminal defense lawyers in Washtenaw, Wayne, and Shiawassee Counties and regularly works before those courts. About judicial elections and the COVID-19 panic, Amadeo said, “These are scary times, and no matter the status of our state and country, these elections are going to occur, and absentee ballots will be pivotal. In Wayne County, it is going to be essential that Referee Nicholas Hathaway gets on the bench at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice. With the volume in Detroit, a forward-thinking justice like Referee Hathaway brings a wealth of understanding from his career as a prosecutor and a Referee. As for Shiawassee County, Judge Matthew Stewart has been a mentor of mine, and I can’t imagine why anybody would consider running against him. If there is an election in Corunna, I’ll encourage people to back Judge Stewart.”

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has struck fear across the United States. Despite limited reported cases, the concern has grown drastically due to social media and television outlets. The inconsistency of reports on COVID-19 had led to mass confusion in society and our criminal justice system. To gain insight into how the disease is affecting our state’s criminal justice system, we spoke to top criminal defense attorneys that practice in multiple counties.

Scott Grabel is the founder of Grabel and Associates and has built a firm that is known as the top criminal defense team across the state of Michigan. When asked the impact of COVID-19, Grabel stated, “Our firm does a lot of appellate work. The key to success in appellate work can visit an incarcerated client and review transcripts. Prisons have been locked down due to COVID-19. We all need to error on the side of safety, but for those incarcerated, there is another hurdle to their freedom regained.”

William Amadeo is a partner at McManus, and Amadeo is Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a Senior Associate for Grabel and Associates in Lansing, Michigan. Amadeo has a docket that covers over ten counties and provided commentary on the obstacles created by the virus. Amadeo said, “The reality is we don’t know where we stand right now as a society. I had a trial in Lenawee, County, that was scheduled for March 31 that had been adjourned indefinitely. I had five trials set across the state from March 31 until June 25, and they are all in limbo. With the fear of bringing jurors in, this may be a time where prosecutors, probation officers, and defense counsels can work as a team towards resolutions but that will call for a lot of giving and take from all officers of the court.”

Original Case Details

Back in November of 2015, a former pastor named Keith Wood was charged with jury tampering for handing out pamphlets that encourage jury nullification and deciding cases on feeling rather than law. Jury nullification occurs when a jury finds a defendant not guilty despite believing that the defendant is in fact guilty of the charge. This happens when a jury concludes that the charges are immoral or unjust and applying the charges to the defendant are unfair. Wood handed out his pamphlets outside a Mecosta County Courthouse on the day a jury was to be selected in a land-use case dealing with an Amish man versus the state government. The Amish man was from Stanwood and was facing charges for illegally draining a wetland. The case actually settled and never went to trial, but Wood was still convicted of attempting to influence jurors. Wood was convicted by a jury in June of 2017 and has been exhausting his every avenue of appeal since. Wood’s conviction is a misdemeanor charge that has a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Where Are We Now?