Ask a Question

Get free answers to your legal questions from lawyers in your area.

Lawyers, increase your visibility by answering questions and getting points. Answer Questions
Questions Answered by Brent T. Geers
2 Answers | Asked in Civil Rights and Constitutional Law for Michigan on
Q: Is a police officer allowed to forcefully enter threw somebodys door and arrest somebody without having a search warra

The police officer got a call that somebody was at somebodys house v who has a mistameanor bench warrant

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Jan 7, 2025

Impossible to determine without a complete review of the facts. Did someone allow the cop to enter? Where was everyone standing or sitting when the police first arrived? What was said and by whom? There are situations where this would be permissible, and other situations where it would not.... View More

View More Answers

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Michigan on
Q: Husband medically unable to work, bio mom able to get insurance can they mandatory make a step parent get insurance MI

My husband is medically unable to work and everything is documented, he always carried insurance on kids but now unable to work and court order did not state who was liable for primary etc. so kids were added to mine until we got clarification as I’m the step parent.

We went to referee... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 18, 2024

The short answer is the referee was probably right. Just because a party appeals a decision doesn't make it wrong. Let the process play out. It's hard to imagine you could be ordered to carry this insurance, particularly if you have not formally adopted these kids.

What this all...
View More

2 Answers | Asked in Child Support and Family Law for Michigan on
Q: My husband was extradited to michigan for non payment of child support.Can he be released without prison time.

My husband was never served court papers. The original child support case is closed.His son is now 20 years old. I am assuming the AG Opened a new case because the state is owed from the other parent owing for county assistance. I don't know how to prove that he was never served. According to... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 18, 2024

It's going to be hard. Not only would you (he) need to show he was never served, but also he had no reason to know he had a support obligation. By the time back support gets referred to the AG for criminal charges, there's usually quite a bit of collection activity that takes place,... View More

View More Answers

2 Answers | Asked in Divorce, Family Law, Child Custody and Domestic Violence for Michigan on
Q: My ex was arrested for Assault(x3) and domestic violence, wreckless driving. I need to keep the kids from her?

Domestic was on her new boyfriend, his ex and his parents.

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 18, 2024

Depends...were the kids present when this happened? Otherwise, she's got a criminal matter going on that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the custody and parenting time at this point. If you have concerns about her parenting ability related to these charges, you should address... View More

View More Answers

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support and Family Law for Michigan on
Q: My husband Is currently being extradited from Arizona to Michigan for non payment of child support errears.

His son is an adult now.I know that does not matter.However, he has never been served any type of court papers. He hasn't been in Michigan since 2006. Case was filed 2007. How Can he get it dismissed and return home to arizona.

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 14, 2024

He will have to deal with this once he's in a Michigan court. Generally, non-support cases are strict liability, meaning there is no sound defense to them - if the state can show you legally owe the money, it doesn't matter why you haven't paid. It IS possible though to challenge... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Products Liability and Civil Litigation for Michigan on
Q: What are the steps that can be taken if a minor is sold liquor from a store and damages a vehicle?

They asked for no id and the minor crashed their parents car n damaged it. They also refused to give the parents the owners information

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 14, 2024

I'm unsure two wrongs make a right here for you as the parents. The store is wrong for selling liquor without carding (assuming they did not in fact card the minor; how would you know that to be a fact?). The minor is also wrong for making the purchase.

More to the point, I think you...
View More

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law for Michigan on
Q: Is my friend able to get criminally in trouble for this?

So my friend was hanging out with another one of his buddies. We'll say Friend 1 and Friend 2. Friend 1 texted friend 2 and asked him to hangout, and he said yes. Friend 1 got in the car of Friend 2, and he started driving to the bank. Friend 1 asked, why are you going to the bank? Friend 2... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 9, 2024

Under the facts as you present them, probably not. The question is what did Friend 1 actually do? It doesn't sound like he would even know whether a deal went down in the time he was out of the car.

Where Friend 1 would get in trouble is when police get Friend 2 and say "we know...
View More

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law for Michigan on
Q: How to support the dismissal of (2) domestic assault charges with prejudice?

How to support the dismissal of (2) domestic assault charges with prejudice?

We have a case of 2 domestic assaults that went to trial. One of the accusers (witness) was not served a subpoena and did not show to the trial. The prosecutor discovered that the subpoena was sent to the wrong... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 6, 2024

I'm not sure you'll get a dismissal with prejudice under these facts. But I'm also not sure why the prosecutor relied on email to serve this subpoena....it seems to me the judge should be having some words with the prosecutor about going through voir dire without confirming service.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law for Michigan on
Q: I recently rented a car at enterprise . I knowingly allowed my friend to drive the car . The car was then stole from him

And I opted out to have the insurance when signing the contract . There is a criminal investigation taking place as we speak . The car was recovered as it was in a while speed chase after a supposed shooting incident . What can happen to me if I don’t tell the police who had my car ? Am I at fault ?

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 6, 2024

Here's the thing: ordinarily, intervening criminal activity (e.g., the car being stolen) would relieve you of liability for damages. However, when you rent a car, you are signing a contract making you responsible for that car. When you let someone else use the car, Enterprise will likely hold... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Criminal Law, Civil Rights and Constitutional Law for Michigan on
Q: How to find out why oneself is in Law Enforcement Information Network?

How does one find out if the information about them in Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) is accurate?

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 5, 2024

There is no way to publicly review it. LEIN gets its information from courts and other law enforcement agencies. IF there is an inaccurate entry, it must be corrected in the court reporting it.

Think of it like a credit report: Just like Equifax or whichever credit reporting agency...
View More

View More Answers

2 Answers | Asked in Small Claims for Michigan on
Q: Just a simple question: Isn't Oath Taking mandatory? Meaning, no matter what the case, what jurisdiction, etc...?

It's a simple question, if you don't read anything more into it. Aren't Plaintiff's and Defendant's always under oath before a case proceeds? Im just wondering why there wasn't any Oath Taking before I presented my Claim and Delivery case, nor was the Defendant placed... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Dec 1, 2024

"...if you don't read anything more into it". In the law, there is always more to read into it.

Taking an oath is required before offering testimony to the court. Not everything said in court is testimony. It matters very much whether we are talking a pretrial conference or...
View More

View More Answers

1 Answer | Asked in Gov & Administrative Law and Civil Rights for Michigan on
Q: In the state of Michigan, I submitted a FOIA request for a incident report that I was the Reporting party on.

I requested to remain anonymous due to the fact I would be retaliated against if the offender found out I was the reporter, I spoke to law enforcement and they reassured me MULTIPLE times I would be anonymous and my name would be withheld from the public records and upon receiving a copy of the... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Nov 25, 2024

I don't think MCL 15.243 protects you here. You're requesting a copy of a report made upon your complaint. If this relates to a criminal allegation, I don't see how you could remain anonymous, unless you reported this through Silent Observer.

Think about it from the other...
View More

1 Answer | Asked in Small Claims for Michigan on
Q: If I gave my bf my banking info and he transferred himself money can I do anything about that

When we were dating I used to have him transfer money for me all the time he did all my banking since we broke up I see money went to his account and I didn’t do it would I have a case or should I just leave it alone

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Nov 21, 2024

Whether you have a case depends on more facts than presented here. His defense would be, of course, that you gave him your banking information, and who's to say, besides you now, that he couldn't transfer money to himself?

Best practice in the future would be to only allow access...
View More

2 Answers | Asked in Tax Law for Michigan on
Q: How is the 16th Amendment constitutional? It is front end taxing, and back end taxing on a person and too broad.

Income - a gain or recurrent benefit usually measured in money that derives from capital or labor. Capital - net worth : excess of assets over liabilities. Labor - the services performed by workers for wages as distinguished from those rendered by entrepreneurs for profits. I am being taxed on the... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Nov 18, 2024

Your concerns raise more of a political question than a legal one. And I think you are misunderstanding the relationship between the 16th Amendment and Article I.

Similar arguments and concerns have been litigated since the 16th Amendment was ratified in 1913. Congress's ability to...
View More

View More Answers

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody and Domestic Violence for Michigan on
Q: I am getting ready to file a motion to change out parenting time, can I file a temp order at the same time or ask for 1?
Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Nov 17, 2024

A temporary order would likely not be appropriate in this situation. Temporary orders generally are appropriate when no order exists, and there is a need to maintain a status quo. In your situation, there sounds like there is a parenting time order - you don't like it and apparently want to... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law, Family Law, Child Custody and Domestic Violence for Michigan on
Q: How do I respond to a complaint to establish paternity while the plaintiff has also been charged with domestic violence?

Plaintiff has not requested any legal responsibility of the child despite multiple requests for dna and legal obligations in 3.5 years, plaintiff frequently used court as a form of threat to continue control. Plaintiff has been charged with domestic violence and is now suing me for establishing... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Nov 4, 2024

Paternity is separate from custody and parenting time. Until paternity is established, the plaintiff in this situation (assuming it is the father) has no legal basis to even ask for custody or parenting time. That may well be on the horizon and his intention. However, custody and parenting time are... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law and Appeals / Appellate Law for Michigan on
Q: I have a felony and I want to know how long do I have to wait to get it off my record …

I have a felony and I want to know how long do I have to wait to get it off my record … the case happened in 2018 of July I got arrested in feb 19 and was in custody for 14 months out on bond for 13 months turned myself in sep 12 /22 got out oct 4/23 completely one year of parole I had .. I got... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Nov 4, 2024

Different types of felonies have different timelines as to when they would be eligible to be expunged. To be sure, any expungment would be premised on a period of time without ANY criminal law violations. Further, the clock starts from the day you released from jail / prison / probation / parole... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law for Michigan on
Q: Can a bounty hunter looking for my son enter my home without my permission?

I have allowed (3) searches, because they were intimidating. He told me he would arrest me if I didn't let him in. And that he would put my dogs down if I couldn't control them. They also broke the door on a motorhome that that does not belong to the person they are looking for.

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Oct 22, 2024

You should report this to the police. First, bounty hunters are not police and have no authority to arrest, search, or seize you. They CAN ask, and you can consent, to search your home. Did you secure a bond through this company for your son? In some circumstances, you may have contractually agreed... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Michigan on
Q: If we add to an item on a denied appeal for the Supreme Court can we never use that item again in any further appeals

Regretfully we filed an appeal on a criminal decision ourselves without understanding the complexity of it, and very sadly our court appointed appeal lawyer wasn't helpful or even reachable. The appeal was denied for one thing and now going to Supreme Court in Michigan. Our question is can we... View More

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Oct 21, 2024

Did you also file what's called a Standard 4 brief? Listing issues your appointed appellate counsel may have decided not to raise? Generally, you can't add to the appeal, with the limited exception of an allegation of ineffective assistance of counsel.

Appeals are terribly...
View More

1 Answer | Asked in Municipal Law and Criminal Law for Michigan on
Q: Do I have a case and how would I go about it?

I got a dwls and was given a 5k cash bond with no option for surety. No factors of flight or public safety were enumerated by the magistrate at arraignment. And I have strong ties to the community and have always shown up to court in the past. The DA was perfectly fine with a PR Bond

Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
answered on Oct 13, 2024

Not sure you have a case. Why sounding a bit unreasonable, you're obviously out of custody now, presumably after paying the bond. You could have a more direct remedy had you been unable to bond out and filed a bond motion, which you could then appeal.

Unless you can show this...
View More

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.