Waterford, MI asked in Criminal Law for Michigan

Q: Over a year ago. This woman basically crazy out tried to attack and break into a couples home. All on video.

Over a year ago. Almost 13 Months now.

She was charged with 4 felony's ! Destruction of Property (2 counts over a 1000 each), Domestic Violence & Home Invasion. She was arrested in Jail for 4-5 days and Bonded out for 7grand and was forced to wear a GPS Tether. At the Dist Court has held like 12 probable cause conference over and over. Finally after 9 months she was bound over to circuit court and charged @ the county.

After she was bound over to circuit court. They've had 9 pre-trial conferences since April. Over and over again, no progression. The prosecutor even asked for an enhanced sentence for being a repeat offender. Now she just had ANOTHER probable cause conference HELD & ANOTHER ONE SET FOR MID-SEPTEMBER. And she got her GPS Tether off? I've never seen this before. Either the girl has the best legal counsel in the world? Or she's related to someone at the prosecutor's office. I've never seen a case like this ever. What is going on?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Brent T. Geers
Brent T. Geers
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Grand Rapids, MI
  • Licensed in Michigan

A: Impossible to say without review of the record. Outside looking in, a lot of people make the mistake of comparing case-by-case. Every case is different, even between same charges and similar facts.

It's not at all unusual that if she's bonded out and has to this point complied with bond conditions with no tether violations, that the court may release her from that tether condition. It's also not unusual at all, particularly in light of COVID, for a case to be pending 13 months. And having 4 felonies at a time is very common.

I would presume by the number of probable cause conferences held that perhaps there is a competency issue involved; that can greatly change the case trajectory. And it's possible that whatever source you are looking at to verify all this information generically labels every hearing a certain way, when it's possible some of those hearings concern particular motions.

If you are a victim in these cases, the prosecutor should be communicating with you and be able to answer your questions or concerns about the case progress.

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