Criminal Defense
We understand that a criminal charge not only upsets your entire life, but can also have a lasting, negative impact on your health, emotional and mental well-being, and your sense of security.
A criminal conviction – coupled with these life-altering physical, mental, and emotional effects – can often ruin a life through loss of job, divorce or estrangement, lasting damage to your reputation, restrictions on your rights, and perhaps worst of all, incarceration. Even something seemingly minor like a traffic violation can disrupt your life in unexpected ways.
Having experienced representation when charged with any crime requires an attorney who knows the law, understands your possible consequences, and will stand up for you and your rights throughout the entire legal process.
At the Peter J. Johnson Law Office, we handle a wide variety of criminal cases, including:
Sexual assault and other sex-based crimes often have lifelong consequences under the Michigan Sex Offender Registry Act – convictions which can mark you for life as “high-risk to reoffend.” With your long-term reputation and quality of life at stake, our team will help you understand the consequences of any sex crime as we fight the battle by your side, both inside and outside of the courtroom.
Drug charges – like marijuana possession or the delivery of narcotics – carry heavy penalties and severe restrictions. We will explore all legal defenses available under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, to shield you from the consequences of a criminal offense, and even take advantage of alternative courts when necessary to ensure your successful recovery from addiction or mental health issues.
Michigan drivers, out-of-state residents, and commercial truck drivers need local, experienced help defending their driving privileges from traffic violations and points on their record. Our process – including appearing in court on your behalf – helps minimize the impact on your work and personal life while we protect your driver’s license from unnecessary infractions and penalties.
Problems in your family and household can sometimes quickly and unexpectedly escalate into domestic violence charges. Our team will help you explore your options to defend against “he said, she said” allegations and avoid unnecessary misdemeanor convictions on your permanent record. In cases where extended family is involved, we will also work toward resolving related issues that could lead to consequences in family and/or juvenile court.
Aggressive drunk driving enforcement puts your license and freedom at risk. Additionally, ever-evolving roadside sobriety test standards now include even more focus on “drugged driving” which has opened the door for more arrests and life-changing consequences. We will help defend against OWI (or DUI) convictions and keep you – or get you – back on the road.
Theft and fraud have many different names under Michigan law. From simple shoplifting charges to complex embezzlement schemes, we will explore the unique facts of your case, defend you and your reputation at trial against theft and fraud charges, and negotiate for a fair plea to lesser offenses when necessary.
Violent crimes, like assault, often involve sympathetic victims along with unique legal challenges not found in other categories of criminal defense. Working closely with you, we will develop your case and explore options including self-defense and other legal arguments to protect your rights during the plea negotiations or at trial.
Felony firearm offenses can threaten your Concealed Pistol License (CPL) and even your Second Amendment rights. At the center of our defense approach is a focus on protecting these rights when the possession or use of weapons bring criminal charges, which can sometimes lead to sentence enhancements.
Filing for and/or defending a personal protection order – or defending against a PPO – requires attention to evidence and detail and a well-crafted narrative of what actually happened at hearing. We will help you build a successful case around your fear of danger and/or harm to reinstate your sense of security. We will also fight to restore your freedoms and rights when a PPO has been entered against you.
Contact An Experienced Criminal Defense Law Attorney
Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney who will help evaluate the pros and cons of your case, the viability of proceeding to trial, and will be your strongest advocate before Southwest Michigan’s prosecutors, judges, and juries.





























