At the Law Office of Nicholas Leydorf in Lansing, Michigan, all clients can expect quality service and innovative strategies. From the MSU student charged with minor in possession (MIP), to a criminal defendant charged with murder, I treat each client equally and give each client’s case the attention that it deserves.

Specific practice areas include:

You need the expertise of an aggressive and dedicated drunk driving / OWI lawyer to handle issues related to driver's license revocation and suspension, as well as fines and possible jail time. At the Leydorf Law Firm in Lansing, Michigan, I use my knowledge and resources to seek the best possible outcome in a situation that could affect the rest of your life.

Challenging the Evidence
Contrary to popular belief, a charge of drunk driving does not always lead to a conviction. Field sobriety and roadside chemical and preliminary breath tests are often not accurate, and a knowledgeable OWI / drunk driving lawyer can help you get charges reduced or dismissed if the evidence against you is questionable.

You have options and need an experienced OWI / drunk driving attorney.

Serious Consequences
As an OWI / drunk driving lawyer at the Leydorf Law Firm, I pride myself on my open communication and candor with my clients. While I will do everything I can to get your OWI / drunk driving charge reduced or dismissed, I will also make you aware of the consequences of a conviction. Personal and professional lives are affected by a drunk driving charge. Your driver's license could be suspended or revoked, and that could cost you your job. A prison sentence could end your employment and have serious consequences for you and your family.
For a college student, a criminal record could end your career before it even starts. It can even affect your ability to receive your degree and possibly pursue graduate school. An OWI / drunk driving conviction will follow you in all aspects of life.

At the Leydorf Law Firm in Lansing, Michigan, I have handled cases for those accused of minor and serious drug crimes. My goal is to ensure that all matters in your charge are handled properly and that your constitutional rights are not violated.

Illegal Substance Offenses
I have defended all types of drug crimes at the Leydorf Law Firm. Charges against my clients have included drug possession, possession with intent to deliver, distribution, manufacturing, trafficking, and importation of illegal substances, including:

• Marijuana
• Mushrooms
• LSD
• Heroin
• Cocaine
• Crack
• Methamphetamines/meth labs

As your criminal defense lawyer, my job is to thoroughly review the case against you, including any collateral issues, such as the possible use of weapons related to crime, and plan a strong defense. I will insist on chemical testing of substances and the procedures involved in the arrest. If you were arrested for drug possession, you may have been illegally searched.  It is important to look at every possibility in defending against serious drug charges.

Prescription Drug Offenses
Obtaining legally prescribed medication illegally is a serious drug charge that many of my clients have faced. Those drugs have included:

• Vicodin
• Oxycontin
• Nitrous
• Adderol
• Ritalin

If you are charged with abusing or forging a prescription, I will investigate the charges and any outside issues that can impact your case.

Your Future if Convicted
Trying to resolve your case without the benefit of counsel is a risky proposition. As a criminal defense attorney, I have kept many of my clients out of jail by having charges dismissed or reduced. You need knowledgeable and aggressive representation. Similar to a OWI / drunk driving, a drug conviction will seriously and gravely affect your future. Pursuing a career is a challenge. Applying for graduate school or even trying to complete your Bachelors Degree becomes an uphill battle with a conviction for drug possession, or other drug crime on your record. Jail time and the stigma attached to it can cause you problems for the rest of your life.

Being arrested or charged with a sex offense, such as criminal sexual conduct (CSC) or rape, immediately changes your life and affects your future. At the Leydorf Law Firm in Lansing, Michigan, I will discreetly assist you in fighting those charges or negotiating a plea. Everyone has the right to effective and aggressive representation. My firm specializes in matters that include:

• Aggravated sexual assault
• Rape
• Date rape
• Statutory rape
• Child pornography
• Child molestation
• Sexual contact with minors
• Indecent exposure
• Lewd/lascivious conduct
• Prostitution

Accusations and Charges
The stigma of a sex offense accusation causes many people to plead guilty quickly in the hopes of making the situation go away faster. Even if a crime has been committed and you wish to accept responsibility for your actions, you will need someone to negotiate on your behalf. Whether guilty or innocent of a sex offense, this type of crime is the toughest situation my clients face. I am there to help them get through it. My goal as your criminal defense lawyer at the Leydorf Law Firm is to maintain open lines of communication and earn your trust. From there, I will be your advocate in developing innovative and dynamic strategies to get your charges reduced or dismissed.

Even if you have been convicted of a criminal offense, it does not mean that your life is over.  In certain circumstances, a criminal conviction can be removed, or “expunged” from your criminal record.

While you can attempt to expunge your criminal conviction on your own, this is often risky.  Generally, an applicant receives one chance to petition the Court for expungement.  Therefore, you should consult with an attorney to see whether you meet the requirements of the expungement statute. 

Sec. 1. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a person who is convicted of not more than 1 offense may file an application with the convicting court for the entry of an order setting aside the conviction.

(2) A person shall not apply to have set aside, and a judge shall not set aside, a conviction for a felony for which the maximum punishment is life imprisonment or an attempt to commit a felony for which the maximum punishment is life imprisonment, a conviction for a violation or attempted violation of section 520c, 520d, or 520g of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.520c, 750.520d, and 750.520g, or a conviction for a traffic offense.

(3) An application shall not be filed until at least 5 years following imposition of the sentence for the conviction that the applicant seeks to set aside or 5 years following completion of any term of imprisonment for that conviction, whichever occurs later.

(4) The application is invalid unless it contains the following information and is signed under oath by the person whose conviction is to be set aside:

• The full name and current address of the applicant.
• A certified record of the conviction that is to be set aside.
• A statement that the applicant has not been convicted of an offense other than the one sought to be set aside as a result of this application.
• A statement as to whether the applicant has previously filed an application to set aside this or any other conviction and, if so, the disposition of the application.
• A statement as to whether the applicant has any other criminal charge pending against him or her in any court in the United States or in any other country.
• A consent to the use of the nonpublic record created under section 3 to the extent authorized by section 3. [FN1]
• The applicant shall submit a copy of the application and 2 complete sets of fingerprints to the department of state police. The department of state police shall compare those fingerprints with the records of the department, including the nonpublic record created under section 3, and shall forward a complete set of fingerprints to the federal bureau of investigation for a comparison with the records available to that agency. The department of state police shall report to the court in which the application is filed the information contained in the department's records with respect to any pending charges against the applicant, any record of conviction of the applicant, and the setting aside of any conviction of the applicant and shall report to the court any similar information obtained from the federal bureau of investigation. The court shall not act upon the application until the department of state police reports the information required by this subsection to the court.
• The copy of the application submitted to the department of state police under subsection (5) shall be accompanied by a fee of $50.00 payable to the state of Michigan which shall be used by the department of state police to defray the expenses incurred in processing the application.
• A copy of the application shall be served upon the attorney general and upon the office of the prosecuting attorney who prosecuted the crime, and an opportunity shall be given to the attorney general and to the prosecuting attorney to contest the application. If the conviction was for an assaultive crime or a serious misdemeanor, the prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim of the assaultive crime or serious misdemeanor of the application pursuant to section 22a or 77a of the crime victim's rights act, 1985 PA 87, MCL 780.772a and 780.827a. The notice shall be by first-class mail to the victim's last known address. The victim has the right to appear at any proceeding under this act concerning that conviction and to make a written or oral statement.
• Upon the hearing of the application the court may require the filing of affidavits and the taking of proofs as it considers proper.
• If the court determines that the circumstances and behavior of the applicant from the date of the applicant's conviction to the filing of the application warrant setting aside the conviction and that setting aside the conviction is consistent with the public welfare, the court may enter an order setting aside the conviction. The setting aside of a conviction under this act is a privilege and conditional and is not a right.
• As used in this section:
  • "Assaultive crime" means that term as defined in section 9a of chapter X of the code of criminal procedure, 1927 PA 175, MCL 770.9a.
  • "Serious misdemeanor" means that term as defined in section 61 of the crime victim's rights act, 1985 PA 87, MCL 780.811.
  • "Victim" means that term as defined in section 2 of the crime victim's rights act, 1985 PA 87, MCL 780.752