There are a number of types of felony charges in Michigan. Those who wind up facing any of these charges need to ensure that they adequately defend themselves, lest they be convicted and thereby forced to submit to strict penalties. In order to avoid what could be a long prison sentence, financially devastating fines and irreparable damage to one’s reputation, accused individuals need to inform themselves of the law and how best to use it to their advantage.
One felony Michiganders may have heard of is embezzlement. Broadly speaking, under Michigan law, embezzlement occurs when an employee fraudulently takes any money or property from an employer while that money or property was in the employee’s care. Depending on the value of the money or property taken, penalties can be as strict as 20 years in prison and tens of thousands of dollars in fines.
So how would one go about defending him or herself against an embezzlement charge? First, he or she could fight back against the assumption that he or she actually took the money or property in question. Second, and perhaps related, an accused individual can challenge whether he or she had control over the property at the time it went missing. Third, and not necessarily separate, a defendant can draw into question the value of the property that was taken.
There are many moving pieces to a competent criminal defense strategy. Those who are facing criminal allegations need to make sure that all of their bases are covered, and that they are using the law to their advantage. Those who want assistance with their legal battle may want to consider seeking legal counsel, as this post is for informational purposes only and cannot serve as the basis for any legal action.
Source: Michigan Legislature, “Section 750.174,” accessed on Sep. 2, 2016
