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Serious Misdemeanor Definition

“Serious misdemeanor,” is a term defined by the William Van Regenmorter Crime Victim’s Rights Act. The Act includes a wide range of misdemeanor offenses, such as domestic violence and assault, breaking and entering, child abuse in the fourth degree, certain firearm violations, injuring a worker in a work zone, and specific drunk and drugged driving offenses, among other crimes.

Click the link below for a list of all serious misdemeanors in Michigan.

Common Questions

Do serious misdemeanors go away?

Serious misdemeanors are not subject to automatic expungement in Michigan. A defendant seeking the expungement of a serious misdemeanor must file a Motion to Set Aside Conviction.

What’s the difference between a misdemeanor and a serious misdemeanor?

Serious misdemeanors are those listed in Michigan’s Crime Victim Rights Act.

What are the 3 types of misdemeanors?

Technically, there are not three types of misdemeanors in Michigan; however, lawyers generally classify Michigan misdemeanors into (1) ones punishable by less than a year, (2) punishable by one year, and (3) high-court misdemeanors (punishable by two (2) years or less.

Can a misdemeanor ever be more serious?

Some misdemeanors, such as drug possession, domestic violence, and retail fraud (shoplifting) can be increased to a felony depending on a defendant’s prior criminal history.

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