Flint Attorney – Serving Genesee County

When a criminal charge, a personal injury claim, or an estate planning need puts your future at stake, the attorney you choose matters more than most people realize. Clint W. Perryman PC is a Flint law office located at 601 S Saginaw St, Suite 300, serving clients throughout Genesee County and, where appropriate, elsewhere in Michigan. Call 810-498-2370 to schedule a consultation and get direct, honest answers about your situation.

Our law firm handles criminal defense as its primary focus, with additional practice in personal injury and estate planning. The clients we serve tend to have a lot on the line: a professional reputation, a business, a family, and they need a criminal defense attorney who will be straight with them about where they stand and what it takes to protect it.

What Clint W. Perryman PC Handles in Flint and Genesee County

Clint W. Perryman PC focuses primarily on criminal defense for clients in Flint, MI, and Genesee County, with additional practice in personal injury litigation and estate planning.

Michigan criminal law is detailed and fast-moving. A charge in Genesee County’s 7th Circuit Court or one of the district courts serving Flint can carry consequences that follow you for years, affecting employment, professional licensing, firearm rights, and your record. Understanding what you’re actually facing is the first step.

The areas of law our practice handles for Flint area clients include:

• Criminal Defense: From misdemeanor charges in district court to felonies in circuit court, Michigan’s criminal statutes impose penalties that range from fines and probation to years in state prison. Representation from the arraignment stage through trial or plea can shape every outcome. We handle misdemeanor defense, felonies, drunk driving, drug crimes, domestic abuse, weapons charges, sex crimes, theft offenses, violent crimes, and federal charges.
• Personal Injury: Michigan’s no-fault insurance system is among the most complex in the country. When a car accident, wrongful death, or serious injury involves a third party whose negligence caused real harm, a civil claim may be the appropriate path. Personal injury litigation in Michigan requires understanding both the no-fault framework and the tort threshold rules.
• Estate Planning: A will or trust is not just a document; it is a set of legal instructions that determines what happens to everything you’ve built. Michigan law governs how those documents are drafted and enforced, and a deficient plan can create costly probate proceedings or disputes among family members.

Criminal Defense in Michigan: What the Stakes Actually Look Like

In Michigan, criminal offenses generally are classified as misdemeanors or felonies, while civil infractions are handled separately. Each classification carries different penalties, court procedures, and potential long-term consequences beyond the sentence itself.

Michigan organizes criminal offenses into a tiered structure. District courts generally handle misdemeanors punishable by no more than one year of imprisonment, while certain misdemeanors punishable by more than one year and felony cases proceed in circuit court after the required preliminary proceedings. Felony penalties vary by offense and can include imprisonment for more than one year, including life imprisonment for certain offenses.

Beyond the sentence, a Michigan conviction can:

• Trigger mandatory license sanctions: An OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) conviction under MCL 257.625 can result in mandatory driver’s license sanctions. Repeat OWI offenses can result in license revocation and may require an administrative hearing before driving privileges can be restored.
• Affect federal firearms rights: A felony conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) prohibits a person from possessing firearms, and certain Michigan misdemeanor domestic violence convictions carry the same federal consequence under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9).
• Affect background checks: A Michigan conviction may remain publicly accessible unless it is set aside under Michigan law. Michigan’s Clean Slate laws provide for automatic set-asides of certain eligible convictions, while other convictions may be eligible for set-aside through an application and court process. Eligibility and waiting periods vary by offense.
• Affect professional licenses and careers: Depending on the profession, the offense, and the circumstances, a criminal charge or conviction may have licensing or disciplinary consequences for attorneys, health care professionals, contractors, real estate professionals, and others.

The criminal court process in Michigan may involve arraignment, a probable cause conference, a preliminary examination in felony cases that proceed that far, pretrial motions, and then a plea resolution or trial. Each stage is an opportunity to challenge the state’s case through suppression of illegally obtained evidence, challenges to witness credibility, or factual defenses. Missing those windows because you’re representing yourself or working with underprepared counsel is a costly mistake.

Personal Injury Claims and Michigan’s No-Fault Framework

Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system limits who can sue for damages after a car accident, but serious injury victims who meet the tort threshold may pursue compensation from an at-fault driver for pain and suffering, excess economic loss, and wrongful death.

Michigan’s No-Fault Act, codified at MCL 500.3101 et seq., generally requires motorists to maintain no-fault insurance, with PIP coverage options established by Michigan law. PIP benefits can cover allowable medical expenses and certain work-loss and replacement-service benefits regardless of who caused the accident. However, PIP benefits do not compensate for pain and suffering or full wage loss beyond the statutory cap. To sue the at-fault driver directly, the injured person must have suffered a “serious impairment of body function” or permanent serious disfigurement.
When those thresholds are met, the civil litigation process involves investigating the facts, identifying all applicable insurance coverages, making settlement demands, and, where a fair settlement isn’t reached, taking the case to court.

Wrongful death claims in Michigan must be brought by the personal representative of the estate under MCL 600.2922 and are subject to a three-year statute of limitations.

Estate Planning: Wills, Trusts, and What Michigan Law Requires

A Michigan will generally must be in writing, signed by the testator, and witnessed by at least two individuals who witness the signing or the testator’s acknowledgment of the will or signature. Michigan law also recognizes holographic wills that meet specific statutory requirements.

Michigan’s Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC), MCL 700.1101 et seq., governs how wills and trusts are drafted, executed, and administered. A will that does not meet the statutory execution requirements may be invalid, leaving the estate to pass under Michigan’s intestacy statutes instead, which distribute assets according to a fixed formula that may not match what the person actually wanted.

Trusts offer a way to transfer assets outside of probate, which in Michigan is handled through the probate court of the county where the decedent was domiciled; for Flint residents, that is the Genesee County Probate Court. A properly funded revocable living trust can allow assets held by the trust to pass outside the probate process, helping keep those transfers more private and potentially reducing the time and expense associated with probate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Clint W. Perryman PC offer free consultations?

No. Our law firm does not offer free consultations. We offer paid consultations where clients receive focused, substantive attention to their situation from the first meeting, not a sales pitch.

What courts does the firm handle cases in?

We appear in Genesee County’s district and circuit courts regularly, including the 7th Circuit Court and the district courts serving Flint, MI. We also handle cases in federal court and in courts throughout Michigan, including in the Lansing area.

How does Michigan law handle first-time criminal charges?

Michigan law provides several diversionary and deferral options in certain cases, including Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA) status for qualifying young defendants and deferral under MCL 333.7411 for certain controlled-substance offenses. When available and completed, these programs can result in dismissal or discharge without a traditional criminal conviction. Eligibility depends on the specific charge, the applicable statute, the court, and the person’s criminal history.

What is the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in Michigan?

Many personal injury claims in Michigan are subject to a three-year statute of limitations under MCL 600.5805, although different deadlines can apply depending on the type of claim and the circumstances. Wrongful death actions generally are subject to a three-year limitation period measured from the date of death under MCL 600.2922. Missing an applicable filing deadline can bar a claim regardless of its merits.

Schedule Your Consultation with Clint W. Perryman PC

Whether you’re facing a criminal charge in Genesee County or need to get your estate plan in order, direct legal counsel makes a real difference in how things turn out. Clint W. Perryman PC is located in Flint, MI, and serves clients throughout the region who need focused, honest representation, not reassurances. Call 810-498-2370 or reach out through our website to schedule your consultation. You can’t afford not to.