Marcel Sergio Benavides

When I was facing an OWI 3rd offense felony in Oakland County Circuit Court, I was terrified about what my future might look like, and knew how important it would be to find an excellent attorney. A coworker referred me to Marcel Benavides and I’m so incredibly grateful that she did! From the very... first meeting, Marcel made a strong impression on me. He was easy to talk to, confident, and very straightforward. What I appreciated most was that he didn’t oversell himself. He was honest about what he could and could not guarantee, and he made it clear that the outcome would depend heavily on the work I was willing to put in. What he did promise was that he would do everything in his power to pursue the best possible result for me. Over the next seven months, Marcel guided me through everything I needed to do to put myself in the best position with the court. Because he previously worked as a prosecutor and has extensive experience in the criminal justice system, his advice felt very thoughtful and strategic. He recommended that I attend 90 AA meetings in 90 days, referred me to a substance abuse counselor who documented my attendance and progress, and helped me stay focused on consistently producing clean tests. He also successfully requested that the court allow me to use a portable breathalyzer instead of having to drive to a facility for ETG testing, which made complying with my bond conditions much more manageable. Marcel also helped me prepare for court in ways I never would have known to do on my own. He encouraged me to gather letters of support about my character, helped me prepare personal statements and complete the required assessments, and ultimately wrote a beautifully crafted deviation letter and sentencing memorandum that highlighted the things I’ve accomplished in my life. One of the things that stood out most to me was the way Marcel handled the professional side of the case. He built a strong rapport with the prosecutor and was ultimately able to convince her to reduce my charge from an OWI 3rd offense felony to an OWI 2nd misdemeanor, which I understand is extremely rare in Oakland County. In the end, I received no jail time and was sentenced to 14 months of probation, with the possibility of completing it after 7 months if I continue meeting the court’s conditions. This outcome was far better than I thought was possible when this process started. It came from Marcel’s experience and guidance combined with my commitment to follow through on everything he asked of me. Throughout the entire process, Marcel was also very responsive whenever I had questions or needed clarification, which helped ease a lot of the anxiety that comes with going through something like this. I’m incredibly grateful for the way Marcel handled my case. If you find yourself in a difficult situation and need a criminal defense attorney, I would wholeheartedly recommend Marcel Benavides! He is knowledgeable, thoughtful, and genuinely committed to helping his clients navigate a very challenging process. Thank you, Marcel!!!

Marcel was able to resolve a 10 year old warrant for me on extremely short notice with no jail time, no added probation, and a minimal fine while retaining my HYTA status. He did so with professionalism and empathy, and made everything very simple for me. I would recommend him to anyone in need of so...meone who's going to get results and to get fair treatment from the court.

Our daughter was in trouble because she was duped by her then boyfriend into pawning items that he had stolen. When Mr. Benavides took the case, he thoroughly questioned me and my daughter and then mounted a rigorous defense based on the facts. He explained things to us along the way, reassured us ab...out the case's progress, worked with the prosecutor to secure a fair resolution, and provided us with a satisfactory outcome that let our daughter avoid jail time for her boyfriend's crimes. We would not hesitate to hire him again or to recommend him to anyone in need of a strong defense.

I can not empathize enough how much Marcel helped us out of a seemingly hopeless situation. A simple call for help that turned into 3 felony charges for someone who had no criminal record and was facing several years in prison. We were up against 2 prosecutors that completely ignored us and refused ...to work with us on the charges in any way. Marcel did not let that get in his way and did not give up. Marcel knows the courts, he knows the judges and he knows the prosecutors. He got to the right people to got the charges reduced to misdemeanors and actually got them reprimanded for treating us the way they did and not working with us. His work behind the scenes was exemplary and he took a huge burden off our shoulders. He's passionate about his cases and and his clients and made us feel like we were the only ones. I highly recommend Marcel and the least you should do is give him a call and hear what he has to say about your situation.

I was arrested for an OWI in Bloomfield Hills. That Court is notorious for imposing long sentences for OWI offenses. Additionally, I had a prior, and there were other factors making my case a difficult one to defend. From my first meeting with Marcel I was very impressed with his knowledge/confidence... about the subject matter, and his commitment to telling me that he could not guarantee any specific outcomes regarding sentencing. In other words, he wasn't just telling me what I wanted to hear so that I would hire him. Throughout the process he was an excellent communicator, and I always felt comfortable that my case was in the best possible hands. Marcel was able to work with the prosecutors to get my charge lowered, and the sentence I received was light by the court's standards. I would recommend Marcel to anyone in need of criminal defense, especially if you value honesty, hard work, terrific communication, and getting the best possible result.