Marcel Sergio Benavides

I was charged with OWI and an implied consent refusal license charge. I hired Marcel to handle these very serious matters. He took my case and I trusted his word when he said he would do his absolute best to get me the best outcome. I BEAT the implied consent refusal charge and got to keep ...my drivers license. We BEAT the OWI case too—No probation, no jail, case dismissed. I trusted him and we didn’t rush into a plea and he took his time with evidentiary issues. He submitted a well crafted legal memorandum and the entire case was dismissed. Complete success in both of my cases. I couldn’t be happier and he is the best. After seeing the outcomes in many other similar cases… definitely hire Marcel and he will take good care of you and your case. He always communicated with me and informed me of all of the details of my case and defense. Trust him because he knows what he’s doing and he does not back down!

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!!!

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.

We hired Marcel to assist with a drunk driving charge. Marcel worked hard to get a fair deal from the prosecutor, even though it took more time and meant Marcel had to prolong his representation on the case. He was kind and caring throughout and always very honest about what to expect at every turn. ...Thank you, Marcel!!

I have unfortunately taken a case all the way to the Michigan Appellate court, and won. I had a much smaller issue with an OWVI case recently. Marcel treated me like I was the most important case on his plate. He worked some kind of magic to get the charge reduced and my license back. I would hire hi...m again. I just hope I never do.