Facing a felony in Macomb or Oakland County, or trying to help someone who is?
Southeast Michigan Felony Defense
Primary courts in Macomb and Oakland County. Regularly appearing in St. Clair, Wayne, and Lapeer County courts — and available throughout Michigan for serious felony cases. Sterling Heights office, available 24/7.
16th Circuit Court (Mt. Clemens) · 6th Circuit Court (Pontiac) · U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
A felony is the most serious charge there is. Prison. A record that never goes away. Rights you can lose for good. If you are the one charged, you are scared of what comes next. If you are calling for someone you love, you feel it too, and you may feel helpless on top of it.
Take a breath. A charge is not a conviction. There is time to fight this, and the sooner the right attorney is in it, the more there is to work with.
Whether the charge is drugs, a sex crime, assault, a weapons charge, or something federal, Scott has stood next to people facing exactly this. He will look at what actually happened, tell you honestly where things stand, and lay out the next step. To Scott, this is a person, not a file. And if someone is being held right now, that is the most important time to call.
Call Now — (586) 243-4140A live person answers 24/7. Whether it is you or someone you love, call and Scott takes it from there.
What to do right now
The hours after a felony arrest matter more than almost anything that comes later. A few simple things protect the case, and none of them are complicated.
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Stop talking, especially on the phone. If someone you love is in custody, calls from the jail are recorded. Tell them you love them. Tell them you are getting help. Then tell them to stop talking about the case to anyone, on the phone or in person, until a lawyer is there. Anything they say can be used.
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Do not answer police questions without a lawyer. Be polite. Give your name and basic identifying information, that part is fine. But you do not have to explain what you were doing or what happened, and you should not try to. Say clearly that you want a lawyer, and once you do, they have to stop questioning you. Trying to talk your way out of it does not help. It almost always hurts.
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Write down everything you remember. What happened, who was there, what was said, the order of events. Memory fades fast, and details win cases.
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Keep every piece of paper. Arrest paperwork, court dates, bond conditions, anything handed over. Have it in front of you when you call.
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Follow every court order exactly. Make every date. Follow the bond conditions to the letter. What happens between now and court is something the judge will see.
You do not have to figure out the legal part. That is Scott's job. Your job is to stay calm, keep quiet, and let Scott take it from there.
Understanding the Charge
Felony charges in Michigan cover a wide range of offenses including drug crimes, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, criminal sexual conduct (CSC 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th degree), fraud, and weapons charges. Convictions carry sentences ranging from probation to life in prison depending on the charge and your criminal history.
The felony process in Michigan includes an arraignment, probable cause conference, preliminary examination, circuit court arraignment, pretrial conferences, potentially a jury trial, and sentencing. Each stage presents opportunities for an experienced attorney to challenge the prosecution's case — in the 16th Circuit Court in Mt. Clemens, the 6th Circuit Court in Pontiac, or federal court.
Scott has defended clients against felony charges in courts across Southeast Michigan — Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County, St. Clair County, and Lapeer County. He handles drug crime cases, sex crime cases, felonious assault, and federal charges. He knows how to investigate the facts, challenge unconstitutional searches and seizures, negotiate with prosecutors, and take cases to trial when necessary.
Free initial consultation — ask questions and learn your options before you commit to anything.
Charges Scott Defends
Class M1 — Mandatory Life Without Parole
- •First degree murder
Class M2 — Up to Life with Possibility of Parole
- •Second degree murder
Class A — Up to Life
- •Second degree murder
- •Kidnapping
- •Armed robbery
- •Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to rob or steal
- •Criminal sexual conduct — 1st degree (CSC 1)
- •First degree arson
- •Torture
- •First degree child abuse
- •Carjacking
Class B — Up to 20 Years
- •Second degree arson
- •Second degree child abuse — repeat offense
- •Production of child sexually abusive material / child pornography
- •Certain serious drug trafficking offenses
Class C — Up to 15 Years
- •Manslaughter
- •Robbery
- •Criminal sexual conduct — 2nd degree (CSC 2)
- •OWI / DUI causing death
- •Human trafficking resulting in injury
- •Larceny over $20,000
- •Embezzlement over $20,000
Class D — Up to 10 Years
- •Assault with intent to do great bodily harm
- •Possession of methamphetamine
- •Breaking and entering
- •Home invasion — 2nd degree
Class E — Up to 5 Years
- •Aggravated stalking
- •Retail fraud — 1st degree (shoplifting over $1,000)
- •Embezzlement over $1,000
- •Forgery
- •Home invasion — 3rd degree
- •Third offense OWI / DUI
Class F — Up to 4 Years
- •Carrying a concealed weapon — CCW
- •Certain drug possession charges
Class G — Up to 2 Years
- •Third degree child abuse
- •Writing a bad check — over $500
- •Vulnerable adult abuse
- •Felony firearm — 2 Years Mandatory
Class H — Jail, Probation, or Alternative Sentencing
- •Credit card fraud / unauthorized use
- •Welfare fraud — over $500
- •Driving with suspended license — certain repeat offenses
Drug Charges
- •Possession of a controlled substance
- •Possession with intent to deliver
- •Delivery / distribution
- •Manufacturing
- •Conspiracy to distribute
- •Maintaining a drug house
Sex Crimes
- •CSC 1st degree — Class A
- •CSC 2nd degree — Class C
- •CSC 3rd degree — Class C/D
- •CSC 4th degree — High Court Misdemeanor
- •Production of child sexually abusive material — Class B
- •Accosting a minor for immoral purposes
- •Child pornography — possession
Weapons
- •Assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault)
- •Felony firearm — possessing a firearm during a felony
- •Carrying a concealed weapon — CCW
- •Felon in possession of a firearm
White Collar Crimes
- •Embezzlement
- •Fraud — insurance, mortgage, bank
- •Money laundering
- •Tax evasion
- •Securities fraud
Internet Crimes
- •Online solicitation of a minor
- •Identity theft schemes
- •Computer fraud and hacking
- •Internet fraud / phishing
Federal Crimes
- •Federal drug trafficking
- •Federal fraud charges
- •Federal firearms offenses
- •RICO / racketeering
- •Federal conspiracy charges
Vehicular / OWI
- •Vehicular manslaughter
- •Reckless driving causing death
- •Moving violation causing death
- •OWI causing death
Public Corruption
- •Bribery of a public official
- •Misconduct in office
- •Extortion
Forfeiture — Civil & Criminal
- •Asset forfeiture defense
- •Vehicle forfeiture
- •Currency / property seizure
Potential Penalties
| Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Class A Felony (e.g., First-Degree Murder) | Life in prison without parole |
| Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC 1st Degree) | Up to life in prison, sex offender registry |
| Class B Felony (e.g., Armed Robbery) | Up to 20 years or more in prison |
| Drug Delivery / Manufacturing | Up to 20 years in prison depending on substance and quantity |
| Felonious Assault | Up to 4 years in prison, up to $2,000 fine |
| Class D/E Felony (e.g., Drug Possession) | Up to 5–10 years in prison, fines, probation |
These are the penalties the law allows, not the sentence you will get. A charge is not a conviction, and the worst case on this list is rarely how a case actually ends. What the law permits and what happens in a real courtroom, with the right defense, are two different things. Where your case lands depends on the facts, your record, and the work done early.
Free initial consultation — get clear guidance on what you are up against and what to do next.
Why people rely on Rabaut
A name these courthouses already know.
The Rabaut name has been part of criminal defense in these courthouses for decades. Scott clerked for his father, a longtime, respected Michigan criminal defense attorney, before building his own practice over the last nine years. He has earned real respect in the courtrooms and communities he serves, and you can rely on Rabaut.
He has seen the system from more than one side.
An externship with the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. Loss-prevention work for a major national retailer. Parolee tracking with the Michigan Department of Corrections. Scott has watched how cases get built, what evidence really means, and what happens to people after a conviction. That perspective shapes how he defends you.
Criminal defense is the only thing he does.
Scott is not a general practitioner who takes a criminal case when one walks in the door. Criminal defense is the whole practice. That is where his time and his attention go.
You sit down with Scott, not a paralegal.
The person who hears your story is the person who handles your case.
Start with a free conversation.
Your first consultation costs nothing. What matters most is that you are finally talking to someone who knows exactly what comes next, what you are facing, and who will walk you through it. Not your friends, not a forum online. Real answers from someone who does this every day.
Flat-fee pricing, with no surprises.
If you hire Scott, you will know your full fee up front. No nickel-and-diming for every motion or court date along the way. You will know what is included before you decide, so there are no surprise invoices while you are already worried about everything else.
24/7 live answer.
Day or night, your call reaches a real person, not a recording. Scott personally follows up on every one.
A real conversation, and an honest assessment.
Some lawyers will say whatever it takes to get you in the door. Scott will not. When you sit down with him, he tells you the truth about your case: what is possible, what is likely, and what it will take to get there. If he is the right person to defend you, he will say so. If he is not, he will tell you that too.
This is your future. You deserve someone who is honest with you from the very first call.
Call Now — (586) 243-4140Frequently Asked Questions
The Right Move Is the One You Make Right Now.
Every day that passes without the right attorney in your corner is a day the other side uses to build their case.
Free initial consultation
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A live person answers every call — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
(586) 243-4140Law Offices of Scott E. Rabaut
38600 Van Dyke Ave., Suite 200
Sterling Heights, MI 48312
Callback within 24 hours — sooner when urgency requires it.