Michigan Joyriding Lawyer

Under Michigan law, any person who takes or uses a motor vehicle without permission, or who is a party to the unauthorized taking or using, can be charged with a misdemeanor punishable up to two years in prison or a fine of up to $1,500. This offense is often referred to as joyriding.

To prove joyriding, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Defendant used a motor vehicle that belonged to someone else, without their authority, and intended to use the motor vehicle knowing that he or she did not have the authority to do so.  The charge does not apply to an employee, who, by the nature of his employment, has the authority to drive the vehicle unless he drove or used the vehicle without the owner’s permission and in a way the employee knew was not authorized.

Examples of joyriding include a juvenile using a parent’s car without permission or an employee using a company car for personal business.  

Juvenile Joyriding Charge

Once the police become involved, a teenage indiscretion can quickly escalate from a family dispute into a criminal matter. Typically, a parent contacts the police because their son or daughter took their car or truck without the parent’s permission. Once the police either find the juvenile in possession of the vehicle or subsequent investigation shows that he had possession of the vehicle at the time in question, a joyriding charge may result.

It may be that the parents just wanted their car back or were concerned about the safety of their child, but that doesn’t prevent the police from proceeding with a joyriding charge even if the parents don’t wish to press charges. The fact that the juvenile didn’t intend to steal the vehicle is irrelevant - intent to steal is not required to prove joyriding. Once you’ve told the police that your son or daughter wasn’t authorized to use the vehicle and they are found in possession of it, they may be charged with joyriding.

Depending upon the circumstances, there is often a fine line between being charged with joyriding or a more serious felony offense such as unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle. If it is a situation involving a family member and a juvenile or young person with no criminal history, it is more likely to be charged as joyriding. It is important to have a criminal defense lawyer involved in the process as early as possible in order to avoid the case being charged or amended to a more serious felony.

Joyriding Defense in Michigan

A possible defense, particularly in situations involving family members, may be miscommunication. A Defendant may claim that they were under the belief that the vehicle’s owner had authorized/consented to use of the vehicle in the manner in which it was used.

Being charged with joyriding can be a very stressful event and needs to be taken seriously. It does not, however, have to ruin your future. It may be possible to keep a joyriding conviction off of your record, avoid jail and minimize its impact on your life. The criminal defense lawyers at Jeffrey Buehner, PLLC can guide you on a path to the best possible outcome.

Jeffrey Buehner is a former Oakland County assistant prosecutor who was assigned to the Auto Theft Unit of the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. He has over 23 years of experience in the criminal justice system and is extremely knowledgeable in auto theft defense. If you or a family member find yourself charged with joyriding, call Jeffrey Buehner, PLLC immediately at (248) 865-9640.

We defend joyriding charges in Dearborn, Ferndale, Southfield, Oak Park, Royal Oak, Metro Detroit and throughout Michigan.