Benson Law Office
Legal action can sometimes be overwhelming. With his years of experience, let Mr. Benson guide you through what has become a complex legal system. Steven takes the approach that every case is equally important.
Each client is an individual, and to them, their case is most important. He uses this approach to each case and treats each client as though they were his only client. Mr. Benson promptly returns phone calls and keeps in touch with his clients.
He has tried cases from felony life offenses such as Kidnapping and Criminal Sexual Conduct to misdemeanors such as a Simple Assault, Steve recognizes the importance of each case to the individual client.
Practice Areas:
Criminal Law – Including, But Not Limited To:
- Felony Cases (Specializing With Criminal Sexual Conduct Cases and Sex Offender Violations)
- Misdemeanor Cases (Such as Retail Fraud, Assault and Battery, Domestic Violence, Operating While Intoxicated, Just to Name a Few)
Personal Protection Orders
- Drivers License Restorations
- Estate Planning, Including Durable Power of Attorney
- Juvenile Delinquency Cases
- Expungements
About Me:
For the last seventeen years Steven Benson has been defending your rights as a criminal defense attorney. Born and raised in southwest Michigan, Steve is the second of five children born to his parents, who recently celebrated their 55th Anniversary. After graduating from Plainwell High School, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree from Western Michigan University with a major in psychology and a minor in political science. Starting his law studies at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Mr. Benson achieved the number one ranking in his class of one hundred and fifty one students. After transferring to the University of Tennessee College of Law, in Knoxville, he graduated from with a Juris Doctorate from law school, magna cum laude. Primarily working in central-northern Michigan during his career, most of his work is in the Mecosta and Osceola County areas. As a result, he has a good working relationship and is well known by the court staff in the area.
After graduation, Mr. Benson has worked for different law firms, concentrating on criminal law, estate planning, driver’s license restoration, and a limited amount of family law. Specializing in criminal defense, he has never worked as a county prosecutor or city attorney. Steven’s main purpose for his law practice is to help those in need of quality criminal defense, help folks in the process of estate planning, or navigating and drafting documents for driver’s license restoration, which can become very complex. He has the experience you need to protect your rights. In his last several years of practice, Mr. Benson has primarily focused on felony trial work, however, is quite familiar, and has vast experience with misdemeanor work and driver’s license restoration.
Mr. Benson takes his work very seriously, and is constantly updating himself as the law evolves. Steven is a two time graduate of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan’s (CDAM) trial college, where he tuned his trial skills. Also, he is a member of the State Appellate Defender’s Office’s (SADO) forum, which is basically a “chat room,” specifically for criminal defense lawyers. This forum is unique in that a defense attorney, once signed up, can post questions that literally hundreds of other defense attorneys see, and respond to. As a member and contributor, Steve has been recognized in the SADO’s monthly newsletter for his outstanding work in the area of criminal defense.
When he is not working, Steve enjoys golfing, although his game needs a tremendous amount of work, college football, and cooking.
Serving The Following Counties:
- Mecosta
- Osceola
- Montcalm
- Newaygo
- Lake
- Isabella
- Wexford
- Missauke
- Clare
Affiliations:
- SADO (State Appellate Defender Office)
- Michigan State Bar Association
Success Stories:
In July, 2015, Mr. Benson successfully defended a 71 year old man who was charged with eleven counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct. Nine of those counts were CSC 1st Degree, which is punishable by up to life in prison. After a three day trial, an Osceola County jury agreed with Mr. Benson and found his client not guilty on ten of the eleven counts. The eleventh count resulted in a hung jury, with the prosecutor not pursuing the charge. After spending a year in jail, unable to post bond, Mr. Benson’s client was able to go home that night.
Obtaining not guilty results, Mr. Benson has successfully defended Operating While Intoxicated charges in the 77th District Court in Mecosta County.
Throughout the state, including the Upper Peninsula, Mr. Benson has successfully obtained not guilty results on Domestic Violence cases.
As a skilled negotiator, Steven was able to procure a sentencing of one year and one day on a CSC 1st degree charge.
Mr. Benson has successfully arbitrated on the up side of one thousand of plea agreements for his clients.